Uprated Radiator Recommendations

[SweetBadger 94]

Hi, I use a std radiator - nissens, and a 19 row oil cooler on the race car.

 

At Snetterton last weekend it was a hot day, and oil temps were at 130 degrees, with water between 103 and 105. A bit too hot for my liking! 

 

My setup can be seen here - uses a std cowl with fan mounts removed on a lowered cross member:

 

 

 

I took a punt on one of these, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392223012980 but the quality is crap and it doesn't fit the std cowl, so it's going back.

 

Will be cutting some holes in the bumper where the number plate is for Cadwell next weekend, but really need a radiator with bigger cooling capacity.

 

Any recommendations on a decent uprated radiator? One that fits the std cowl would be nice.  205 Td? Although these seem hard to come by these days.

 

edit: I can see Radtec do a 205 one, https://www.radtec.co.uk/shop/radiators/205-radiator/ not sure if it'll be any better than the nissens though?

Edited July 2, 2021 by SweetBadger

[welshpug 1,657]

I know all colin satchell and tony Palfrey have used successfully on 280+ bhp engines is a standard nissens rad..

 

coolant at 103 isnt too bad but I'd want the oil a bit lower, is it running a thermostatic takeoff plate?

 

 

 

what's the engine setup?

[petert 586]

Have a look at the cores available here. It will give you an idea of what's available in the high quality custom/race world.  The low pressure drop cores only work above 80km/h but are far more efficient at race speeds. Nine out of ten F1 teams have their radiators built here:

 

https://www.pwr.com.au/

 

Watch this video. A tour of PWR starts at approx. the 15 mins mark. It's gobsmacking.

 

I think your problem is the water temp following the oil temp, typical of a highly stressed wet sump XU. Mine is dry sumped and I run a std copper GTi radiator (31 years old) and 13 row oil cooler. My water temp sits on 92 and oil 100-105, even on the hottest days. Can you dry sump yours?

 

I'm going to eventually build a new radiator, based on a 55mm low pressure drop core, same dimensions as standard. Core only is approx. AUS$700.

 

Edited July 2, 2021 by petert

[SweetBadger 94]

7 hours ago, welshpug said:

I know all colin satchell and tony Palfrey have used successfully on 280+ bhp engines is a standard nissens rad..

 

coolant at 103 isnt too bad but I'd want the oil a bit lower, is it running a thermostatic takeoff plate?

 

 

 

what's the engine setup?

 

Gti6 on bodies with solid lifters / cams / throttle bodies. revs to 8250. Yep runs a thermostatic take off, as it runs on the road to get to / from venues.

 

Nowhere near 280 bhp though - closer to 210!

 

We do run for 45 minute races though - Colin does sprints if I'm not mistaken? So his car is under full load for a much shorter duration.

 

[SweetBadger 94]

6 hours ago, petert said:

Have a look at the cores available here. It will give you an idea of what's available in the high quality custom/race world.  The low pressure drop cores only work above 80km/h but are far more efficient at race speeds. Nine out of ten F1 teams have their radiators built here:

 

https://www.pwr.com.au/

 

Watch this video. A tour of PWR starts at approx. the 15 mins mark. It's gobsmacking.

 

I think your problem is the water temp following the oil temp, typical of a highly stressed wet sump XU. Mine is dry sumped and I run a std copper GTi radiator (31 years old) and 13 row oil cooler. My water temp sits on 92 and oil 100-105, even on the hottest days. Can you dry sump yours?

 

I'm going to eventually build a new radiator, based on a 55mm low pressure drop core, same dimensions as standard. Core only is approx. AUS$700.

 

 

 

A dry sump setup has long been on my wish list, but don't think the budget is going to stretch to that this season. 

 

I agree on the water following the oil, as at full pelt over shorter durations the water temperature happily sits on about 96 degrees - it's only when the oil temp gets higher that the water temp goes over 100.

 

I spoke to radtec today and their techincal guy confirmed that their rad uses a 40mm core and should provide a good improvement over a std one (32mm). Lead time is a couple of weeks, so I'll do Cadwell and if the car survives, probably order one of those.

 

 

[SweetBadger 94]

Wow great video, very impressive place! Wonder how much a 3d printed rad would set me back! 

[SweetBadger 94]

Update on this. 

 

Radtec built me a 205 Radiator with a 50mm core - great service, no extra cost for the 50mm core, and they added proper brackets for my spal fan.

 

Took a bit of fettling to fit, as I needed to extend the brackets at the bottom of the cowling to account for the extra core thickness, and it was 15mm shorter than a std rad. @petert pointed out that the rads on the 205 AC models are about 15mm shorter, so likely it was made to the AC rad dimensions! One to watch out for if ordering an aftermarket radiator.

 

Anyway, an outing at Silverstone and it proven to be a success, temps now stable as follows:

 

Ambient temp 20 degrees

Water: 85 - 90

Oil: 110

 

Big improvement!

 

Only issue left is the 11 inch spal fan is not adequate to cool the engine sitting on idle for prolonged periods - didn't boil over but was up at 105 degrees after an hour of crawling through London traffic. I'm gonna live with that, can always switch the engine off if needed!

 

[petert 586]

You're allowed to drive that to the track!

[SweetBadger 94]

Haha, yeah it's MOT'd and road legal! 

 

Speaking of which I need to get the windscreen replaced again as MOT is due next month! Every time it gets on a race track some gravel gets fired at it from the car in front and makes another hole in the windscreen!

 

With the bumper back on and the bonnet down it looks more road worthy than some of the modified road going cars you see here in the UK!

 

It is pretty sketchy over any undulating roads though - it's so stiffly sprung that the back end has a habit of leaving the ground over bumps!

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by SweetBadger