Plugging Top Radiator Gap
- Thread starter sandy
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With my configuration the gap was pretty small, but with my pusher fan running I could feel air going through it (instead of through the rad). I used a piece of door seal rubber bulb I had, pressed onto the sheet metal. With yours, not sure. Maybe an aluminum angle riveted to the sheet metal and "aiming" down? Would maybe minimize it to the point of being able to use some foam rubber seal.
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With the pusher fan it let's a lot of air through. I think plugging will help. Not running a shroud on the car, see how that goes...
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Yep, felt a good amount of air as well. I have some of that push on bulb type but will have to see if it even comes close. Might just be a simple strip of rubber on the inside like a flap or something. One thing I was thinking was some foam tubing like A/C line insulation or foam roll bar tube cover. Not sure, but a lot of air from the fan does get wasted for sure.
Would be nice to not pull the radiator again, will see how that goes.
Sandy
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There was an article years ago by Steve Laifman about his cooling mods.. he closed the radiator to the front panel a e also completed the full circumference of the shroud and also created an airdam under the valence to guide air in.
For the sealing of the rad to the body he used a high density closed cell foam. This allows movement without damaging or forcing the radiator but keeps its seal and can be bought it high temp resistance material. It comes in neat strips so can be done to look tidy.
For the sealing of the rad to the body he used a high density closed cell foam. This allows movement without damaging or forcing the radiator but keeps its seal and can be bought it high temp resistance material. It comes in neat strips so can be done to look tidy.
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Not much room with the thicker radiator as I recall to fit a worthy fan. The amount of room with the Fluidyne is pretty limited, and with a pusher and a somewhat mechanical puller it will be a gamble to see how it will work. I do plan on some rework, this likely will be an area of improvement.
My initial though was while a shroud can work very well at lower speeds, it's the other end of the spectrum of operations that I was more concerned about, and anything on the backside of the radiator can block some flow. All speculation on my part how it would affect it, but will see how it works. Pretty sure this is a 'winter' car given the net amount of cooling available
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Sandy I'm a little confused... If you have an elec pusher that's blocking flow into the rad...while I understand your point about wanting max flow through the radiator and no obstruction of air passing out it's back.. you are saying your concern is overheating at higher speed... Track day stuff I assume.. that's way more likely to be dependent on the radiator cooling capacity and your discussion of sealing the rad to the body so all.the air passes through..I would think the ram air effect at speed would do way more than the mech fan will pull through... So I would focus more on slower speed cooling.Not much room with the thicker radiator as I recall to fit a worthy fan. The amount of room with the Fluidyne is pretty limited, and with a pusher and a somewhat mechanical puller it will be a gamble to see how it will work. I do plan on some rework, this likely will be an area of improvement.
My initial though was while a shroud can work very well at lower speeds, it's the other end of the spectrum of operations that I was more concerned about, and anything on the backside of the radiator can block some flow. All speculation on my part how it would affect it, but will see how it works. Pretty sure this is a 'winter' car given the net amount of cooling available
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The pusher fan is a lot less area than a shroud and mechanical fan blocking the rear. The pusher is forward of the radiator so plenty of pressure at speed to offset the fan. Not trying to optimize the low speed as much as high speed. Shroud helps a lot at lower speeds but once past some point its a restriction to the system. Sealing a few bits around the radiator will help with the electric fan a bit as well as low speed to some extent and an easy one to do.
The radiator in now is likely the highest capacity available without doing some cutting for a larger or thicker core so trying to skip that exercise. Is it going to run hot at a stop light and traffic... no question, just how much is a TBD.
Hood vents hopefully will help a lot, but as seen not as much as expected (still high hopes). All an experiment and will adjust things when it gets going.
The radiator in now is likely the highest capacity available without doing some cutting for a larger or thicker core so trying to skip that exercise. Is it going to run hot at a stop light and traffic... no question, just how much is a TBD.
Hood vents hopefully will help a lot, but as seen not as much as expected (still high hopes). All an experiment and will adjust things when it gets going.
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I think you might have misunderstood me. I was suggesting no mechanical fan, just have an electric fan on the rear of the radiator ans often they have their own sealed perimeter plastic shroud.
Either way I'm sure you'll work it out... Lots of tiger guys have been racing and managed to avoid the overheating issues
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I made an L shaped piece of sheetmetal that covers the gap and also retains the radiator. It is mounted using the two top center shroud mounting holes, and has a piece of foam rubber against the radiator core.
I have a 16 inch pusher fan in front; I made a new radiator lower support that has clearance for the fan as well as two pads that act as the lower rad mount.
I have a 16 inch pusher fan in front; I made a new radiator lower support that has clearance for the fan as well as two pads that act as the lower rad mount.
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I have the fan set back on the front a an inch or so on the front, seemed like a good idea to move the fan off the radiator from the cooling article. I really like the radiator set up you did, nice to get rid of the tank and hoses, never thought of that way to notch out for the cap, would be doing something like that if I have to get a wider core conventional radiator. Great idea!
The trim on the top is nice too, can plug the leak well. I got some bulb shaped trim seal and some square flat seals that I can get most of the way around, I think that can do a lot without much work.
Sandy
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Yeah, I don't think I could fit one in that would be better than the pusher combined with the mech fan. A super slimline might work instead of the flexfan, but would be a lot more work than leaving the flex fan
. The big problem with the others is likely the engine, most are running raced motors that are sorta' different capacity, the over the top approach I took might be way over the top so sometimes have to come up with a different solution. The best one would really to move the radiator forward and add a 3 core larger unit in, but too late for that until I find that I need to as a last resort. As I said, it's all an experiment and as most of my project 3rd time's the charm. I'm on the try 1!Again, thanks for the comments, don't want to come off too negative, but do really appreciate suggestions!
Sandy
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No offence taken.. just wanted to clarify what I was commenting on.
Look into the radiator setups Chris beighton , Jackie Cochraine , Dave smallridge and co use on their marque racers... But I think they have trimmed the from apron for a more forward mounted deeper core... They are in the very high HP ranges....
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For reference... Dave's car... Yours is kind of the street version of theirs....
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I have not seen the inside of the engine compartment of the cars but I'll guess it's like another that had the radiator moved forward a bit. I like his oil cooler too, similar on mine but less hacked up sheet metal the way he did it. Mine valence was not in great shape when I got it so not too big a deal to do some cutting. I do like the black trim on the mouth. That car is really low as well, that would not work well on the street!
I would argue my car is a street version only because it's got DOT approved tires, but nothing really short of a race car
Sandy
I would argue my car is a street version only because it's got DOT approved tires, but nothing really short of a race car
Sandy
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Back in 1996 when I was preparing my
black and yellow Tiger for Vintage
racing, I decided to do as little
Mods as I needed to get the job done.
This included using the original hood
with NO mods, also WITHOUT lifting
the rear.
I have had quite a bit of success
with this configuration.
BUT, when I did the paint, I was
prepared for the possibility of Over
heating issues. So I also prepared
a second modified hood.
...that I have yet to use...
Not seen, is the Louvers to go in the vent openings...
...I'm not sure I can even find them anymore..
DW
black and yellow Tiger for Vintage
racing, I decided to do as little
Mods as I needed to get the job done.
This included using the original hood
with NO mods, also WITHOUT lifting
the rear.
I have had quite a bit of success
with this configuration.
BUT, when I did the paint, I was
prepared for the possibility of Over
heating issues. So I also prepared
a second modified hood.
...that I have yet to use...
Not seen, is the Louvers to go in the vent openings...
...I'm not sure I can even find them anymore..
DW
- Messages
- 173
Thanks! I did this build around an off-the-shelf, no mods, Griffin radiator that Amazon delivered right to my door... I will put together a separate post about the stuff I ended up doing. There is a slight gap between the fan and the radiator core, but it's definitely not an inch.