Engine bay cooling

[CHEF_GOLF]

I have got my mistress out after 7 years in storage. I forgot how hot the engine bay gets. Anyone got any suggestions how to get more air in through into the bay to drop the temp

[Bassfiend229hp]

Drive faster...

I'm surprised she hasn't healed over if you haven't had her opened up in 7 years...

[SILICONEKID343HP]

If you have the cool air intake switch ,mostly on early cars i would remove the plenum and insulate the air duct so you can get some cool air in the cabin..

You can insulate around the tunnel to stop the heat from the gearbox .

[QBee]

Has your car still got the factory fitted forward facing splitter under the front? If not, get one and fit it. It creates a vacuum which sucks more air through the radiator.

[CHEF_GOLF]

She's been on the drive ticking over
It's the engine bay I want to get cooler any ideas

[CHEF_GOLF]

It doesn't have a splitter. Where would one be found

[QBee]

TVR Power sell a metal one for around £30-40, others sell it too, or just buy a strip of stainless 900mm x 75mm from an engineering works and ask them to put a 45 degree bend in it along the whole length. That's what I did. Works a treat and stops the bonnet from flapping at speed.
Clever Trevor do part U0890 for about £20 in GRP

[spend]

[specifically for 4.3 era cars]

Forget the splitter if its on the drive that you are worried about....

Standing the rads don't have good cowlings or seals so air tends to recirculate, fitting later shrouds for the fans and ensuring the gap twixt rad & bodywork is sealed should fix that. If the drive is windy a splitter may help, it should be fitted anyway IMHO ~ £5 of square gutter makes 4 disposable splitters in my case. Removing the precats does keep the manifolds a fair bit cooler, ceramic coating as well keeps them even cooler. You may consider the rad needs re-coring & check the fan belt is driving the water pump.

You could try increasing the idle and see if that drops the temp - the water pump can be a bit marginal at low rpms (not enough flow going through the rad). I'd also pull the stat out in this weather and make sure that is not causing the problem.

When I got mine I also cut the struts out of the nosecone & replaced them with thinner strips,lowered the number plate, added splitter, rad recore, added cerbera fans & cowls (but that required rewiring for twin relays), maybe some other mods I can't recall but as a result it is capable of maintaining 80c even in sunny Europe.

[QBee]

CHEF_GOLF said:

She's been on the drive ticking over
It's the engine bay I want to get cooler any ideas

I thought this was a "feature", designed to allow you to check the cooling fans are cutting in at 92 degrees?

[CHEF_GOLF]

The temp gauge sits at 90 oc and the fan cut in no problem. I just want to get the ambient under bonnet temp down.
Just to clarify she doesn't just sit in the drive anymore she's out on the prowle
I just don't want to cook the engine bay.
The cats and pre cats have gone so that helps

[V8 GRF]

Any car gets hot if you just have it running while sitting on the drive, something you shouldn't do with an RV8 anyway. Just drive the car and the temps will come down to acceptable levels.

[QBee]

I saw a 3 series BMW waiting to turn out of a suburban side road this lunchtime, and I could hear the cooling fans going. RV8 engines aren't the only ones that get warm in ths lovely summer weather

[phazed]

I wrapped my Y piece in heat insulating wrap, that certainly helps as that acts as a giant radiator!

[CHEF_GOLF]

I would just like to clarify that the car is not just sat on the drive. She used to come out into the drive to run when she was in storage. I just want to lower the engine bay temp when she is running by forcing more air into the bay

[QBee]

CHEF_GOLF said:

I would just like to clarify that the car is not just sat on the drive. She used to come out into the drive to run when she was in storage. I just want to lower the engine bay temp when she is running by forcing more air into the bay

On a rolling road they stick a bloody great fan in front of the car......

[Bassfiend229hp]

Gotta say I have been wondering whether there's anything that can be done to allow more efficient removal of hot air from the engine bay ... I've got a hefty pair of SPAL fans (as used on the Tuscan I believe) and the later radiator cowlings, I've got foam strip to seal around the rad and bodywork and all that should pull loads more air through but hopefully it'll not just end up simply filling the engine bay with hot air that then can't get out quickly enough.

[pac1uk]

Would removing the bonnet insulation help? This seems to reflect the heat back into the engine bay

[V8 GRF]

pac1uk said:

Would removing the bonnet insulation help? This seems to reflect the heat back into the engine bay

It might drop the engine bay temps but you'll need a new bonnet and or paint on it pretty quickly.

[Markh]

I found a major improvement in having my exhaust manifolds ceramic coated, it was few years ago but seem to recall coating around £350

[Incognegro]

CHEF_GOLF said:

I would just like to clarify that the car is not just sat on the drive. She used to come out into the drive to run when she was in storage. I just want to lower the engine bay temp when she is running by forcing more air into the bay

Perhaps you can get some of these vents fitted! When standing still they allow the rising hot air to escape... Even with an unlocked bonnet the aero style keeps it down and under hard acceleration the nose stays planted!