Laminova in rad bottom hose ?

[Pelico]

Another Laminova thread I am afraid 😬

 

Has anyone any experience of fitting a Laminova in the radiator bottom hose as opposed to the more standard top hose placement.

 

Any pros or cons ?

 

The oil feed is coming from the dry sump scavenge pump on its return to the oil tank.

 

Peter

[Neil A]

Is you car up and running again?

 

Fellas, smoke me a kipper, I'll be blatting for breakfast.

[Pelico]

Neil, sort of. I have seen it, the installation is rather dramatic, I will post photos at the weekend. But unfortunately due to a quirk in the banking system that more suits a Chit Chat thread I am still waiting for funds to clear before I can bring it home.

 

The big shock when I saw the new engine is that it is now RED. But more about that when I get it home at the weekend.

[Mick Day]

Forgive me if I'm wrong but I thought the Laminova was designed to allow the oil to come up to temperature more rapidly & once there for it to be equilibrated via the water jacket & ultimately the rad. If it's plumbed into the bottom hose (or top hose come to that)it wont start to work until the thermostat opens. At that point the oil will be cooler than the water so will possibly close the thermostat causing it to cycle open/close for a while until the water/oil temps equilibrate.

 

So would it not be better to plumb it into the bypass hose? Heat will be transfered to the oil during warm up, & once water & oil are up to temperature the thermostat will open sending water through the rad.

 

As I see it the 2nd method gets temperatures equilibrated far sooner & avoids the potential for the thermostat to cycle open/close during warm up. The 1st method only warms the oil once the thermostat has opened.

 

 

[Foxy Smith]

Agree with Mick, Peter. Major benefit is fast warming of oil which you will only get if you use the bypass.

[Kevsta]

I have my laminova plumbed into the by pass (mine is redesigned as I blocked the end of the water rail for the by pass and added a T piece in to the top hose...I simply added the laminova in before it). My only uncertainty now is which pipe to use. I plumbed the front feed in to it (mine is a pace twin scavenge) but that means when I am at full chat and the back pick up is doing most of the work the laminova is not cooling as much oil (or so I understand).

 

Am possibly going to swap the pipes next year after oil change.

 

Definately put it on the by-pass though...otherwise you may aswell fit an air to oil rad as they are cheaper and doing the same thing!

[mav]

Std install is either the top hose or bypass, as I've seen them in Caterhams.

 

Faster oil heat up is ONE feature, not the MAJOR feature.

 

They are designed to help keep the oil and water temps closer together (keeps the oil cooler). That is the MAJOR feature.

[Pelico]

Hmmm thought so. Although it seems to make sense that since there is no flow through the rad when the stat is shut that the top hose (or bottom) can only have limited effect for oil warming .

 

I think my new engine has been built with it in the bottom hose, I guess with the thought that cooling was the priority. BC archives do refer to others using the bottom hose too.....I wonder if they will break cover on this thread 😬 😬 😬

 

I will post pictures when I get the car back on Saturday. I just want to know that if this is a really bad idea then I mention it when I collect the car.

 

Thanks all. Any other comments welcomed.

 

Peter

 

[Pelico]

By the way. I am serious the engine is now coloured RED ❗ ❗ ❗

[mav]

Peter, I don't think it's a particularly bad idea, and certainly not any worse than putting it in the top hose. It's just unusual.