[Healeys] alum radiator swap

Sun Jun 2 03:25:23 MDT 2019

Kees,
The running temperature of an Austin-Healey 100, 100/6 and 3000 engine is 
already relatively high. There is no need to increase it. But you need to 
have engine and radiator in as good as closely to new condition. That means 
no crude in the water channels of the engine or radiator. Some high 
effeciancy core radiators are also counterproductive, as they hinder the 
flush of the water through the radiator.
My experiance of 40 years with Austin-Healeys and others like MG As, 
Triumph TR2-3as, etc. are to kkeep everything to factory spec and the car 
runs absolutely fine in normal traffic. Personally I avoid motorways with 
high traffic and always congestions and driving through big cities like 
Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, Amsterdam, etc. from traffic light to traffic 
light. But those big cities I even avoid to go in with my modern car as its 
a nightmare meanwhile.
I better use public transport for going in when I need to go.

Josef Eckert

-----Original-Nachricht-----
Betreff: Re: [Healeys] alum radiator swap
Datum: 2019-06-02T10:21:09+0200
Von: "Kees Oudesluijs" <coudesluijs at chello.nl>
An: "healeys at autox.team.net" <healeys at autox.team.net>

Yes and no.
An old car should be fit for any normal drive, be it regularly or 
occasionally, at leisure or in modern heavy traffic. This means that many 
classic cars will need some assistance with the cooling, i.e. an electric 
fan, either manually or thermostatically controlled.
An aluminium radiator is indeed a gimmick and does not add anything at all. 
It will probably wear out faster due to corrosion. It is just cheap to 
manufacture and does not improve the cooling efficiency.
What improves cooling efficiency is increasing the running temperature of 
the engine by fitting a hotter thermostat thus creating a larger delta T, 
fitting a more efficient water pump to increase the coolant flow, enlarging 
the total surface area of the radiator, i.e. more rows (up to a point), 
larger matrix or increase the air flow through the radiator, i.e. improved 
cowling, more blades to the fixed fan, higher engine idling speed but most 
of all a thermostatically controlled fan in combination with a carefully 
chosen thermostat and thermoswitch.
Kees Oudesluijs

Op 2-6-2019 om 08:53 schreef josef-eckert at t-online.de
<mailto:josef-eckert at t-online.de> :

    When you use genuine parts to replace faulty ones and when you keep the
    car propperly maintained  and when you use the old car only
    occasionally for fun drives just to enjoy driving it, there is no
    problem with an old car.
    PS: Aluminium radiator is something nobody needs in a classic car as it
    improves nothing. Just a useless gimmick.

    Josef Eckert
    Königswinter/Germany

    -----Original-Nachricht-----
    Betreff: [Healeys] alum radiator swap
    Datum: 2019-06-02T00:21:42+0200
    Von: "i erbs" <eyera3000 at gmail.com> <mailto:eyera3000 at gmail.com>
    An: "Ahealey help" <healeys at autox.team.net>
    <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>

    Aluminum radiator swap update:
    Got my old oem unit out. Removed my nice newish metal flex fan. spliced
    wires onto the electric fan for easy connect/disconnect and then went
    to double-check the new radiator will work after and initial trial fit.
    What I found: OEM radiator is 1/2" wider and the aluminum radiator does
    not have tapped holes, so nuts will be needed to attach to my car. I am
    outside of the return window.
    So it looks like I will be getting my OEM Radiator flow tested and
    tanked.
    Will reinstall my flex fan
    refill with coolant/water
    have installed a new sleeved thermostat to replace the non-sleeved
    unit.
    I can make some shims for the new radiator, but cutting threads in the
    holes will most likely result in the holes being to big for the bolts.
    Fun with old cars
    Registered for a car show on June 8th....
    Ira Erbs
    Portland,OR
          _______                                  _______
         (______ \____1959 BN4____/ _______)
             (_________________________)
              BT7 engine and disk brakes

    1967 MGB  [MG]

    A racing car is an animal with a thousand adjustments. Mario Andretti
    Please excuse random auto corrects and misspelled words

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