Just wondering how everyone is keeping their engines cool. As I am at the stage now where my turbo gti conversion is nearly complete , but I am having problems keeping the temps down!! Im currently running a modified 3 core mini radiator in the origional position but layed on its side, i run a 10" thermo fan contained in the origional cowl pushing the air out through the origional vents in the inner guard. My problem is when i take the car for a drive it heats up real quick and doesn't seem to be able to bring the temperature back down untill i stop and idle for a while or leave the fan going. I am stuck for ideas on how to rectify this problem as space is very limited. I dont really want to put a big one in front of the grill, but whatever works.

Im assuming that there is not enough cold air getting to the radiator may be an issue.

Has anybody got any ideas. Thermostat is new, water is flowing nicely.
has anybody with conversions had cooling issues??

here is my engine bay, ( note the radiator installed is not the current modified 3 core, its actually my first test one out of a suburu sherpa, but its in the same position! and yes that one didn't keep it cool either)



thanks in advance.

adam

you could try a 2-core radiator...more water movement...not sure if this'd fix yer problem though...should make it better...even if only slightly

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Nice engine bay, what size turbo are you running?

Dan

maybe try a bigger water pump bigger cooling pipes so that the water circulates faster and maybe an alloy radiator

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thanks yeah the turbo is a garrett gt28r,
ive had quotes for an alloy radiator (big dollars) but i dont know if it will work, i dont want to go and spend that sought of cash and still have issues!!

I have found that alloy radiators are usually less efficient at cooling than the normal copper rad.

A mini radiator will not keep a turbocharged engine cool. You will need something larger.

nmmn interesting engine bay im doing a swift conversion NA atm and i will be fitting rad at the front but doesnt look like an option for you
what about a boot mounted rad like baracades then that will allow the use of a bigger rad and shoould be able to keep it cool with the right fan

cos it is a van ???
makka

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that conversion looks awesome. just an observation, you have obviously spent big $$$ on this conversion, so why scrimp on the cooling? also rear mounted rad could still be an option, i have seen minis with radiators mounted to the sub frame. dont know how road friendly it would be though. you could try a gti radiator. ben is running 1 in his turbo gti conversion.
ps it looks sweeet great work.

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The fan is pushing hot air through the radiator. Have you tried reversing the polarity so its drawing fresh air from the wheel well?

Edit - Or putting the fan on the outside of the radiator so it pushes fresh air?

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But he's thriving and striving and hugging the turns.

Mini fan pushes air into the wheel well for 1 reason- it's a low pressure area. Trying to draw cold air from there with a gale blowing in the front, is really pushing crap uphill.

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I dont know much about vans But is there any room underneath the car at the back...

As Chris was exploring the posibility of putting a rad under the boot & loosing the wheel well... Is this a posibility with the Van?

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what about a box around it so that cool air is taken from the front of the car istead of hot engine air?

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thanks for the responses guys,

yeah there is allot of room under the car at the back, but it is already full with fuel pumps, surge tank, filters and the radiator for the barrell cooler, so thats not an option. lol

the box idea isnt to bad but i dont think its gonna be able to direct the air in enough but i might give it a go i can't lose.

looking into putting on on the front as much as i dont want it to look like a big ricer it may be an option. looking at extending the grill forward and the bar also. i will investigate it this week!!

Lets not forget that thermo fans suck better than they blow... Try a thermo under the gaurd, maybe a bigger one than you are currently using, and make a shroud to suit.

You want to be able to use all of the rad core, not just the bit that the fan is covering All you would need is a flat sheet over the core, a perfect circle in the centre for the fan, and 'seal' it around the fan. You could be wasting almost a third of the size of the rad by not having a shroud.

Our 351 XW Falcon has big-time overheating issues until we put a shroud on it. Never ran hot after then, 42* cruising, no worries.

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