Airflow to rad
Discussion
Just wondered if anyone had given any consideration to airflow being disrupted/diverted from rad by number plate ? I would prefer to leave mine where it is but just thinking that a solid rectangular "plate" mounted in front of the rad area may be reducing cooling airflow to rad/engine area. Thinking about drilling carefully positioned & sized vents in number plate to facilitate. I would, as always appreciate any advice, thoughts etc.
Richard 858 said:
Just wondered if anyone had given any consideration to airflow being disrupted/diverted from rad by number plate ? I would prefer to leave mine where it is but just thinking that a solid rectangular "plate" mounted in front of the rad area may be reducing cooling airflow to rad/engine area. Thinking about drilling carefully positioned & sized vents in number plate to facilitate. I would, as always appreciate any advice, thoughts etc.
How is your engine temp whilst on the move. Are you having an problems with a high water temp reading ? If not l would suggest to leave the number plate where it is. I'd rather a stone hit the number plate and cracking that, rather than putting a hole in my radiator. You could mount the number plate on the lower member of the grill to achieve what your afterMark
Edited by portzi on Tuesday 5th February 20:58
I went for a 5 digit plate off DVLA website to get the smallest plate I could, then fitted it lower than normal, which definitely improved the air flow into the nose...
Piccie on this thread....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Piccie on this thread....
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Thanks for advice chaps, engine temp currently ok but have only owned the car (1st time) since early December so have yet to experience summer conditions, although it does have an ally rad which I believe offers better cooling than standard ?. Probably just being a little paranoid. Good point about rad protection offered by no. plate though, thanks. Cheers, Richard
If you find that you are overheating in the warm weather, it may be worth considering switching the thermostat for one that that cuts in a little earlier:
http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Search_details/E2...
You're in the same boat as me by the sounds of it. I bought mine early December and still learning!
http://www.clever-trevor.net/TVR/Search_details/E2...
You're in the same boat as me by the sounds of it. I bought mine early December and still learning!
Mine was fine all summer with a seven digit number plate in the normal place. I take it off for track days.
If you want to improve airflow through the radiator, refit the standard gurney under the front. Costs less than £40 from TVR Power. It disrupts the airflow under the car, causing a slight vacuum which draws air through the radiator. Standard fit on a Chimeara, most get knocked off.
If you want to improve airflow through the radiator, refit the standard gurney under the front. Costs less than £40 from TVR Power. It disrupts the airflow under the car, causing a slight vacuum which draws air through the radiator. Standard fit on a Chimeara, most get knocked off.
I moved my number plate to cover the bottom 'hole' in mine. I saw it elsewhere here and thought it looked good.
I re-drilled the number plate (new one in fact) so that the holes were near the top edge. This meant that the plate sat across the lower of the two air inlets (which does not, in fact, transfer air to the rad). I used a double-sided sticky pad to adhere the lower edge of the plate to the bottom bodywork.
Result - much cooler running temps generally, less fan involvement. No new holes, no police interest as yet.
Rich
I re-drilled the number plate (new one in fact) so that the holes were near the top edge. This meant that the plate sat across the lower of the two air inlets (which does not, in fact, transfer air to the rad). I used a double-sided sticky pad to adhere the lower edge of the plate to the bottom bodywork.
Result - much cooler running temps generally, less fan involvement. No new holes, no police interest as yet.
Rich
Would have thought for normal road use it doesnt matter where the number plate is because once these cars are on the move there is no cooling issue.
Stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of summer.......now that can be a problem.
I have an overide switch on both fans which allows me to turn them on early if i meet traffic etc.
Stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of summer.......now that can be a problem.
I have an overide switch on both fans which allows me to turn them on early if i meet traffic etc.
TJC46 said:
Would have thought for normal road use it doesnt matter where the number plate is because once these cars are on the move there is no cooling issue.
Stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of summer.......now that can be a problem.
I have an overide switch on both fans which allows me to turn them on early if i meet traffic etc.
+1Stuck in a traffic jam in the middle of summer.......now that can be a problem.
I have an overide switch on both fans which allows me to turn them on early if i meet traffic etc.
Mine keeps falling off ... has been "fallen off" for most of the three years I've had it! Gets fixed back on for the MOT of course but bugger me if it falls off again very shortly afterwards. I've been stopped for speeding and for no seatbelt - both times I had no front plate - and nothing's ever been said by those lovely men in blue... 
Bassfiend229hp said:
Mine keeps falling off ... has been "fallen off" for most of the three years I've had it! Gets fixed back on for the MOT of course but bugger me if it falls off again very shortly afterwards. I've been stopped for speeding and for no seatbelt - both times I had no front plate - and nothing's ever been said by those lovely men in blue...
May not be the same these days, but last time but one that I got stopped by BiB they said they only stopped me because I had two non-compliances, a rear light out and frosted up windows that I hadn't cleared properly. I just wouldn't give them the excuse to stop me. But then mine doesn't overheat, even in a traffic jam on a hot day.Yes the full plate across teh grill does restrict airflow. I have screwed mine to the lip beneath the grill with a smaller plate which aids airflow & looks IMO a lot nicer to the front stance.
Plate isn't small enough to attract unwanted attention and has never failed an MOT or fallen off. It is useful when parking against a curb as teh plate flexes first before hitting the fibre glass.
Below 50 mph it isn't going to make any difference as little no air is forced into the rad to aid cooling - its only at higher speeds
Plate isn't small enough to attract unwanted attention and has never failed an MOT or fallen off. It is useful when parking against a curb as teh plate flexes first before hitting the fibre glass.
Below 50 mph it isn't going to make any difference as little no air is forced into the rad to aid cooling - its only at higher speeds
Its the horizontal bit the top of the number plate is level with 
phazed said:
These stick ons are perfect, no downside at all officer.
Some young cracker jack cozzer caught me going through Tenterden on one of my early morning runs with a plate like that and gave me a rectification notice 
it had been on there for 3 years no bother though 
plod wouldn't suffer the "its needed for cooling reasons" line though 
Edited by Sardonicus on Wednesday 6th February 21:13
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