Unless you've done something special to your radiator cap that really
doesn't happen. The water doesn't get sucked back in because the TR3
radiator cap is just a single flow cap. When the engine cools a little the
radiator cap seats--there's no way for the coolant to return. You can
modify it to make that happen, as it does with modern cars, but you need a
modified radiator neck to accept the kind of radiator cap that acts as a
light check valve for coolant flowing back into the system.
Older radiators were generally designed with thick cores. Air doesn't pass
through them very well. You can recore a stock radiator with modern core
material and leave out the crank hole and gain quite a bit more cooling
capacity. For most cars and most tracks (maybe not las vegas or Phoenix)
that's probably enough.
-----Original Message-----
From: WEmery7451@aol.com [mailto:WEmery7451@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 8:03 PM
To: grandwazoo@earthlink.net; richtr@erols.com
Cc: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: TR3A cooling
In a message dated 2/26/03 3:28:29 PM Pacific Standard Time,
grandwazoo@earthlink.net writes:
<< Mine's just like Dean's. Minus the electric fan. Amen to the shroud
need.>>
>>
After reading the various responses, I must be missing something again, as
usual. I always thought that it was normal to blow some coolant from time
to
time. I have rubber tubing running from the overflow to a gallon lacquer
thinner can. A hole was drilled in the cap and a copper tube soldered in
which almost reaches the bottom of the can. A little water is kept in the
bottom of the can with a vent hole in the top of the can.
When the coolant pressure increases above the radiator cap pressure,
coolant
is blown out into the gallon can. On the straights or cooler conditions
when
more air is being shoved through the radiator, the water is sucked back
into
the radiator. If everything is tight, the water level ends up where it
was
after the race when the engine is cool enough for removing the radiator
cap.
I was using a 7 LB cap, and am now using a 15 lm cap, after changing to
shorter cap necks. Also, I assume that everyone using the metal nose
assembly has shrouded off the open areas on the sides and top of the
radiator. You then make two cuts straight back in the metal which slices
off
about one-third of the bottom of the radiator, shove the edge of the metal
down to the bottom of the radiator, and pop rivet in some aluminum to
close
in both side openings.
As others have mentioned, I have been using a restrictor washer with the
bypass blocked. I am now trying the Ken Galanders water pump, and a 160 F
Chevy thermostat with two 1/8" holes drilled beside the diaphragm. I
should
go to a better radiator, but have heard of various people going to
aluminum
just to save weight since copper has a better heat transfer coefficient.
The
newer radiators must have better flow paths.
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