Radiator "cowling" to direct all air through radiator.
Discussion
Am still slowly going over the Chimaera 430 and noting and sorting out little niggles that really should have been done in the rebuild. Some of course could perhaps not be foreseen like the alternator issue now solved. Fitted new regulator and rectifier to the original A127-65 unit yesterday. While running her up to check charging noticed that only the left hand fan was running. The right one proved not to be seized just had dirty connections/contacts in the plug so both fans are now running. I understand that the 430 would probably originally only had the one fan but in the rebuild a new radiator was fitted and it has two fans fitted.
What has surprised me is the lack of cowling to direct air through the radiator rather than spilling around it. Some one has added some stiff foam to the top gap but the sides are not blocked so after seeing this am thinking of making up some sheet "cowling to force the air through rather than around the radiator which will improve the radiator and it's fans performance in cooling. This and moving the number plate from the middle of the grill should be worthwhile improvements.
What has surprised me is the lack of cowling to direct air through the radiator rather than spilling around it. Some one has added some stiff foam to the top gap but the sides are not blocked so after seeing this am thinking of making up some sheet "cowling to force the air through rather than around the radiator which will improve the radiator and it's fans performance in cooling. This and moving the number plate from the middle of the grill should be worthwhile improvements.
It is a strange design, no real airflow through the front end on the old style grille.
I’d rather see the number plate moved and an open grille but you run the risk of stones damaging the radiator. I ran a Cobra replica for 10 years with an open front end and didn’t have any issues.
Would be good airflow for the radiator and air filter then.
I’d rather see the number plate moved and an open grille but you run the risk of stones damaging the radiator. I ran a Cobra replica for 10 years with an open front end and didn’t have any issues.
Would be good airflow for the radiator and air filter then.
Belle427 said:
It is a strange design, no real airflow through the front end on the old style grille.
I’d rather see the number plate moved and an open grille but you run the risk of stones damaging the radiator. I ran a Cobra replica for 10 years with an open front end and didn’t have any issues.
Would be good airflow for the radiator and air filter then.
Am going to have a bright stainless mesh grill like Jaguar/Bentley uses instead of the standard TVR one. Was going to get it from Lockwoods but they clearly do not want my business as have not replied to my enquiry made over a week ago. may have to order from China instead. Number plate will be moved lower means having to drill the body but cannot be helped really as mount has to be bolted or screwed in place here to comply with law. Stick on plates illegal.I’d rather see the number plate moved and an open grille but you run the risk of stones damaging the radiator. I ran a Cobra replica for 10 years with an open front end and didn’t have any issues.
Would be good airflow for the radiator and air filter then.
Will try making some card templates for the cowl. Thinking the the sides could be bonded into place and utilize the bolts on top or radiator to further support it. Then need to source some sheet alloy.
As standard most earlier Chimaera’s have no cowls for the fans and the later cars seem have them installed. I’ve had a pair of fibreglass cowls I brought second hand stored in the shed for years and now with the turbo installed and after the recent good weather they are definitely needed. Maybe one of the fibreglass specialists has a mould or could make something up?
The foam is standard on most cars.
If the temps are ok when moving along then there’s enough air.
Fan shrouds might help for when in traffic but sealing the rad edge won’t make any difference imo.
As you live in hot climbs I’d look at uprated fans or setting them to come on at a lower temp.
Id actually drive it for a little while first and monitor the temps.
Ask on the forsale pages on Facebook etc for an old ecumate or if you really want to know what’s going on get rover gauge. This i’d have thought essential going forward so you can diagnose things yourself. It will also display the ecu temp sender findings rather than the gauge so you can work out if the gauge creeping up is actually hot water or the notorious heat sinc or wiring resistance effect on the gauge readings which are often inaccurate when it gets hot in traffic.
You really need to see what the Ecu reads before deciding if this is necessary.
Making your fans as efficient as possible must be your priority I’d have thought.
The cooling system usually works well in Tvr and they don’t often boil over even abroad and many people drive them abroad in the hot summer months.
Thermostat might be a cheap place to start.
Lower the opening temperature and that should help to slow the heating up process.
Goodluck
If the temps are ok when moving along then there’s enough air.
Fan shrouds might help for when in traffic but sealing the rad edge won’t make any difference imo.
As you live in hot climbs I’d look at uprated fans or setting them to come on at a lower temp.
Id actually drive it for a little while first and monitor the temps.
Ask on the forsale pages on Facebook etc for an old ecumate or if you really want to know what’s going on get rover gauge. This i’d have thought essential going forward so you can diagnose things yourself. It will also display the ecu temp sender findings rather than the gauge so you can work out if the gauge creeping up is actually hot water or the notorious heat sinc or wiring resistance effect on the gauge readings which are often inaccurate when it gets hot in traffic.
You really need to see what the Ecu reads before deciding if this is necessary.
Making your fans as efficient as possible must be your priority I’d have thought.
The cooling system usually works well in Tvr and they don’t often boil over even abroad and many people drive them abroad in the hot summer months.
Thermostat might be a cheap place to start.
Lower the opening temperature and that should help to slow the heating up process.
Goodluck
The radiator should be sealed against the bodywork using a self adhesive foam strip on all 4 sides.
The foam can easily be obtained on eBay.
There is plenty of air passing through the grill aperture although I used to remove my number plate for track days.
Out of interest, my car has about 2/5ths of the rad blocked by a huge oil cooler and I don't suffer any cooling issues at all.
My number plate on my current chim is mounted lower and you could do this with simple brackets.
The foam can easily be obtained on eBay.
There is plenty of air passing through the grill aperture although I used to remove my number plate for track days.
Out of interest, my car has about 2/5ths of the rad blocked by a huge oil cooler and I don't suffer any cooling issues at all.
My number plate on my current chim is mounted lower and you could do this with simple brackets.
Belle427 said:
Thought about a stick on number plate to the lower bonnet area?
Maybe someone else has one fitted they could post a picture of.
Ahhh which bit of "Stick on Plates" are illegal here did you not quite understand?Maybe someone else has one fitted they could post a picture of.
Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
They usually fit a security rivett through the rear plate at the KAT office. KAT is their version of VOSA. I have another of these mounts for the front.
I think there is some confusion here probably caused by my use of the term "cowl"! the fans of course have a sort of cowl in their mounting on the radiator the "COWL" that I am talking about is one to seal the radiator edges to the body work thus forcing all air through the radiator and not around it as is possible now.
It has been found that making cowls to do this in the MGF improves the radiator performance and really helps in the cooling. Just discussing this with the builder here about where to get alloy sheet and mentioned the black hard foam used and he suggested using some of the hard "Pink" insulation expanded foam used under heated floors and we have seveal sheets of that about so will try and see how we get on with it.
That is once I locate where I have put my darned specs down!
It has been found that making cowls to do this in the MGF improves the radiator performance and really helps in the cooling. Just discussing this with the builder here about where to get alloy sheet and mentioned the black hard foam used and he suggested using some of the hard "Pink" insulation expanded foam used under heated floors and we have seveal sheets of that about so will try and see how we get on with it.
That is once I locate where I have put my darned specs down!
Just use something like this to seal inbetween radiator and body. Simple solution.
Mine is still in place 3 years later.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20x10mm-2M-Self-Adhesiv...
Mine is still in place 3 years later.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20x10mm-2M-Self-Adhesiv...
I thought you meant fan cowls until I read your post properly, doh! Edited to save embarrassment......
I moved my number plate from the grille and also replaced the grille with mesh. The mesh is available from the Mesh Company: https://www.themeshcompany.com/products/Car-grille...
I moved my number plate from the grille and also replaced the grille with mesh. The mesh is available from the Mesh Company: https://www.themeshcompany.com/products/Car-grille...
Edited by N7GTX on Friday 27th April 18:08
Edited by N7GTX on Friday 27th April 19:02
gamefreaks said:
That mesh grille looks great. I’m planning to do something like that myself.
How is the grille secured?
It sits in the window rubber just like a windscreen would. If you get stainless, rub it down first to give a key then use a good primer followed by your choice of top coat. How is the grille secured?
N7GTX said:
It sits in the window rubber just like a windscreen would. If you get stainless, rub it down first to give a key then use a good primer followed by your choice of top coat.
Thanks. On my car, the grille is screwed in. The rubber trim isn’t attached to the car at all.Of course, screws won’t really work on mesh so I’ll have to think of another way of securing it.
[quote=Brithunter]hhh which bit of "Stick on Plates" are illegal here did you not quite understand?
Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
jesfirth]rithunter said:
hhh which bit of "Stick on Plates" are illegal here did you not quite understand?
Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
jes as Qbee has so kindly pointed out "here" is central Bulgaria NOT the UK so we have a totally different set of Rules on such things and the folks at KAT the registration people will not allow stick on plates period!Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
Brithunter said:
jesfirth]rithunter said:
hhh which bit of "Stick on Plates" are illegal here did you not quite understand?
Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
jes as Qbee has so kindly pointed out "here" is central Bulgaria NOT the UK so we have a totally different set of Rules on such things and the folks at KAT the registration people will not allow stick on plates period!Plates stuck on in anyway are illegal the mounts MUST be screwed or Bolted. This is the mounting they use here:-
I have a stick on plate on the nose of my griff. it has been on the car for 8 years and I have never had an issue with plod.
N7GTX said:
I thought you meant fan cowls until I read your post properly, doh! Edited to save embarrassment......
I moved my number plate from the grille and also replaced the grille with mesh. The mesh is available from the Mesh Company: https://www.themeshcompany.com/products/Car-grille...
Cheers have emailed the mesh company and see if they can help. The Chinese say shipping to Bulgaria would be too expensive. If the Mesh company say the same then looks like will have to try and make one from alloy sheet with larger holes than the original and holes for the DRL's.I moved my number plate from the grille and also replaced the grille with mesh. The mesh is available from the Mesh Company: https://www.themeshcompany.com/products/Car-grille...
Edited by N7GTX on Friday 27th April 18:08
Edited by N7GTX on Friday 27th April 19:02
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