Farmall Cub

This last weekend, I was told that maybe I should not have painted my replacement radiator. I had cleaned it off, top to bottom, and then sprayed it with some primer. The primer is now dry and I was getting ready to use some IH Farmall red spray paint to finish it off before installing it. (I am still waiting for the radiator gasket to arrive by mail this week.)

Did I make a mistake painting the radiator fins? It seems hard to believe that paint could make it overheat.

Thanks for any advice you may be able to give me.

Tom

Tom,
I have a 49 Cub and the radiator is painted silver. I have ran the tractor alot in 90 degree heat here in Virginia and have had no overheating problems. Your radiator should be ok painted.

Gunner

The originals were painted red, and they had no trouble. Most radiator shops paint them black, one of the reasons being that black rediates heat better. The only way I think you would run into a problem would be if it had too many coats of paint.

The replacement radiator in my Cub is painted black and I prefer it black so it will stay black as I paint the rest "RED".

As John said paint wont hurt it unless it is applied so thick that it restricts airflow through the fins. I would think that a flat-based paint with the consistancy of primer would be the best to use.