25 replies to this topic

[danccooke]

I was looking at my mates Scooby and noticed that he has a Intercooler Spray. This sprays a fine mist of water into the air infront of the intercooler intake, reducing the air temp by a few degrees......this got me thinking.

If i am still getting overheating problems (i can see you all now hands on heads) If i were to add an Auxillery washer bottle on the rad side with just one outlet jet set to spray mounted on the top of the rad pointing down on the inside. If i were to wire this to a push button on the dash. If the temp started getting HOT if i were to use the spray water on the outside of the rad is going to transfer heat away very rapidly.

The question is a fine spray of water under the bonnet....electrics....hmmmm.
i would have thought that the fan will blow, suck through the rad and out the side of the inner wing vents.

Can any one see any real problems.

No ridiculing it is an honest theory for a real problem, and i am sure Einstein must have had some real daft ideas at times too.

[fikus01]

if the water is blown into the fan i cant see it being a problem!! in the rain minis get a fair bit of mist in the engine bay anyway!! go for it!! let me know how it gets on!!!

i think you'd hve trouble if u tried to spray against the fans blow!!

[Total Richie]

what about attaching a flexible pipe with lots pin holes to the radiators surface.

a bit like this:-

Attached Files

•  pipes.JPG   13.65K   7 downloads

[danccooke]

what about attaching a flexible pipe with lots pin holes to the radiators surface.

a bit like this:-

I will probaby try the spray first but i like that idea, the problem with that one is that the hole nearest the pump will have the most pressure with each one further down the line recieving less till it is only a dribble. The spray should get a good spread of the entire radiator and also doesn't restrict any flow of air when not in use.

What I really like though is no one has come back and said don't be a tit. Which is encouraging.

To be honest i am hoping the new super two core radiator and the electric Aux fan on the other side will do the trick, but she does get really really hot.

Edited by danccooke, 31 October 2006 - 02:15 AM.

[biggav]

do't be a tit!!

[Teapot]

If you don't have ideas outside the box nothing will ever change, so keep thinking. In my experience people say it won't work because a) it won't work or B) they wish they'd thought of it

[Jammy]

What?!? No!! Your not solving the problem your just disguising it!! Find out why your mini is overheating and then you'll be able to fix it!

[Clubby1275GT]

what engine u got in it for it to be constantly overheating??
just try one of the larger rads, or if poss (dont no if u have a clubby or a roundnose) front mount the radiator, this usually helps
idea sounds really cool though, wish i had an imagination like that!

[biggav]

Fit a better rad, Fit an electric fan on a thermostat (or switch) , check the system for problems and solve them.

my 1380 r hot as hell and turned out to be a mixture problem which would have caused damage to the engine had i continued to use it.

Masking over problems will only make things worse in the long run. plus everytime you stop a t lights etc, you will have steam coming out from under the bonnet..

Your suggestion treats the symptoms, not the problem!!!!

Well done anyway...

I've had a few brain farts in the early hours of the morning too.

[Purple Tom]

As Jammy says find the problem with the overheating rather than masking it.....

There's not that many components in the cooling system really, and to replace they're not very expensive:

Radiator (get a 2 core)
Water Pump (get the cast deep impellor one)
Thermostat (82 degree)
Hoses (new rubber or kevlar from Minispares are good)
Fan (standard 11 blade plastic is fine)
Heater matrix (renew - very cheap or even get a good second hand one)
Heater tap (if fitted - renew, very cheap)

Then as biggav says make sure the mixture and timing are correct and you'll be sorted!

Only other thing which I did on my race 1293 to prevent overheating in very heavy traffic was a small electric fan (expensive at £70) wired into a switch on the dash (relayed). This kept the temperature at 75 degrees all day long - perfect.

[Sprocket]

LOL

how big would the water tank have to be for a long journey!!!

Cure the problem, not the symptom!!

Two core side mount rad aught to cope with anything that the an A series engine can throw at it. If it cant cope there is a problem with the engine or cooling system. If the cooling system IS in good condition rather than just saying it is, then the fault is with the engne

Theres no need to complicate matters with a front mount rad. The reson the MPi had a front mount rad was not for the reson most will think of.

Also, high powered turbo engines use this additional 'adiabatic' (look it up) cooling on the intercoolers so they can cram as much air into the engine withouth increasing boost pressures to the ridiculous, or tho bring back ridiculous boost pressures to safe temperatures. The volume of water required to bring the temp down of a 'hot' system is mahoosive!!!! Just fix the problem or d you realy just want to have a water mist system because high power cars have them?

Edited by Mini Sprocket, 31 October 2006 - 07:26 PM.

[lootuning1]

Ill let you into a secret if you do want to do this. i used to sell homemade water spray kits. Me and my mates used them on all our turbo cars and sprayed them on the front of the intercoolers.

If you go to NOTCUTTS they do spray nozzles for small gardens and green houses. They do all different types from small fine sprays to sprays of mist etc

Just some info incase you needed to know Maybe it helps, maybe it dont

[fikus01]

it would be handy on track maybe for that time where you're puching that engine a little harder than the radiator can cope with!! it is possible to exceede the capabilities of a special 2 core!!

i like the idea of a this pipe just across the front of the rad!! and as long as the holes are sized ok you will not have the problen whre by the pressure all comes out of the 1 hole!!

got a thought for ya!! would you put the water in at the bottom of this pipe or the top??

[danccooke]

I am running a 1440cc, Kent Cam, Stage three Head.
The rad is a super cool two core side mount. Thermostat has been checked works fine, Rad and cooling system flushed. Currently waiting on an electric fan it is "in the post"
Water pump is the deep impellor type.

Other than the fitting of the electric fan i am lost as to how to cool the system. I tend to have a reasonably heavy foot on the loud pedal, but at the moment driving at 70 seems to be the safest. slower doesn't get the air flow. Faster and the extra temp counters the airflow.
If i get in traffic within 5 mins i am up at 100-110 it would go higher but i stop and let it cool down (only happened once) panicked me too as the water at the sensor suddenly gets hotter as there is no water flow without the engine turning.

I am not planning on using the spray as a continuous method, but an emergency when in traffic, so a water bottle the same size as the washer bottle would do fine.

I am not trying to hide a problem, if the engine is hot, and everything else i can think of is covered then just perhaps the engine and my driving style are not compatible i don't know?

We'll see how the leccy fan goes maybe i won't have to even attempt the idea.

Still thought it was a good idea

[fikus01]

if u feel how much air u get thru a kenlowe that mounts directly to the radiator i think you'd be fine doing away with the std fan to be honest!! thats what im doing to my race car!!

failing that what pulley do u have on your water pump!! the small one or large one??

at high ervs with your large pump is its spinning too fast it will not pump water more churn it up!! then again at low speeds if u have the larger pump pulley the fan wont spin as fast!!

make your mind up which u have!!!! pros and cons for both!