02GF74
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 02:20 PM |
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fitting a radiator at an angle
I am creating jobs for myself!!! ... and one is to swap the position of the radiator and fan.
I do not think there is enough room for the raditor in its proposed position due to chasis rails underneath so either I find another shorter but
slightly wider radiator or try to fit it at an angle from vertical.
The forum search has not come up with anything but is there a maximum angle beyond with the radiator is no longer working efficiently?
The vertical surface area decreases so is there any data on how cooling and air flow is affected according to the radiator angle?
Or is it simply such a bad idea that I should forget consider it?
I do not know if this will be possible nor what sort of angle will result, I'd be very surprised if it is more than 45 degrees, probably about
20.
[Edited on 14/12/05 by 02GF74]
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Petemate
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 03:01 PM |
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My rad is sloping back at about 40 degrees from vertical - it works OK as I've fitted it in such a way that the air HAS to go through it not
round it.
It works so well that it over-cools in frosty conditions, so I'm going to have to get a winter 'stat. (2 litre Pinto with Mk2 Cav rad)
A fellow club member has his rad HORIZONTAL!! As long as the air can get through (he has an electric fan of course) it doesn't seem to
matter.
HTH
Pete
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02GF74
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 03:31 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Petemate
My rad is sloping back at about 40 degrees from vertical - it works OK as I've fitted it in such a way that the air HAS to go through it not
round it.
It works so well that it over-cools in frosty conditions, so I'm going to have to get a winter 'stat. (2 litre Pinto with Mk2 Cav rad)
cheers for that, so it is doable.
40 degree!!!  looking from the side, is the top sloping to the front or to the back?
Can you measure for me the mk2 cavalier rad? (with and without the mounting brackets). The height not including the rad cap, and then the extra bit
for the cap.
oh, an a couple of photos would be great!
ideally I would like a wider but lower rad but adhering to locost philosphy I hope toget away with the existing radiator at an angle, espacially since
it seems to be a new one.
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Humbug
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 03:51 PM |
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As mentioned, as long as the air goes throught the rad OK you should be all right.
If it is significantly off vertical, blocking uo the gaps between the edges of the rad and the nose cone will help a lot.
I did this with my Polo rad even though it is nearly vertical, and have had no problems... although it was only SVAd in October 
http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/photos.php?action=showphoto&photo=2005-09-03%20Locost%20old%20and%20new%20radiators.JPG
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02GF74
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 03:59 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Humbug
I did this with my Polo rad even though it is nearly vertical, and have had no problems... although it was only SVAd in October
.JPG)
what on earth is going on here?!?!?!?
It looks to me that you have put some sort of fixings, probably to hold a fan on the rear - through the matrix? Obviously you have been
careful to avoid holing the tubes but how long do you expect that to hold intact? In my opinion, very very bad. Surely there must be a better
way?
[Edited on 14/12/05 by 02GF74]
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iank
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 04:18 PM |
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Erm I believe that's a standard way to fix aftermarket fans. Kenlowe certainly use it.
http://www.kenlowe.com/fans/consumers/fans05.html see the picture by the mountings sub-title.
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Humbug
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 04:29 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by iank
Erm I believe that's a standard way to fix aftermarket fans. Kenlowe certainly use it.
http://www.kenlowe.com/fans/consumers/fans05.html see the picture by the mountings sub-title.
Yup - they are the fixings that came with the fan (from CarBuilder Solutions). They are basically like chunky cable ties and not a problem as long as
you feed them carefully between the fins of the rad.
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Petemate
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 05:02 PM |
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I'll do some pics on Fri for you. The reason I went for the Cav rad was the supplied rad with the RH kit was the early one with only single
core. Although the Cav rad is also single core, the tubes are much larger and it really does work well. One problem however is the entry & exit
connections, which required some head-scratching to adapt. You'll see what I mean when I do the pics. Sorry, away at work tomorrow but will
deffo do 'em Fri.
Pete
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nick205
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 05:14 PM |
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I've used cable ties to fix my fan to the rad as well, nothing special, just ordinary cable ties carefully threaded through the rad fins/pipes.
The fan weighs very little as it's all plastic construction. Like Humbug says, it's a very common practice in kit and aftermarket
solutions. It certainly saves a lot of messing about trying to make brackets.
HTH
Nick
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RazMan
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| posted on 14/12/05 at 08:46 PM |
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Most middies (mine included) have the radiator mounted at an angle to squeeze them under a low profile body - so no problem within reason. You can
always duct the air in if you need to improve airflow.
One pointer though - I was once told by a radiator maker that those cable tie thingies that a lot of aftermarket fans are fitted with are bad news -
they will eventually work loose and vibrate their way through the rad core, leaving you stranded on a cold, dark, wet Sunday night with no tools on
board
Make a proper bracket!
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
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02GF74
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| posted on 15/12/05 at 09:42 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by RazMan
One pointer though - I was once told by a radiator maker that those cable tie thingies that a lot of aftermarket fans are fitted with are bad news -
they will eventually work loose and vibrate their way through the rad core, leaving you stranded on a cold, dark, wet Sunday night with no tools on
board
Make a proper bracket!
Spot on!! I had another think about this tough and I see you are using aluminium rad. and there is less metal around the frame - I am more familiar
with the copper coered tyep. So maybe the aluminium ones use stronger cores?
Vibration over time is gonna take its toll. If it was such a good idea, how come the volume car manufacturers don't use this method, gotta
be cheaper surely?
And as for weight of the fan being low, remember when it is running it will vibrate plus try to move nearear or away from the radiator so there will
be some flexing.
Not the solution I would be using.
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Petemate
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| posted on 15/12/05 at 11:54 AM |
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I also saw remarks re the retainers for the fans. It was stated that these are OK as long as they are sleeved with rubber to protect the rad tubes.
HTH
Pete
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Petemate
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| posted on 16/12/05 at 01:18 PM |
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Hi again. Info on the Cav Mk2 rad. size 600mm X 420mm, thickness 25mm core, 50mm header tanks. I was wrong, it's more like 45 degrees.
Pic 1..
[Edited on 16/12/05 by Petemate]
 
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Petemate
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| posted on 16/12/05 at 01:19 PM |
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Pic 2. You can see how I've had to take the bottom hose down out of the nosecone; it is hidden nicely behind the number plate when the bonnet is
shut.
[Edited on 16/12/05 by Petemate]
[Edited on 16/12/05 by Petemate]
 
Rescued attachment MVC-899S.JPG
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Petemate
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| posted on 16/12/05 at 01:22 PM |
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Last pic. Shows the sucker fan which came with the rad - does a good job. After Total Kit Car at Brands, for the hell of it I went home to Oxford via
the S Circ. Approx 20mph max all the way round it, cooling system behaved perfect. The small pipe from the top right of the rad goes to the top of the
Astra spherical exp tank while a tee-off from the bottom hose goes to the bottom of the exp tank. Hope it all helps.
Pete
[Edited on 16/12/05 by Petemate]
 
Rescued attachment MVC-900S.JPG
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