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Radiator choice

PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 8:51 am
by Ice blue
I am looking to recore my standard 2 core radiator, obviously up to 3 cores. Do the forum members believe this will be sufficient or should I be looking at a new alloy full width radiator with fan? If so, what is the best option for buying new?
Thoughts please?

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 10:04 am
by rgh0
A 3 row core standard narrow radiator is fine in all conditions and even with a significantly developed engine provided the rest of the cooling system is in good condition.

cheers
Rohan

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:56 am
by gus
Yup, get a good fan and all will be well

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 9:09 pm
by RichardHawkins
I think Rohan has hit the nail on the head when he says 'provided the rest of the cooling system is in good condition'.

My car is not back in one piece, so I cannot say for sure that this is the problem, but when I cleaned the block I was amazed how much debris was in the water jacket. No liquid came out of the drain plug at the back of the block, and when I removed the core plugs the rust coloured sludge was like a small wall behind them. After a lot of poking with screw drivers and bits of wire I used a pressure washer followed by some proprietary coolant system cleaner. I think/hope it is now clean.

An Australian friend ran these cars back in the 1960's in the Sydney area and did not have an overheating problem, and it is a lot hotter there than here.

Richard Hawkins

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Mon Jul 02, 2018 2:16 am
by jbeach
Ice Blue,

My ?built? Stromberg engine had a tendancy to creep up the temperature scale while idling in 85?F + weather. I replaced my non-standard copper ?fat boy?(?) radiator with a full-width aluminum Cool Experts radiator, with two Cliveyboy-supplied Revco (I think) puller fans and a Cliveyboy thermostatic fan control housing.
d9cde057-7fea-4f9e-9bff-539fdb3deef2.jpeg and

So far this solution has been perfect. The engine now stays just below 180?F even in 95?F + temperatures.

I don?t know where you are, but all of this is UK stuff.

Cheers,

-John

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 10:54 am
by Europatc
Ive fitted a cool expert system on my sprint and it has been a good investment, strongly recommended

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 1:18 pm
by Citromike
I had the same problem, AND my car would heat on long highway runs at any hill, indicating the cooling is marginal.

My hardware solution is

3-core Triumph radiator
70? C (160? F) thermostat
electric pusher fan, always on
good radiator cap
coolant catch tank
blocking ALL holes, over and under and on sides so all incoming air is forced through

The software solution, applied periodically, is

cleaning out radiator, core, engine block and hoses with Thermo-Cure ($15-20 at Walmart)
filling cooling system with clean tap water
using a cooling additive like WaterWetter or Hyperlube Super Coolant (I'm trying this now)

I reapplied the S/W solution this week and drove for several hours yesterday ambient temp at 85? F and the coolant stayed under 90? C.

I had problems with GM long-life coolant so now am running without anti-freeze and depending instead on the corrosion protection in the Hyperlube additive. I live right on the coast in So Calif and h*ll will freeze over before this car will be in sub-zero temperatures.

While I was messing with the coolant, I also checked the chain tension and readjusted my doors. But that story is for another day.

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Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 9:10 pm
by Bigbaldybloke
Full width radiator, fill in the big gaps around the radiator and good fans. Make sure the cooling system is flushed clean and the thermostat works and you should have no problems.

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:33 pm
by Bigbaldybloke
I?ve now found the problem with my full width Plus 2 radiator shown in the previous post. The problem is not overheating, it?s being able to open the bonnet. When I got the car years ago it didn?t have an air cleaner on it at all, just the air box. I?ve installed the original type air cleaner in the nose and the hose between the air box and the filter. The problem is with the full width radiator there isn?t sufficient space between the inner wheel arch, radiator and bonnet for the air duct when you open the bonnet more than a small amount without crushing the air duct.
Options seem to be accept the crushing of the air duct or change the radiator for a narrower one to give more room for the ducting. Custom built alloy ones seem rather expensive, there are several Golf GTI alloy ones of a suitable size advertised online at about a third of the price. I?m guessing their cooling capacity should be sufficient for a twin cam in the uk, has anyone used a Golf radiator or similar?

Re: Radiator choice

PostPosted: Sat Mar 23, 2019 9:55 am
by Oldboldpilot
Coolex in Nottingham UK, proper radiator specialist. makers of the exchange "fat boy" three row small radiator with modified Lucas type replacement fan switch and optional 9" inch turbo fan or, the full width aluminium radiator with many different options, one or two fans and coming shortly the thermostat housing filler neck that alleviates the air locking problems when filling http://www.coolexperts.co.uk/product-ca ... ors/lotus/