[Healeys] alum radiator swap

[Bob Spidell]

While we're (sort of) on topic, what is the List wisdom on the efficacy 
of fitting side vents to the front wings (a la rally cars)?  Since, 
supposedly, a big part of the issue with Healeys overheating is 
insufficient airflow through the engine bay, I'd expect them to help 
quite a bit.  Or, or they 'useless' as well, since the main overheating 
issue is stopped at idle?

Not sure if the louvers on my 100M help.  It still gets a bit warm 
stopped at idle, but not as much as my BJ8 (but I haven't driven the M 
as much, smaller engine, etc.).

Bob

On 6/2/2019 1:19 AM, Kees Oudesluijs wrote:
>
> 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:
>>
>> 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>
>>
>> An: "Ahealey help" <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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