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radiator-da heats on

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anthony7777

Yoda
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though not totally dissatisfied with the past performance of my radiator,its in very good condition (no leaks/damage) i thought since im doing the engine rebuild i might as well change the water pump (new one) and also have the rad. redone as well, what could/should be done to increase its efficiency ?-- ah no keoke i dont want to buy the "dennis welch" alum. one but what should i ask for as far as improving the original?-- money is no object (unless i be spendin it) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
 
Get a new radiator with serpentine fins, probably $600 or take original to a radiator shop and have them go through it, clean it out or if desired, recore, bolt on an extra pair of stock blades so you will have six. Looks more original than the Texas Cooler blades. Put the shroud back on the top of the radiator if it is gone. They say it helps direct air flow.
Move to Maine where it never gets hot anyway.
 
Hi Anthony,
British Car Specialists sold me a 4 row serpentine radiator. I think it was $400. a couple years ago, that’s with the core charge factored in.
 
andy65, how ya doin? id never use original fan blades on any of my cars let alone add a couple more unless it be for "concours" effect,in late 1966 a friend bought a new 1967 healey i was 17-18 years old, i wish i could find the picture cuz his car pushed a blade right through the hood, ah i was sittin in the pass. seat for the event, yes re-coring/adding additional depth to the rad. is what im thinking about. p.s ive got the original fan from my 1963 bj7 mk.II if ya needs a couple more free- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
 
If you have or can borrow an electronic thermometer try aiming it at various places on the radiator while the car is running--you'll be able to tell if there are blocked tubes and areas that are not getting water circulating through them.
 
My BN7 always overheated in traffic or after I shut it off, even with a new waterpump and recored radiator. From the recommendations that I read in this Forum, I installed the 6-bladed SS fan from BCS. My Healey now runs between 165F and 175F and never exceeds 190F in traffic (I live in Florida). My overflow tank (non-original) is probably not needed anymore. Great investment.

Ed
 
michael, thanks for that info, im a little further on in the process, in my attempt in establishing the most cost effective method for increasing the efficiency of the stock size rad. without doing a great amount of front end body work or adding oil coolers etc.to reduce temps, im wondering what can be/needs to be done to a stock size rad to achieve this effect if anything? , rad. tech has come a long way since 1963!--i hope! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif p.s have a 6 bladed s.s. fan installed helped alot.
 
Hello Anthony, just take the radiator to a top repair shop and tell them you want a Four row serpentine core installed in the old frame the cost is about $300. Also in spite of it bein ugly get an uprated metal flex fan from BCS.---Keoke
 
Your old radiator core can be replaced with a more modern design in nearly the same space as your present one. The new core is fitted to your original top & bottom tanks.

As an example for my BN2 radiator, yours will obviously be different dimensions:
My 100-4 radiator core was 14H X 19 W x 2 3/4 thick & had five rows of widely spaced 1/2" tubes, 150 tubes total, with plate type fins spaced at 10 fins per inch. My replacement core is 14H x 19 W x 3 thick, has four rows of 48 more closely spaced but wider 5/8" tubes, 192 tubes total, with serpentine fins spaced at 14 fins per inch. This represents about 60% more tube area & 40% more fin area. The new core was made by TransPro. Michael O has the same core in his BN1 & I basically copied his.

I personally would look for a shop that is very familiar with custom radiators & with TransPro cores. The factory will custom make a core to yours & the shop's specifications & get it shipped in a few days. No extra charge for sizing it as you request.

Make sure that the shop knows where to place any additional core thickness. On mine, with the original tanks & side supports, there was no additional room in the front so the extra thickness had to be located on the back (fan) side.

A six blade steel "flex fan", as sold by BCS in Stockton, will make this new radiator core work to full capacity. This particular fan is much better than the often used five & 6 blade plastic fans. It sounds as if you already have this fan.
D
 
dave, thanks for the advice/info, i brought the radiator to a shop in portchester n.y. this morning the address was virtually around the corner from the house im building in greenwich how convenient was that? anyway hes done many, many healey radiators very comforting to know, he even knew that there is only about 1/2" between the front of the radiator and the "x" brace, he explained to me that hes done several rads. for v8 conversions,while i was looking over my rad. this morning i noticed something i dont remember ever seeing i looked for this on the moss cat. they call it a "radiator tank plug" its hidden just under the front portion of the tank, cant understand the logic,placement or use for this thing any ideas? about two and a half years ago i flushed the rad. and eng. block and added a six bladed stainless fan. that helped alot, some people that have used the six bladed s.s. fan have complained that it is noisy/loud mine is either silent or ive gone def all together- what? -- what was that ya just said? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Couse, The "Radiator Tank Plug" locates where the old termperature sensor use to go before it was moved to the engine block.---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
 
Keoke said:
Couse, The "Radiator Tank Plug" locates where the old termperature sensor use to go before it was moved to the engine block.---Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banana.gif
Click to expand...
keoke, ahah thanks guess i never owned one ah dem realy old ones /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
 
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