8 replies to this topic

[RacingGreen]

Im looking for a suitable radiator thats small enough to fit behind the grill on a standard roundnose, but that will also give enough cooling, for quite a highly tuned engine.

Has anyone got any suggestions on what might be a good choice?

Thanks
Mike

[Big_Adam]

If it's overheating while driving at a legal speed then your cooling system is nacked.

If it's overheating in traffic then thats a semi normal thing for a mini. You can always fit a small switch operated fan.

But if you set on a rad then BMW ones fit in a clubman but a MPI front rad will fit or go the cheap route and add an old heater matrix in there.

[RacingGreen]

Its not overheating, im rebuiling the whole car, and i want to fit a front mounted rad for better cooling.

I didnt think the mpi rads would fit , due to the mpis being fitted with a different alternator, which was mounted higher up.

[Big_Adam]

Are they? I thought it was a few front panel cut outs.

Think best bet would be down to the scrappys with a tape measure. What spec you rebuilding to? I mean if your putting distributer-less system on then your going to have a C**p load of space on that side of the car.

[RacingGreen]

yeah, the mounting for the alternator were totally different, and it was a smaller alternator too i believe.

Yeah, im planning on running megajolt, so there will be the room there without the dizzy.

[Dan]

If you're not using a dizzy it will be fairly easy to get the MPI rad to fit, your engine is already 1/2" further back than the MPi one remember. The dizzy and the oil filter cause more of a headache than the alternator. It will be fairly easy to manufacture a bracket to relocate the alternator, you might even find you only have to make a longer adjuster bracket for it and pivot it up on the mountings. Fit a remote oil filter head somewhere and mount the rad slightly lower than it is in the MPi with the bottom of it behind the front subframe crossmember and tilted forward into the front panel at the top and you might even find it will clear the standard alternator. It's only fitted how it is to the MPi to make it easy to fit on the production line, if you are fitting it by hand you can adjust the position. Measuring is required, the MPi rad is 17" by 11" by 3" thick including the unions and mountings so why not mock something up out of card and see if it will fit with the filter head not in place. The MPi rad is pretty much the smallest and thinnest you will find from a car, you might find one in another machine that will work.

[RacingGreen]

Thanks for the input dan, thats a great help, i might give that a go.

Just out of interest, how/ why is the engine 1/2" further forward than the mpi?

Thanks
Mike

[Ethel]

Might also be worth your while talking to a radiator specialists. They could make or modify one to suit your needs and will have a good stock and technical info for you to pattern up.

[Jammy]

I thought the MPIs were further forward to make room for all the electrical gubbins at the back, and therefore Mike's engine will be further forward?

I know from looking into the Honda conversion that some of the Civics radiators are pretty thin, the single core that is. The headers can be quite big, but you can mount the rad so that the headers are out of the way. Just been looking around on 16V forum and there is one Civic rad that is about 2 1/4" thick at the header. Only problem then would be getting hoses to match.