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TR2/3/3A Alloy Radiator TR-3B

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dead,

If you take a look at my pics above, there is a pic with my thumb in it....just below my thumb is the threaded port for the coolant temperature sensor.

Cheers,
M. Pied Lourd
 
Dead,

we seem to have monopolized this thread......it's like our own little forum :driving:

Cheers,
M. Pied Lourd
 
OK....... no TR3 here but a TR6 with a Wizard Radiator and a Patton fan eliminator kit. There's a link to Art Lipp who sells the Wizard radiator along with the Spal fan on my site. Just email Art if you're interested. Wizard is so into customer service that when a TR6 owner pointed out that the logo was on backwards for the way a TR6 hood opened........they reversed it! As to the the Fan Eliminator Kit.........if you really think that all you need is a big "washer".......go and put a big washer there and hope everything remains in balance. Is it really worth $55 to find out? :nonod:
 
M_Pied_Lourd said:
Dead,

we seem to have monopolized this thread......it's like our own little forum :driving:
Click to expand...

Sorry, I'm new here and my overheating problem has been with me for 30+ years. What should I do?
 
Hello:
I'm in the process of doing the new radiator/fan conversion.
I'm using a new copper radiator from Moss without the hole. It would seem to me that a copper radiator would be more termally efficent than an aluminum one?
I'm also using the 12" Hayden, with a thermostat plugged into the draincock hole. (O'Reillys A P)
If you don't buy the cover plate, have a machine shop make you one.$30.
Good Luck, Emmett
 
Deadair,

No need to apologize, I was making a joke.

Good advice from BobbyD on the eliminator kit. As mentioned, I purchased my Rad from Art Lipp and BobbyD has the link on his website.

Emmett, you are probably right. Actually, I don't think that I needed a new rad for my 3 as it had an "uprated" one in it when I purchased it. However, I had good success with the Wizard rad in my 6....the car I am restoring is an old vintage racer with some mods and I liked the "bling" factor of the aluminum rad (although you won't be able to see much of it with the apron on).

Cheers,
M. Pied Lourd
 
Emmett,
is it actually copper or is it brass. There is a big difference. I didn't think you could still get a real copper radiator any more. If it's brass, i would go to an aluminum one instead, lighter and better heat transfer.
There are many aftermarket fan makers out there. The fun part is mounting them. The proper way to do it is to shroud the radiator to the fan (tight fit,no leaks).That way all the air is pulled through the radiator, which is what you want. Air will take the path of least resistance, which will be everywhere BUT through the radiator if there is no shroud. With a stock dimensioned tr3/4 radiator, 2 smaller fans might be better since it is tall and skinny but the shroud would be difficult. The tr6 radiator is wider.
IMHO
Rob
 
BobbyD said:
OK....... no TR3 here but a TR6 with a Wizard Radiator and a Patton fan eliminator kit. There's a link to Art Lipp who sells the Wizard radiator along with the Spal fan on my site. Just email Art if you're interested. Wizard is so into customer service that when a TR6 owner pointed out that the logo was on backwards for the way a TR6 hood opened........they reversed it! As to the the Fan Eliminator Kit.........if you really think that all you need is a big "washer".......go and put a big washer there and hope everything remains in balance. Is it really worth $55 to find out? :nonod:
Click to expand...

I've heard there can be crankshaft balance issues when removing the fan. Wouldn't removing the fan and leaving the fan hub in place accomplish the same thing as the eliminator kit? Specifically, what does the eliminator kit do to prevent damage to the crank?
 
Dead,

Wasn't worth the effort for me.....I bought one from one of the Big Three Vendors for less than 20 bucks.

Cheers,
M. Pied Lourd
 
I've been told by several radiator specialists that Brass is more thermally efficient than Aluminum. The use of aluminum allows a larger radiator for the same weight. The difference between the increased surface area and the more thermally efficent is slim enough that it can make the two more or less equal. The disadvantage to an aluminum radiator is that it is not repairable. If it cracks you have to replace it. Although with radiator repair shops quickly disappearing due to increased EPA regs and newer cars using plastic radiators... the advantage that a brass radiator enjoys with being reapirable may soon be moot.

The Hayden fans seem to be OK for use as an auxillary fan, but not as a sole means of cooling.
 
I don't understand two points-
Who cares about the weight difference between Aluminum, and Brass radiators in a 2000 lb TR3. So what if its 10 lbs more, how well does it cool is the question.
All of the fan conversions that I see on TR3s, remove the wimpy 4 bladed fan. My car does fine over 30mph, and overheats idling.
It would seem that I need additional airflow at idle.
When you say "sole means of cooling" what did you have in mind?
My radiator is 12" wide, and would be nearly impossible to install a proper fan shroud, or multiple fans.
I'm sure that that may not be the case in a TR6.
I should be finished in a week or so, and I'll let you'll know how it does.
Emmett
 
swift6 said:
The disadvantage to an aluminum radiator is that it is not repairable. If it cracks you have to replace it. Although with radiator repair shops quickly disappearing due to increased EPA regs and newer cars using plastic radiators...
Click to expand...

I used to run twin VW Rabbit radiators in my small formula race car. They were plastic tanks with aluminum tubes and fins, popular with racers because of their size and configuration. After one blew open from freezing, my local ol' timer radiator guy used some type of glue stick that he melted into the repair. It still didn't leak a couple of years later when I sold the car. I gave the new owner the new replacement radiator with the car just in case.
 
emmett1010 said:
I don't understand two points-
Who cares about the weight difference between Aluminum, and Brass radiators in a 2000 lb TR3. So what if its 10 lbs more, how well does it cool is the question.
Click to expand...

Obviously not you, but some people try to save as much weight as possible for performance reasons. On a street driven car though, your right in thinking the weight difference is more academic than effective. That is where the "bling" factor takes over for some people. The lighter aluminum also means that it can be made larger, thicker if height and width are restricted, for better cooling but maintain the same weight. Brass radiators can also get larger/thicker cores to increase their cooling capability but increase weight. Regardless, a "new" radiator will cool better than an old radiator that most likely has build up in it that cannot be boiled out.

emmett1010 said:
All of the fan conversions that I see on TR3s, remove the wimpy 4 bladed fan. My car does fine over 30mph, and overheats idling.
It would seem that I need additional airflow at idle.
Click to expand...

Sounds right, and the fans with more/better blades would accomplish that increased airflow below 30 miles an hour. Above 30 mph your mechanical fan is just robbing horsepower and not providing much if any effect on air movement through the radiator.

emmett1010 said:
When you say "sole means of cooling" what did you have in mind?
My radiator is 12" wide, and would be nearly impossible to install a proper fan shroud, or multiple fans.
I'm sure that that may not be the case in a TR6.
I should be finished in a week or so, and I'll let you'll know how it does.
Emmett
Click to expand...

What I meant by "sole" means of cooling is using that wimpy Hayden fan as the only fan. In place of the mechanical fan. I believe that those fans are meant to be accessory fans and not primary fans.
 
PeterK said:
my local ol' timer radiator guy used some type of glue stick that he melted into the repair. It still didn't leak a couple of years later when I sold the car. I gave the new owner the new replacement radiator with the car just in case.
Click to expand...

Not suprising that they actually can be repaired with some inginuity. Most shops won't repair them because they won't warranty the repair. Regardless if they can do it or not.
 
emmett1010 said:
Who cares about the weight difference between Aluminum, and Brass radiators in a 2000 lb TR3. So what if its 10 lbs more, how well does it cool is the question.
Click to expand...

I agree that the main concern is the cooling efficiency. What difference does 10 lbs make to an engine bay holding a cast-iron tractor engine?

Anyway, from what I've read, aluminum cores are more efficient than either copper and brass cores. Even though copper is considered a better heat conductor, aluminum cores are more efficient because of the size of the tubing and lack of solder and other dissimilar materials:

https://alumorad.com/about-all-aluminum-radiators.html

https://www.chevellecooling.com/43.html
 
Regarding the selection of an electric fan, my temptation is to get the biggest, baddest fan available. However, the bigger the fan the more the amp draw. Does anyone have an estimate of the spare amps available from a TR-3A fitted with the original generator?

I'd like to avoid a chain reaction in which I need to retrofit an alternator because of my electric fan retrofit. If I can get by with a smaller fan that draws less amps and works with my generator, then that would be the preferred setup.
 
Aloha,

The original TR3A generator amperage output depend upon the specific model generator, but they are between 19 and 22 Amps. Here is a table determine the max amperage of your generator:
 

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