| ||||
| ||||
| Moderated by: Greg Fletcher |
|
||||||||||||||
| New Radiator for Jensen Race Car | Rating: 
|
| Author | Post |
|---|
| Posted: 05-06-2006 09:55 pm |
|
1st Post |
|
Ron Earp Member 
|
After much looking around at off the shelf radiators that didn't cost a fortune I found few that fit. But, some that fit with some work. Turns out a NASCAR Ford radiator is 16" tall, about the right height compared to the standard Chevy 19" radiators, and comes in 22,24,26,28, or 30 inch widths. Of the shelf, aluminum, 3" thick, and cools around 400-500hp in race conditions for the circle track dirt boys. Should be enough. So, I ordered up a 28" wide $239 unit for a Ford to go in the car. Naturally, it isn't a bolt in, but with some careful use of the Mighty Mighty Sawall, which I must mention has never lost a battle, Jeff and I were able to get it in. Notice, there are some bits missing up front but they are not structural, just shrouding etc. for the stocker. Have a look:    Still doing some work on the remote oil filters and a huge 1ftx1ft oil cooler, but I think it'll all bolt up nicely in front of the radiator thus making engine removal and installation a "no touch the cooling stuff" affair. I think this should solve the cooling issues at Roebling, what do you think? Ron Last edited on 05-06-2006 11:00 pm by Ron Earp |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-06-2006 11:06 pm |
|
2nd Post |
|
Jensen Healey Super Moderator 
|
Wow! Is there an on-line supplier for those babies? I bet the 22" would work great for a street car. Looks like you might need some cold air for the carbs. Kurt
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 01:10 am |
|
3rd Post |
|
Ron Earp Member
|
You can get them all day long from Circle track suppliers. Mine is a Ron Davis radiator, a fairly popular race brand, and they can definitely help you out. http://www.rondavisradiators.com/ The Ford style are not as tall as the Chevy style, mine is 16" exactly top to bottom, and comes in widths every 2". Ford style is important since it has the outlets like in the picture, the Checy and Dodge ones are very different. Very nice tanks on the side, and very large. Expect to wait around 6 weeks for one, but they take care of racers and I told them I was trying to make a big memorial day race so they put me up in the que - had it in four days from order!! Carbs do need some cold air via box and ducting, and they will get them for the full on race prep. But now we're just trying to get the old girl out on track to discover what issues we have to deal with. One thing I KNOW I want to do is exopy fill the water passages in the intake manifold and make new exit ports for the water before it starts circulating in that manifold - ridiculous to circulate cooling water in the manifold like that. Not good for power production. Left to it's own devices a Jensen Healey would rather lie around in a field and rust or go to a car show. Making it into a race car take a lot of effort, but we're going to get there, one way or another! R
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 01:29 am |
|
4th Post |
|
George Member
|
Wow, that looks great, but I am still happy with your 4 core cast off. Fit right in and seems to do the trick. I had to replace the 14" electric fan the previous owner had put in with a 12"er, but I'm back on the street.
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 01:41 am |
|
5th Post |
|
Jensen Healey Super Moderator
|
"Left to it's own devices a Jensen Healey would rather lie around in a field and rust or go to a car show. Making it into a race car take a lot of effort, but we're going to get there, one way or another!" He He! It's a continuing battle just to keep one on the road and make it to the car show, much less race the thing. Go Ron Go!!!!!! Dixon, CA All British Field Meet May 21 http://www.ubscc.org/dixon.htm Be there!
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 01:41 am |
|
6th Post |
|
Ron Earp Member
|
I wish the 4 core would have worked for me since it cost a fair penny to get it done like that. And a long wait. I was trying to take the easy way and avoid doing what I just did - fabbing everything up for a custom setup. I think the 4 core will do you right for street use and some autoX duty, glad you like it. Note - for those considering one of the radiators be aware they have NO mounting tabs or anything like that. You are expected to make all your own mounts etc. Nice thing is that where I have it the radiator will not have to move to pull the engine. I'll put the coolers in front of the radiator so there will be lots of free space between the radiator back and engine, might help cooling a bit with good open flow. Ron
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 04:01 pm |
|
7th Post |
|
Judson Manning Member 
|
Gee Ron... I see you took my 13"x20" Scirocco radiator idea and really ran with it! http://jhppg.com/gallery/album08/910_907_hybrid2 BTW: That's one good looking engine.....lol You'll be much happier with the Aluminum radiator. Structurally it is MUCH stronger than brass, and is a MUCH more efficient design. This has nothing to do with material selection, or fins per sq. in., it's all about construction techniques. Like your's, mine is mounted too far forward and cuts off flow to the top 1/2 of the core. But like me, you'll find the radiator design so efficient it doesn't matter. When I made the switch, temps dropped 20-30^ and oil pressure went up 20-30psi. Once you get your Oil pressure / Temp issues out of the way you can focus on DRIVING the car instead of messing with it! Got your 4sp rebuilt yet??? Can I say how much I HATE brass radiators???? More correctly: Can I say how much I HATE poorly constructed brass radiators!!!!
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 07:33 pm |
|
8th Post |
|
smcmanus Member 
|
WOW! That looks great. Wanna sell the old radiator? I think you'll be able to get rid of the fan and make a few more ponies on the track. Good Luck Steve
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-07-2006 09:55 pm |
|
9th Post |
|
Ron Earp Member
|
Hey Steve, the old four core brass is gone already to a new home. Judson, I think your idea of putting the radiator far forward is a good one. I sort of over did it on the radiator, but, I looked at what cars like our Miata and others had that run 180F at 6000 RPM all day and it seemed to me that if I could fit it, having a big radiator wasn't a bad idea. And, I think it'll keep your motor alive, which we both want to happen!!!!!!! I do agree with your comments on construction though - you can have a POS single pass six core downflow radiator that won't "out cool" an aluminum design that is designed right. This one is a single pass design, two core, but the fellows said if it won't cool that motor I get my money back, no questions. Cool guy I dealt with, Bill, who has a Monster Miata (Ford 5L, 290hp) that he races and tracks with smaller radiator that takes care of his car cooling needs. I hope, and think you are right - once we're good on cooling the oil temp and pressure will be sorted, and we'll be racing! Then more stuff will break. Ron
|
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-08-2006 06:17 am |
|
10th Post |
|
edward_davis Member 
|
I see some cool work being done on this car, but I'm confused about the racing regs. You're allowed to change out the radiator, but you have to have the Stromberg carbs? Also, as an aside, why does the cooling water flow through the intake? Is that to make warmup faster for emissions or something? I'm moving to NC from sunny CA this July, so I'm hoping I can get a chance to go see your car in action, Ron. Edward
|
|||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Posted: 05-08-2006 01:04 pm |
|
11th Post |
|
Ron Earp Member
|
Yep, in Improved Touring radiators are free, that is, any size can be fit. However, carbs and cams remain stock, exhaust is completely free. Compression can go up 0.5, just to account for machining and refinishing, bore can go out 0.040". To learn more go here: http://www.scca.org/ and here to get the General Competition Handbook, which has rule sets for all SCCA racing. You can download the whole thing or just the Improved Touring rules, this car races is ITS. http://www.scca.com/Club/index.asp?reference=gcr I think the water went through the intake to help with emissions warm up and to maintain a stable, but unfortunately hot operating temp for the carbs. There are other systems that worked liked this on other cars I've messed with. I live in the Raleigh/Cary area and another board member has a JH down in Apex, a couple miles away or so, therefore there are at least two here. Oh, and the reasoning behind changing the radiator and stock carbs - IT is supposed to be "cheap" racing, so, stock stuff unless it has to do with reliabilty, safety, or longetivity. Problem is, people spend more money bending the rules and making super trick stuff than if the class was wide open. There is some "trick" stuff on this car too, you just have to know where to look. R Last edited on 05-09-2006 12:10 am by Ron Earp |
||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Current time is 08:52 am | |
| > Jensen Healey & Jensen GT Tech > Cooling > New Radiator for Jensen Race Car | Top |
