Bulletproof cooling system
From Crankshaft Coalition Wiki
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[[File:Engine-cooling-system.jpg|thumb|600px|right|Typical cooling system, some engines use an internal bypass]] | [[File:Engine-cooling-system.jpg|thumb|600px|right|Typical cooling system, some engines use an internal bypass]] | ||
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*Defective radiator cap | *Defective radiator cap | ||
*Late ignition timing | *Late ignition timing | ||
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| + | If the engine overheats when idling, typically the cause is a lack of air flow through the radiator. This can be from a missing of non effective shroud, a too-small fan or a defective fan clutch assembly. | ||
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| + | If the engine overheats when cruising, typically this is caused by a too-small radiator/insufficient capacity or by the radiator tubes being occluded or too small. | ||
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| + | Lowering the opening temperature of the thermostat is not the cure for these problems. Lowering the thermostat temperature rating only delays overheating. Do check to be sure the thermostat is opening, though. If the thermostat doesn't open, the engine WILL overheat regardless if it's idling or cruising. | ||
==Bulletproof cooling system tips== | ==Bulletproof cooling system tips== | ||
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*Before installing the water pump, grasp the impeller with one hand and the drive hub with the other and twist to make sure the impeller is tight on the drive shaft. If the driveshaft is not spinning the impeller, no water is being moved through the motor. This problem can be the source of great frustration and is hard to find unless you know to look for it when installing the pump. | *Before installing the water pump, grasp the impeller with one hand and the drive hub with the other and twist to make sure the impeller is tight on the drive shaft. If the driveshaft is not spinning the impeller, no water is being moved through the motor. This problem can be the source of great frustration and is hard to find unless you know to look for it when installing the pump. | ||
*Although it may not be necessary, the concept of a "water pump conversion disc" can be researched. Flow Kooler originally marketed flat aluminum discs to be riveted to the backside of the stamped steel impeller of the water pump. With an iron impeller, a steel disc could be welded or brazed onto the impeller. Such a disc wouldn't be that difficult to make. Space the water pump backing plate back farther with a couple of gaskets to prevent interference of the rivet heads on the backing plate if riveting a disc to a stamped steel impeller. More info: [http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11774 brazing cast iron], [http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=BRA%2D4375%2D07&autoview=sku Flow Kooler water pump conversion discs]. This disc could make an appreciable difference in the flow of water at engine speeds under 3,000 RPM. On the other hand, Howard Stewart of Stewart Components (the guy with the water pump dyno), says that these discs have little to no effect. | *Although it may not be necessary, the concept of a "water pump conversion disc" can be researched. Flow Kooler originally marketed flat aluminum discs to be riveted to the backside of the stamped steel impeller of the water pump. With an iron impeller, a steel disc could be welded or brazed onto the impeller. Such a disc wouldn't be that difficult to make. Space the water pump backing plate back farther with a couple of gaskets to prevent interference of the rivet heads on the backing plate if riveting a disc to a stamped steel impeller. More info: [http://www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11774 brazing cast iron], [http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=BRA%2D4375%2D07&autoview=sku Flow Kooler water pump conversion discs]. This disc could make an appreciable difference in the flow of water at engine speeds under 3,000 RPM. On the other hand, Howard Stewart of Stewart Components (the guy with the water pump dyno), says that these discs have little to no effect. | ||
| + | **[http://www.FlowKooler.com FlowKooler]established a new standard for hi flow water pumps in 2013 with the release of a full line of precision machined billet impeller. The impellers have larger diameters and additional vanes and by reducing the clearance between impeller vanes mating surface create an appreciable improvement in flow rate and block pressure. This pressure increase helps prevent formation of steam pockets and hot spots on the cylinder wall and can also prevent cavitation of the impeller. | ||
==Swapping a core support and matching radiator into a recipient vehicle== | ==Swapping a core support and matching radiator into a recipient vehicle== | ||
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Most cars from 1960 and up used cross flow radiators. One of the reasons was a lower hoodline, and two, more cooling area was required to cool the larger engines. Cross flow radiators had a tank with an inlet/outlet placed on either side. The water entered on one side and passed through the core of the rad, was cooled by the air flow and the heat escaped through convection to the outside air. Engineers found that the longer the liquid was exposed to the cooling flow of air through the radiator core, the more heat could be extracted from the flowing water. They slowed down the water travel by increasing the size of the water pump pulleys, but that had its limitations. They also added more rows of core, but that too had limitations. | Most cars from 1960 and up used cross flow radiators. One of the reasons was a lower hoodline, and two, more cooling area was required to cool the larger engines. Cross flow radiators had a tank with an inlet/outlet placed on either side. The water entered on one side and passed through the core of the rad, was cooled by the air flow and the heat escaped through convection to the outside air. Engineers found that the longer the liquid was exposed to the cooling flow of air through the radiator core, the more heat could be extracted from the flowing water. They slowed down the water travel by increasing the size of the water pump pulleys, but that had its limitations. They also added more rows of core, but that too had limitations. | ||
| − | Road course racers found a way to keep cooling to a simple easy form. To do this, they pulled the tanks off the radiators that they were using and placed baffle plates in the tank covers. The baffles were placed so as to divide the radiator core section into three distinct areas. Water would enter the upper radiator inlet on the right side and would flow across the top section of the radiator to the left side, a baffle plate located 2/3 of the way down the tank caused the coolant to flow across the radiator to the right side to the right radiator tank. The coolant couldn't rise upwards because a baffle plate located 1/3 of the way down stopped it and forced it to head down lower in the right tank, where it again was drawn across the radiator core to the lower left tank outlet and out to the engine. This serpentine course that the coolant took allowed the coolant to be cooled THREE TIMES by the cooling air flow coming through the core area. "Excellent idea!" you say, “Why don't they do that to all cars today? | + | Road course racers found a way to keep cooling to a simple easy form. To do this, they pulled the tanks off the radiators that they were using and placed baffle plates in the tank covers. The baffles were placed so as to divide the radiator core section into three distinct areas. Water would enter the upper radiator inlet on the right side and would flow across the top section of the radiator to the left side, a baffle plate located 2/3 of the way down the tank caused the coolant to flow across the radiator to the right side to the right radiator tank. The coolant couldn't rise upwards because a baffle plate located 1/3 of the way down stopped it and forced it to head down lower in the right tank, where it again was drawn across the radiator core to the lower left tank outlet and out to the engine. This serpentine course that the coolant took allowed the coolant to be cooled THREE TIMES by the cooling air flow coming through the core area. "Excellent idea!" you say, “Why don't they do that to all cars today? Because if the water actually got to ambient, in this situation, then some part of this radiator would not be doing any cooling at all. So there is a trade off, as well as the slowing of coolant through the block in this set up. If it stays in the block too long, steam pockets, and bubbles will begin to overheat, so in theory, if double pass and triple pass worked in all situations, then factories would be making them in productions. |
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==Does radiator tube size matter?== | ==Does radiator tube size matter?== | ||
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The automotive radiator is essentially just another name for a heat exchanger, whereby combustion temperatures are transferred to the cooling system of the engine block and taken outside the block via flexible radiator hoses to be exposed to the cooling force of air through the radiator core, thus reducing the temperature of the coolant before returning it to the engine block. There are two restrictions in the system. One is the thermostat, which restricts flow and holds heat in the engine until warmed up, and the other is the radiator core tubes. The radiator tubes have to be of sufficient size so as to allow the coolant to flow through in an unrestricted manner, but also able to 'scrub off' BTU's or heat; which is based on the shape of the tube and the convection of heat away from the coolant to the outside air. A wide flat tube will expose more surface area to the outside flow of air than a narrow tube. The reason for this is more surface area is exposed to cooling. Look at the pictures located below and see why that is. | The automotive radiator is essentially just another name for a heat exchanger, whereby combustion temperatures are transferred to the cooling system of the engine block and taken outside the block via flexible radiator hoses to be exposed to the cooling force of air through the radiator core, thus reducing the temperature of the coolant before returning it to the engine block. There are two restrictions in the system. One is the thermostat, which restricts flow and holds heat in the engine until warmed up, and the other is the radiator core tubes. The radiator tubes have to be of sufficient size so as to allow the coolant to flow through in an unrestricted manner, but also able to 'scrub off' BTU's or heat; which is based on the shape of the tube and the convection of heat away from the coolant to the outside air. A wide flat tube will expose more surface area to the outside flow of air than a narrow tube. The reason for this is more surface area is exposed to cooling. Look at the pictures located below and see why that is. | ||
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[[Image:Tube_sizes.gif|frame|Tube sizes.]] [[Image:Alum_vs_copper_brass.gif|frame. Aluminum vs. copper/brass]] | [[Image:Tube_sizes.gif|frame|Tube sizes.]] [[Image:Alum_vs_copper_brass.gif|frame. Aluminum vs. copper/brass]] | ||
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===Sacrificial anode in aluminum radiators=== | ===Sacrificial anode in aluminum radiators=== | ||
| − | When running an aluminum radiator or any aluminum parts in contact with the water jacket, make sure to run a sacrificial anode | + | When running an aluminum radiator or any aluminum parts in contact with the water jacket, make sure to run a sacrificial anode. Aluminum is prone to electrolysis and corrosion and in many cases cannot be repaired. Usually zinc, magnesium or a combination of the two can be used as a consumable "edible" part to prevent the electro-displacement of the aluminum radiator. This may save the aluminum core, in the short run. |
==Coolant== | ==Coolant== | ||
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== Radiator shroud== | == Radiator shroud== | ||
| − | Radiator shrouds are devices that control the exiting air from the radiator and direct it to a rearward sucking electric or mechanical fan. Shrouds can be made from plastic, fiberglass, | + | Radiator shrouds are devices that control the exiting air from the radiator and direct it to a rearward sucking electric or mechanical fan. Shrouds can be made from plastic, fiberglass, or metal. They cover the rear portion of the radiator. They allow air passing through the radiator to be ducted to the fan which directs air flow over the engine and out of the engine bay. In most cases, the mechanical fan will be inserted approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of the depth of the fan blades into the shroud, and no more than 3/4" from the tip of the blades to the edge of the shroud. |
== Radiator cap== | == Radiator cap== | ||
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'''NOTE:''' The old type of thermostat used metal bellows filled with a liquid. The condensed liquid would "suck" the bellows closed. This type of thermostat always fails in the open position which is extremely convenient as one does not have to buy a new cylinder head or engine. Nowadays this type is very difficult to obtain. | '''NOTE:''' The old type of thermostat used metal bellows filled with a liquid. The condensed liquid would "suck" the bellows closed. This type of thermostat always fails in the open position which is extremely convenient as one does not have to buy a new cylinder head or engine. Nowadays this type is very difficult to obtain. | ||
| − | ==SBC 400 cooling== | + | ==GM== |
| − | From a [http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/90678_small_block_400_cooling_tricks/ | + | ===SBC 400 cooling=== |
| + | From a [http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/90678_small_block_400_cooling_tricks/ Chevy High Performance] article: | ||
This 1003 high- performance Fel-Pro head gasket (below) features larger 7/16-inch coolant passages (a) that will produce greater coolant flow to prevent excessive heat buildup between the center cylinders. The high-performance Fel-Pro gaskets also reduce coolant flow in the indicated areas (b) to help redirect the coolant between the center cylinders. If necessary, you may have to drill a 7/16-inch hole (c) in the block to increase coolant flow between the center cylinders. Only do this when the engine is completely disassembled to prevent iron drill chips from damaging the engine. | This 1003 high- performance Fel-Pro head gasket (below) features larger 7/16-inch coolant passages (a) that will produce greater coolant flow to prevent excessive heat buildup between the center cylinders. The high-performance Fel-Pro gaskets also reduce coolant flow in the indicated areas (b) to help redirect the coolant between the center cylinders. If necessary, you may have to drill a 7/16-inch hole (c) in the block to increase coolant flow between the center cylinders. Only do this when the engine is completely disassembled to prevent iron drill chips from damaging the engine. | ||
[[File:Felpro sbc 400.jpg]] | [[File:Felpro sbc 400.jpg]] | ||
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| + | ==Ford Motor Company== | ||
| + | *[http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303600&highlight=ford+short+water+pump Info on pulleys, etc.] | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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