Alternative Radiator
Discussion
Anybody out there found a coolant radiator from another vehicle that fits the S2 wedge? I'd be looking for one with a built in fan and shroud.
I reckon that a modern plastic tank/aluminium core radiator would be more efficient than the Range Rover Classic one so could be smaller and still work. What I'd really like to do is fit a narrower radiator so that I can then route the engine air intake to a position alongside the radiator - I'm seeing intake air at at 50 DegC on megasquirt logs with the standard intake position on the 350i.
My rad is leaking so it's time to make a change...
I reckon that a modern plastic tank/aluminium core radiator would be more efficient than the Range Rover Classic one so could be smaller and still work. What I'd really like to do is fit a narrower radiator so that I can then route the engine air intake to a position alongside the radiator - I'm seeing intake air at at 50 DegC on megasquirt logs with the standard intake position on the 350i.
My rad is leaking so it's time to make a change...
No help but if you are in that area, I was pondering the position of the rad and the gaps around it and there is a lot of air that can get from the bay to the front of the rad or useful air spill around the rad. So I filled the gaps in so at least when I am driving in slowish traffic the air has to come from the front through the rad and it will hit the rad and not spill around it.
I did get some odd temperature fluctuations and it calmed down after this work but I had just put a recore back in so it may have been a pesky air lock calming down.
I had considered an alloy rad but as someone pointed out, bit finicky to repair. That may or may not be correct.
And my 350 had the intake down the bottom by the rad, Mk I I think, big metal plate to help prevent water ingest.
Just a thought if that makes sense.
I did get some odd temperature fluctuations and it calmed down after this work but I had just put a recore back in so it may have been a pesky air lock calming down.
I had considered an alloy rad but as someone pointed out, bit finicky to repair. That may or may not be correct.
And my 350 had the intake down the bottom by the rad, Mk I I think, big metal plate to help prevent water ingest.
Just a thought if that makes sense.
Martin
As you know I went the "ally" Griff Chim route with the 5Ltr Gredge with the tailored twin fans to suit.
There was some interesting plumbing challenges that had to be overcome but all good since installation. If anything the car is running a little cool, so some work to be done on the version of the thermostat once I get the car back in the next couple of weeks. I have retained the Griff coolant swirl pot but I am still not sure what it does apart from simplifying the bleeding process! I have wired the auto and manual override setup to be able to select one or both fans (Over engineered!) Will be interested in seeing the MS set up at some stage
Cheers
Chris
As you know I went the "ally" Griff Chim route with the 5Ltr Gredge with the tailored twin fans to suit.
There was some interesting plumbing challenges that had to be overcome but all good since installation. If anything the car is running a little cool, so some work to be done on the version of the thermostat once I get the car back in the next couple of weeks. I have retained the Griff coolant swirl pot but I am still not sure what it does apart from simplifying the bleeding process! I have wired the auto and manual override setup to be able to select one or both fans (Over engineered!) Will be interested in seeing the MS set up at some stage
Cheers
Chris
Why get one radiator - maybe you can get two "normal" narrower ones that will fit into the same gap?
Looking on the flea almost all small rads are about £20 brand new, so that's £40 for the pair. You can then afford to buy one spare in case one gets damaged/leaks etc.
It would be easier to fit them/change them too. I like this idea....
On the other hand I just spotted ebay item 191590525040 - looks nice....
Looking on the flea almost all small rads are about £20 brand new, so that's £40 for the pair. You can then afford to buy one spare in case one gets damaged/leaks etc.
It would be easier to fit them/change them too. I like this idea....
On the other hand I just spotted ebay item 191590525040 - looks nice....
Edited by adam quantrill on Tuesday 23 June 16:49
Hi Martin..I was looking at smaller ..Thinner rads from later Rangies which were plastic but it looked a lot of faffing around so went for a refurb of the original...Intake temperatures...Mmmmm...I know that Chappers had a problem with high intake temperatures and the MS didn't like it...I think it kept running on a limp mode which caused serious over-fuelling.
I re-designed Delilah's air box as that used to take hot air directly from the radiator..And she had a fuel cooler instead...However i removed the fuel cooler due to rust in the system but had a separate air box made up with the K&N in the nosecone..Yes i saw about 3-5bhp more but after a while the filter would get a bit grungy being at such a low level.
I think the best way forward would be to have a vent directly above the filter which is fitted with a fine mesh and removable air filter foam...(You can buy this cheap by the sheet load)..The K&N filter could be housed in a sealed unit with a silicone collar at both ends..When the bonnet closes it closes the top part of the vent onto the box..Unfortunately this is only good if you have a spare bonnet that you can butcher or the one you have..
Another option is to install a cool induction kit but it might have to go round the opposite way compared to this pic...i:e The filter enclosed where it sits anyway on the Wedge and then the cool air is being drawn in from elsewhere...
Kits are relatively cheap and there are lots of options...Im certainly going to do something along these lines.
(These are just to give you an idea and sizes would need to be worked out.)
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=...
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=...
There was an option i was looking into when i was Supercharging Delilah and that was a tube which had a coil of alloy inside...It was made to fit a variant of ID and was hooked up to a refrigerant on an injector/Valve that was connected to full throttle...The rest explains itself...Trouble is i cannot find it anymore.....
Food for thought i guess...Cheers...Ziga
I re-designed Delilah's air box as that used to take hot air directly from the radiator..And she had a fuel cooler instead...However i removed the fuel cooler due to rust in the system but had a separate air box made up with the K&N in the nosecone..Yes i saw about 3-5bhp more but after a while the filter would get a bit grungy being at such a low level.
I think the best way forward would be to have a vent directly above the filter which is fitted with a fine mesh and removable air filter foam...(You can buy this cheap by the sheet load)..The K&N filter could be housed in a sealed unit with a silicone collar at both ends..When the bonnet closes it closes the top part of the vent onto the box..Unfortunately this is only good if you have a spare bonnet that you can butcher or the one you have..
Another option is to install a cool induction kit but it might have to go round the opposite way compared to this pic...i:e The filter enclosed where it sits anyway on the Wedge and then the cool air is being drawn in from elsewhere...
Kits are relatively cheap and there are lots of options...Im certainly going to do something along these lines.
(These are just to give you an idea and sizes would need to be worked out.)
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=...
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=...
There was an option i was looking into when i was Supercharging Delilah and that was a tube which had a coil of alloy inside...It was made to fit a variant of ID and was hooked up to a refrigerant on an injector/Valve that was connected to full throttle...The rest explains itself...Trouble is i cannot find it anymore.....
Food for thought i guess...Cheers...Ziga
I was wondering about twin rads too but I suspect the pipework and pressure drop would get out of hand. In any case secondhand rads from popular vehicles are peanuts to buy so I was thinking I'd just take a punt or two and see what I can cobble together. I'm thinking Mercedes or BMW at the moment as they have powerful engines so should be up to it. I reckon the space on a wedge is 890x515 so I should be able to get something in there plus have space at the side for an air intake.
I have several ideas for air intakes but I'll sort the rad first and see where to go from there. It's easier with Megasquirt as I don't need the flapper or a hotwire MAF. I'm not planning to cut the bonnet on the 350i but I'd be willing to bet that the temperature is why the 400SEs and SEACs have shark gills in that area. I still think the area would be hot even with the shark gills as it is behind the radiator, and the hot air will be going up out of the shark gills...
Chris, you're welcome anytime you're in the area to poke around at the MS installation - or else I'll see you at the diner sometime, but not this week or next.
I have several ideas for air intakes but I'll sort the rad first and see where to go from there. It's easier with Megasquirt as I don't need the flapper or a hotwire MAF. I'm not planning to cut the bonnet on the 350i but I'd be willing to bet that the temperature is why the 400SEs and SEACs have shark gills in that area. I still think the area would be hot even with the shark gills as it is behind the radiator, and the hot air will be going up out of the shark gills...
Chris, you're welcome anytime you're in the area to poke around at the MS installation - or else I'll see you at the diner sometime, but not this week or next.
This looks interesting. Not sure what size it is?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-is200-Complete-Man...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-is200-Complete-Man...
I don't think the lexus one is suitable, it flows top to bottom not left right and has a bulky expansion tank on it.
I'm thinking of this one...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E34-540-530-E32-730-...
Inlet and outlet in roughly the right place, roughly 100mm narrower than the current one and it's suitable for a 4L V8... Only problem is it doesn't come with a fan, I suspect that the BMW in-line engines have engine driven fans.
I'm thinking of this one...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E34-540-530-E32-730-...
Inlet and outlet in roughly the right place, roughly 100mm narrower than the current one and it's suitable for a 4L V8... Only problem is it doesn't come with a fan, I suspect that the BMW in-line engines have engine driven fans.
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