I don't recommend the aluminum radiator that Cambridge Motorsports sells.
Look nice, but is very fragile and doesn't help that much with cooling.
Instead, go to a radiator shop that can manufacture custom radiators. I
got a great one made for the cheater for about 200 bucks that solved all
my problems (well, all my cooling problems) in fact I had to block off
part of it because it was cooling incoming water so much that the
thermostat cycled temperature too much. After a lot of experimentation
with bypasses and ports in the thermostat, no thermostat, orifices and
fazzammas I block off a third of the radiator with aluminum sheet on the
back. A problem you'd probably like to have.
-----Original Message-----
From: rgk [mailto:rgk@flash.net]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 10:40 AM
To: Russ Moore; 'Larry Young'; fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Head Sealing Problem?
Larry,
I don't know what the norm is, and I hope others that do pipe up, but I
can't do a 20 minute race running balls to the wall without reaching 220
degrees. This alone may be putting water in the bottle and it has become
something I have gotten used to. I have tried the gas-tester route, and
the radiator pressure tester and come up clean. With no exhaust to pump
the water out, I believe it's simply the thermodynamics of water pressure
overcoming the cap. 15 minute races are perfect, but the heat is rising to
the limit at the end. All I have to do is take my foot out of it for a few
laps and it cools down to around 200. OTOH, I can't accept having to back
off to cool it down anymore and losing places to guys I should beat, so
I'm going to get an aluminum radiator very soon. I think this may be the
solution.
Bob Kramer
rgk@flash.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Moore" <rem@cbord.com>
To: "'Larry Young'" <cartravel@pobox.com>; <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 11:19 AM
Subject: RE: Head Sealing Problem?
> One of three things.
> Not sealing at the head/cylinder area; not sealing at the base (figure
> 8
> gaskets) or a fracture either in the head, block base or in a liner.
>
> Russ Moore
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-fot@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-fot@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of Larry Young
> Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 12:05 PM
> To: fot@autox.team.net
> Subject: Head Sealing Problem?
>
>
> I'm trying to figure out what's going on with my TR3 engine. Ever
> since I rebuilt the engine, I've had a problem with it blowing water
> out into the overflow bottle. In a 20 minute race, it will blow about
> a quart into the overflow. It's also running hot. I'm not getting
> any water in the oil. I'm running a solid copper head gasket and used
> a block sealer after I installed the head. I also pressure tested the
> block and all was fine. After the first race weekend, I checked for
> combustion leaks into the radiator using a kit which has a dye in it.
> The dye is supposed to change color if combustion gases are present in
> the cooling system. I couldn't tell for sure whether it was changing
> color or not, so I retorqued the head and treated it again with block
> sealer. I did have to turn the nuts to get the torque back to 100 lb
> and one stud felt a bit squishy, like it didn't want to tighten up. I
> gather from resent posts, that this is abnormal. It continues to blow
> water out the overflow. I think I've got a head gasket that leaks
> only under load, i.e. race conditions. However, others I've talked to
> aren't so sure. I'm thinking I need to pull the head to try and figure
> out what's going on. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks,
> Larry Young
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