[Spridgets] Small project report

[Weslake1330]

I have thought about a vent each side but will leave just the one for now.
What I may plan is to make a slatted type vent in aluminium to replace the
mesh at some point.

Sixty Nine was something of a changeover year for when my Sprite was built
and it has always been a cross flow radiator car.

You should be able to get a vented cap.  An alternative would be to
temporarily remove the filler neck and then fit a vent line into that,
along with a basic non-return valve and then refit the filler neck.

Regards  Daniel

On Fri, 20 Sept 2024 at 22:24, Rick Fisk <refisk at chartermi.net> wrote:

> Very interesting Daniel and your work looks great.  Why not cut a hole on
> each side?  Is your new radiator a cross flow or downflow?
>
> I've been driving Fr Jack's Midget a little and am trying to locate a
> horrific rattle that occurs at all speeds and seems to be the steering
> column.  Fuel pump keeps dying on me too and needs to be replaced.  Another
> thing I haven't sorted yet is the fuel cap.  One of the previous owners
> replaced the fuel tank and the tank does not have a vent line like the
> original tank.  That means you have to leave the fuel fill cap so loose it
> almost falls off to keep the engine running.  If you tighten it down the
> car runs OK for a quarter mile and then dies.  If you loosen the cap you
> get a big Whoosh of air and then the car will run again.
>
> Rick
>
> > On Sep 20, 2024, at 1:13 PM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets <
> spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:
> >
> > 
> > Hi list,
> >
> > A small project report with some background history.  A few years back I
> fitted a small airflow blanking device just inside the grille, on one side,
> of my 69 Sprite and found it didn't make much difference to engine running
> temperatures.  When tested in the full scale wind tunnel it was proven to
> reduce drag and lift.
> >
> > At the test everyone asked me why I didn't have one on the other side
> and I explained I hadn't checked if further airflow reductions would
> increase engine temperatures.  At a later date I made one and fitted it
> anyway.
> >
> > In more recent times the Sprite engine temps ran hotter than I would
> have liked and eventually I changed the radiator after some trouble in
> finding something I thought appropriate. Well I don't think it worked as
> well as the previous radiator and recently I finally found a company that
> would make a copy of the design that I liked.  I fitted it and have done
> some short drives and it works ok.  However, the engine temp is still a
> little hotter than I would like.  What I did find was that with this new
> radiator is that switching on the electric fan makes more of difference
> than it used to.
> >
> > On my second run I had a bit more data and found that because of a long
> stretch of 50mph speed limit (with lots and lots of average speed camera
> recording!) the engine ran 5 degrees C hotter than when I could drive at
> 70mph.  I have a rebuilt engine and there was a lot of traffic but I'm
> confident my normal cruising speed of about 85 - 90 mph (car has a 5-speed)
> engine temps would be were I would want them to be.
> >
> > Note it's been warmer than usual for an English September and while not
> as hot as a hot summer's day can get, about ok for my tests since while in
> the middle of the day I would generally drive early morning or early
> evening when the temps are lower on a warmer day.
> >
> > So, not very scientific but based on lots of my experience with the same
> Sprite.
> >
> > One thing I did notice was that the Sprite was very warm inside and much
> warmer than outside and there is no heater.
> >
> > So, the long overdue mini-project was to cut a hole in the wing
> (passenger side for me but exhaust manifold side for all of us) to let air
> out of the engine bay - a bit like a big Healey.  The wings are ok and need
> minor paintwork rather than replacing but I was content to take the risk on
> the basis that I had funds to buy a new wing and get it painted if
> necessary.
> >
> > I drilled 3 large holes with a hole saw and then used a fine blade for
> metal in my jigsaw to cut straight (well very nearly) straight lines to
> create the aperture with nice rounded corners (used the largest hole saw I
> have).  Then I bought and then cut some stainless steel automotive mesh to
> go in the inside of the aperture. I used U clips/speed clips on the mesh
> and suitable B type sheet metal screws to fasten the mesh to the wing
> (fender for you guys and gals I guess).  I did use countersunk head screws
> but without countersinking the holes (in a hurry/sloppy/to be addressed).
> >
> > I think the end result looks ok but the only photo I have is of the car
> in my garage but just as I finished the project it rained.  I did a small
> airflow test with the electric fan running and was surprised at just how
> much air came out of the aperture.
> >
> > So, a road test (but weather is now cooler than my previous tests) to
> follow but I'm confident of 4 things: the engine temp will be slightly
> lower as more air will flow through the engine bay and thus more readily
> through the radiator, it will be cooler inside the car because the warm air
> is leaving the engine bay through the side wing aperture, not stagnant in
> the engine bay or passing through the trans tunnel as much, there will be
> slightly less drag, there will be slightly less lift.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> >
> > Daniel
> > <WP_20240919_14_57_37_Pro.jpg>
> > <WP_20240919_14_58_35_Pro.jpg>
> > <WP_20240920_14_46_27_Pro.jpg>
> > ------------------------
> >
> > spridgets at autox.team.net
> >
> > Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> > Suggested annual donation: $12.75
> >
> > Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/spridgets
> http://autox.team.net/archive
> >
> > Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/refisk@chartermi.net
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/spridgets/attachments/20240920/e2d0de1a/attachment.htm>