A radiator door for the grill block

[basjoos]

If you are planning to replace your stock radiator with a smaller sized aftermarket radiator, one way you could shrink your radiator even further is to install a system to spray water onto the radiator to get some evaporative cooling going. Some of the modified P-51 Mustangs at Reno air races use this system to augment their cooling systems. You could probably adapt a windshield washer system to this duty. Of course, this system would be more effective in Arizona than in Florida.

[Bunger]

Originally Posted by basjoos

Some of the modified P-51 Mustangs at Reno air races use this system to augment their cooling systems.

Ohh, you know about the Reno air races? 2 of the guys at work fly in those races, one in the unlimitied class and one in the T-6 class. Its always fun to watch and even better if you get to go up with one of them. =)

Ohh and back to the subject at hand. You could spray some water for better cooling, but then you've gotta carry more water around. I'm just looking to replace it with something that JUST about right... maybe 125% of the needed capacity, just in case.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

the radiator off the civic VX and crx HF are both half size,
as long as you keep the fins clean, and straight, a half size should cool plenty.

I've thought about useing heat pipes to cool my engine, make a manifold with one end of the heat pipes stuck in it, and the coolent running past the base tip of each of them, as heat pipes have only a small amount of fluid in them they would be lighter, and your engine coolent can then flow in a straight line, and would be less restricted, and if done right, the heat pipes would most efficently cool only to a pre set temp, below that temp they stop working, so if the fluid cools to the ideal temp by the time it's half way thru the mainfold, past half the heat pipes, they stop absorbing as much heat, and your engine is not over cooled.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Ryland

the radiator off the civic VX and crx HF are both half size,

I didn't know that eh HF had a half size radiator. That's one more thing for me to look for this week at the junkyard.

[Bunger]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I didn't know that eh HF had a half size radiator. That's one more thing for me to look for this week at the junkyard.

I wouldn't go as far as calling an HF radiator a "half size"... its more like a 7/8th size. Its about 2 inches more narror than the dx/si rad and not much lighter, but I guess if you have a choice between the 2, get the HF, ohh and don't forget the drivers side upper mount, its different than the dx/si one.

[Bunger]

Originally Posted by Bunger

I've even considered cooling the engine through the heater lines, just need to figure out if that will have a negative effect on coolant flow overall and how to engineer a thermostat of sorts.

I just like to complicate things =)

Ok, I've looked at the coolant passages, and I don't see any negative effect to completely blocking off both the upper and lower radiator hoses and using the heater lines to cool the engine. This will eliminate the stock thermostat, and a large amount of the system coolant. Now all I need is an electronic way to modulate the flow or amount of air the new radiator sees. In winter months, the heater alone may be enough to cool the engine. The cool part about this is if I can modulate it well enough, I can experiment with different operating temps to see which one yields the best mileage.

Any input on this?

[molecule]

is this relocating the heater core to the front bumper area...???
or just leaving it in the car...?

i dont think it would cool enough left inside the car
even on the front bumper i think thats pushing the system...
but who knows
experimentation
this is definatly something i would see if you get working before trying it...

[Bunger]

I'll keep the heater core where it is, but will be adding a second radiator to cool during summer and to add the heater core in the winter. I'm going to try to move the radiator somewhere the will optimize the airflow over the car, if thats the the front, then so be it.

[molecule]

maybe a little scoop right from under the car and in thru the firewall...
if you altered the firewall that is...

[Bunger]

Ok, I think I've got it! I'm going to mount 2 radiators (one for oil, one for coolant) inside the front fenders. I've thought of using these aftermarket pieces:



Or constructing my own. The radiators of course will have to be protected, but this will allow the entire front end to be blocked off and the now wasted air flow which is normally caught, increasing drag, will be lessened and useful!

Input??