Phil,
The guy that built the radiator for my MGB race car told me the best
thing to run was DISTILLED water, and (as I recall....it's been over 25
years ago) 25% to 50% GOOD quality anti-freeze. The anti-freeze will
provide the lubricant for the water pump impeller (the pump bearings are
sealed units, of course).
My feeling is that, if your stock A series engine is running hot, and
the cooling system is stock, and in good condition; you need to be
looking into ignition timing, and head gasket. When was the last time
your Sprite's cooling system was thoroughly flushed, and refilled with
new coolant? Are the fins clear of bugs & other air-blocking debris?
Valves are correctly adjusted, right? (effects valve timing) Is your
gauge reading accurately?
While just under 200F is probably as much as I'd want to see, it seems
to me I recall reading that the optimum water temp for the A series
engine is actually 190F. That being said, my stock 1275 runs 170-180,
on the road, and will eventually warm to somewhere north of 195 if I get
stuck in heavy, stop & go traffic on a hot summer day. It gets pretty
"bitchy" at that temp, and would rather stall if I let the idle drop
much below 1000rpm. But, as soon as we get moving again, it cools RIGHT
DOWN.
BTW, my Midget has the newer, "C__N__H" scale. Years ago, I stuck a
thermometer in the radiator tank, with the engine starting from cold,
idle, and just noted what the thermometer read, compared to the gauge,
as the engine warmed up. Pretty easy to do, and it won't puke much
coolant out of the open filler plug hole, while idling.
Bud Osbourne
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
[mailto:owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net] On Behalf Of Phil Nase
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 5:10 PM
To: 'spridgets net'
Subject: RE: Overheating woes > Water Wetter
Is a water pump lube needed in addition to the water wetter? I heard
years
ago at a tech session that water wetter was a water softener. Something
to
do with the molecules aligning differently.
For some reason my BE has been running towards 200* even when air temps
are
in the 70s. I am thinking of running straight water with a lube in it.
What should I use?
Phil Nase
Quakertown, PA
http://home.comcast.net/~philnasecpa
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