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Radiator blanking


Violet Elizabeth

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So...most of my rad and all of the oil cooler were blanked off by some closed cell foam that were sandwiched between the mesh and the titanium grill.

 

Had a fun blat this morning, it was dry and am more used to the car (interesting how fast you are going once you have banged up through a sequential box 😳 😬 )...

 

However the blanking was obviously so good that the grill/foam/mesh is now somewhere between Dorking ,Guildford and Leatherhead ☹️

 

It must have pushed out the top "notches" and come loose, first I noticed a problem was when the oil started to cool again.

 

So, am needing a better blanking method...and a new mesh grille *tongue*

 

Gaffer table on the outside of the grille ?

Closed cell foam cable tied to the rad ?

 

What other options are there ?

 

Thanks *smile*

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Quoting Violet Elizabeth: 
Quoting SM25T: 
I have two bits of closed cell foam ... each only one third of the nosecone opening. Slips between the mesh and the grille.

 

That is what I did. But I think that is what caused it to disappear. Air pressure on the closed cell foam.

Ah ... I read your OP as fully blanked off ... hence my comment ref partial only. Not had a problem with mine. Perhaps you need two small holes in the inner lip of the opening and cable tie the runaway grille(s) in addition to the spring clip/studs.
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Quoting Violet Elizabeth: 
Quoting Bricol: 
Why not fit a thermostat in the oil hoses? Mocal do one - bought mine from think automotive.

 

Bri

 

Water is overcooled too when ambient is low. So needs both.

 

Water temp isn't controlled, is always on.

 

If your cooling system is working correctly this should not be the case, the thermostat is there to maintain operating temperature within prescribed parameters - unless of course your running in race spec and have removed it?

 

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Quoting 7 wonders of the world: 
Quoting Violet Elizabeth: 
Quoting Bricol: 
Why not fit a thermostat in the oil hoses? Mocal do one - bought mine from think automotive.

 

Bri

 

Water is overcooled too when ambient is low. So needs both.

 

Water temp isn't controlled, is always on.

 

If your cooling system is working correctly this should not be the case, the thermostat is there to maintain operating temperature within prescribed parameters - unless of course your running in race spec and have removed it?

 

It is a pretty non-standard BEC installation *smile*

 

What appears to be happening is that the feeds from the stat (which would have fed the bike rad via a large feed and narrower "bypass") are going into the swirl pot, and then to the top of the rad. The water pump is "always on" and is now external, as the water pump has been replaced by the oil pump for the DS.

 

The stat comes on at 82c as standard, and as with the bike, there is always some coolant flowing through the rad though the narrow "bypass" (on the bike it goes into the top of the rad near the main feed).

 

The blanking meant it was running about 87C when well warmed, which is "normal" for the bike engine.

 

Even with a Craig David EWP (extra cost and complication and weight !) I still think there would be too much flow in cold weather.

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As I understand your plumbing, the main pipe and bypass both feed into the rad at the top (engine feed side) and then bottom rad return goes back to the engine? If so, as you say, you always have some coolant flowing through the rad. First thing I would do is feed the bypass to the bottom return hose from the rad thereby bypassing the rad.

 

The only problem then is how violent the cooling is when it cuts in. I have seen a blackbird running on a standard rad and it was overcooling like your GSXR. It ended up having all but the top 4" of the rad covered up to maintain temperature. Whilst fine for the road, this still gave problems when thrashing on track as it then wasn't enough. The mechanics advice was to run with the original bike rad (fitted to standard blackbird cars) or use a smaller car rad. The other option, would be the EWP you mentioned.

 

Regards,

Giles

 

Edited by - Klunk on 10 Mar 2014 10:49:18

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For a race car that makes sense: max cooling and a failsafe bypass if the thermostat fails.

 

It really comes down to what you plan on using the car for. As you've got an EWP does it have the controller to slow the flow down therefore reducing cooling. Might be ideal if you can adjust it from the dash *smile*

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I fitted an OT/2 unit - here

 

Foam is obviously cheaper - but you don't have to remember to fit it or remove it.

 

into a crossflow engined Dutton thrashed on classic trials - sustained high revs (ie just below valve-bounce)for reasonably long periods in low gears, lots of wheelspin, moving slowly up steep, muddy, rockey, rough, water logged etc tracks, the intention to keep wheels spinning once "trickling" fails.

 

Bri

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Quoting Klunk: 
Time for some trials me thinks. If you want to keep the bypass in the current position, start by blanking off half the rad (at the rad) and go from there. *smile*

 

Edited by - Klunk on 10 Mar 2014 13:01:39

 

Yes, thanks. It is that actual blanking that is the question. The foam seems OK, but probably contributed to losing the grille.

 

Am now just going for a black mesh grille, so need another way to blank it off. Either tape or card or something...

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