Lowering The Radiator

[Dream Weaver 2]

I've just received a new ITG filter (JC50/100) for my bike bodies, which was the smallest I could get to give enough clearance for the trumpets.

 

There's no way it will fit with the std rad in place, so I need to lower the rad which will help air temps anyway.

 

The logistics are fine - the pipe from the water dist on the block which goes to the metal water pipe can be turned round, and I can add some brackets onto the metal pipe to lower it and the hose from the thermostat can be cut and lowered, so the problem is with the fan cowling/rad position and the lower brace thing.

 

My idea was to cut the brace out across the front, then drop it down on some brackets about 4" so I can still use the std cowling/fan. I could then use some more brackets to bolt the cowling and grill in the original position.

 

Anyone done this and have any decent pics/advice?

 

If so, what have you done with the grill etc?

[B1ack_Mi16 67]

Not sure if this may be too drastic, but I chopped the metal part that the cowling is resting on and welded my own bracket.

 

The top of the radiator is fitted to the slam-panel, not show in the picture as it wasn't done at that stage.

 

http://cortex.fa-s.ntnu.no/~kristian/205gt...05/CIMG0507.jpg

[Kitsune 0]

I have little top hat shape brackets attached to the underside of my rad, and a small straight bracket that goes from the bottom of the front crossmeber backwards. The hat shape brackets sit perfectly in this but is cabled tied at the top to stop it resting on either the carb filter or the oil filter. Will post a pic later.

[Kitsune 0]

 

Gives a better idea of what I was trying to explain.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Thanks Kitsune, a pic would be cool. Going to start on it tonight by removing the rad (again)

 

Black_mi16 - yours looks good, wish i'd done that from the start now.

 

Kitsune - how does that lower the rad though? or does it just move it further away from the engine?

 

I'm thinking i've got two options now:

 

1. Remove the lower brace/bar thing that the rad/cowling rests on, lower it 4" by bolting some Z shaped brackets onto each end, then back onto where it was originally - this will sit the bar lower down.

 

2. Lean the bottom of the rad in towards the engine, then make some brackets which hang off the std brace underneath and hold the rad, similar to the DES developments method:

 

 

Edited April 24, 2006 by Dream Weaver

[Ant 2]

I just made a couple of L shaped brackets and attached the rad and cowling to this.

 

This is from ages ago, before i made the brackets ( hence the cable ties ) but it all fits nicelly now

 

[base-1 17]

I'd cut out the crossmember and lower that down, rather than piss about with brackets like the DES setup there and lose some of the cooling area...

[Robsbc 0 1 Cars]

I'd cut out the crossmember and lower that down, rather than piss about with brackets like the DES setup there and lose some of the cooling area...

 

Revla on here has not noticed any loss in cooling by using 2 L shaped brackets

[d-9 0]

not like the bumper doesnt give a fairly big blockage in airflow anyway

[smckeown 1]

i'm curtting some holes in mine when the rad gets lowered

[base-1 17]

Every little helps, and obviously you cut the bumper out!

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

Not sure if this helps or not

 

Just a pieces of ally with 2 90 degree bends in, bolted through the top original holes and rad slots through the holes in the bottom. Top hose had to be extended though. The top has no real mountings on it but is attached to the intercooler which is pretty firm as all the pipework stops it moving about. Rad cools better as it is hanging slightly lower and I get more airflow into the engine bay. As you can see the standard fan setup has been ditched too

[d-9 0]

What intercooler is that? Does it flow ok? Ive always been a bit warry about U shaped coolers.

[trevor_stiles 0]

Lowering the radiator is a good idea for turbo conversion etc but dont you find that when you lose the radiator cowling that shutting the bonnet becomes impossible there isnt enough support???

Ive done it a few time before and always had the same problem that the bonnet wont shut

[Rob Turbo 3]

Lowering the radiator is a good idea for turbo conversion etc but dont you find that when you lose the radiator cowling that shutting the bonnet becomes impossible there isnt enough support???

Ive done it a few time before and always had the same problem that the bonnet wont shut

 

Add a brace from the bottom where the rad sits to the middle of the slam pannel, thats what im going to do this time round, last time the slam pannel was resting on top of the intercooler (4x4 cossie cooler) and wore a groove in it!

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

What intercooler is that? Does it flow ok? Ive always been a bit warry about U shaped coolers.

I had a Renault 5 one but the top kept popping off! So I tried a Fiat Punto GT one. the advantage to a U cooler is that the boost pipework is short so less lag. Also not nasty underneath pipes that can catch. It all goes well I may get a larger one made that doubles back on itself. When the air is under pressure it will go where it is told (well that is my theory anyway!). Seriously though, I planned on a lowish pressure application and to work up from there possibly. I didn't want 250bhp out of the box as those cars tend to be constant work in progress and never see the road. Also all the parts on it are Peugeot bits apart from the intercooler

 

Lowering the radiator is a good idea for turbo conversion etc but dont you find that when you lose the radiator cowling that shutting the bonnet becomes impossible there isnt enough support???

Ive done it a few time before and always had the same problem that the bonnet wont shut

 

Had a little fun at first but never had a problem after i adjusted it on the spring. usually more to do with the way the panel has been fitted back on or the bonnet hinge positioning.

[tom_m 0]

When the air is under pressure it will go where it is told (well that is my theory anyway!)

 

thats not quite true, you lose power and get a lot of lag by trying to push air through 90 and 180 degree bends. so your turbo would be under less stress with a traighter boost path.

[Alex G 0]

this is what mine looked like

 

 

to stiffen up the slam panel so i could close the bonnet i just used 4 bolts instead of two and it worked a treat, not to mention mounting the IC on the slam panel probably stiffened it up too

Edited April 25, 2006 by Alex G

[Dream Weaver 2]

That looks good, how did you do it Alex?

 

That was my initial idea, only problem being I dont have access to a welder, so i'd have to bolt it all together.

[TEKNOPUG 3]

That looks good Alex. I need to do something similar with the Cossie IC I have. However, like Dream Weaver, I really need a bolt on solution.

[tom_m 0]

That looks good Alex. I need to do something similar with the Cossie IC I have. However, like Dream Weaver, I really need a bolt on solution.

 

and i guess like me andy you loathe spending over a hundred quid on a set of brackets from des eh?!

Edited April 25, 2006 by tom_m

[Dream Weaver 2]

Bloody hell, is that how much they want for them????

 

I figured they may be £20, so was going to ring them today but I aint paying that for them

[TEKNOPUG 3]

and i guess like me andy you loathe spending over a hundred quid on a set of brackets from des eh?!

 

 

Too bloody right Tom!

 

£120 for a couple of brackets....what planet are they on?!

[tom_m 0]

i emailed them about it a while ago and nearly fell off my chair when he told me the price, apparently it reflects r&d costs and fabrication costs cos its polished alloy!

[TEKNOPUG 3]

Likewise....explains why it's not priced up on the website!