Rear radiator on a vit

ScubaDan · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:53 am Post subject: Rear radiator on a vit

Hey all,

I am looking to have Redrooster pick-up my vit for me sometime soon and this allows me to move a few things around.

In the space behind the front seats im looking to put a couple batteries for the lights and winch later on.

I am also looking to run a rear rad in the boot by running the pipes through the passenger floor with a false floor over.

I have already had to unclog it once already from mud so moving it seems like a good idea.

So what radiator and fan should I get and are there any reason not to move the radiator?

And what radiator/fan should I go for.

Thanks Smile

zng109 · Guest

I have only moved rads when i was a kid banger racing at smallfields, how is it getting so muddy? are you following in convoy?

lwbvit · Guest

Hello,

Sounds like a cool idea.

I've never done anything like it myself, so I'm just guessing, but I imagine you could use any radiator and fan, as long as it's a lot bigger than what you've got now - to make up for the loss of windchill.

Probably helps if the hose diameter is the same, and that the radiator cap is rated for the same pressure (don't know how different that could be, really).

Have you considered putting it on the roof? You'd get it even further from the mud, and you'd still have some wind..

Are you going to keep the existing one as well, or will you take it off completely?

Would be fun to hear how you get on! Good luck Smile

GVstu · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 3:46 pm Post subject:

Will this vehicle be still moving about on the roads or is it for p&p fun only?

stuckinmuck · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:34 pm Post subject:

I strongly suggest you wire up a couple of fans such as those found on the older pug diesels, as even a bigger rad may not be sufficient to keep things from overheating, what with the lack of airflow. I'd wire it up so the fans cut in at the required temp but also with a manual switch so you can put em going when required

ScubaDan · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:56 pm Post subject:

The car will eventually be a P&P when I buy a more economical car as a run around next year.

At the moment I live at my work so the most I use it for is 10min drive to Tesco's or 40mins to Eastbourne for shopping. I very rarely go on motorway or any journey above 40mins.

I would be able to go full width of the back area which is about 1.2m from wheel-arch to wheel-arch.

What if I had two Rads next to each other with a larger pump?

I am working on a drawing now for my idea and i'll post it in about 30mins.

Dont think I would fit it to the roof, wanted to keep it a little more protected.

lwbvit · Guest

It sounds like you've got a fun project going. If you just want to protect it with minimum effort, maybe it would make sense to get a grille mesh like you can find on eBay, and put it in the lower opening to the radiator.

I know they are for styling, really, but I've thought about doing that myself as I'm not happy with all the little bits that get stuck in my radiator either.

If you search for "universal radiator fan" on eBay, you'll get quite a few hits there. If you get one rated for a larger engine, you should have a lot of power there. They often don't come with any useful ways of attaching them, unless you're happy running rods through the radiator (I wouldn't be) but you could probably make something out of the current fan cover, if you cut it to shape a bit and drill a few holes in it, so you could effectively clamp the electric fan inbetween the radiator and the fan cover.

Wouldn't be the fanciest, but you can do that for less than £30...

De76 · Gate Opener Joined: 21 Jul 2012 Odometer: 15

Hi I have a trayback vit with the fan in the back fan is 700mm by 500mm with a single fan it has 28mm copper under the body I am using a adjustable temp stat ?? And all works ok
Just remember the fan needs to be in a plenum and needs to suck the air through the rad ?
But I am planing on swoping it all for a peugeot 207 rad with twin fans one on a stat and the other on a switch ?

And yes it is a roadlegal vit with a full rollcage

Big Hammer · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:46 pm Post subject:

How about some large NASA ducts to feed outside air to the rad? Like F1 car rad vents or brake duct vents as used on Le Mans cars.

ScubaDan · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:01 pm Post subject:

if I cut through the side of the vit, it could scoop the air in...

Could make a funnel to fit over the back of the rad and a fan over the front.

Here's a image i have been working on.

Could be one large rad or two?

Let me see if I could draw up the air scoops on the side...

horsethief · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:19 pm Post subject:

My rad blocks easy,tends to resemble a mud brick mainly after rochdale,driving through muddy water.The water steams off leaving the mud behind in the grill.

Ducky · Just got MTs Joined: 14 Oct 2011 Odometer: 302

One word of advice is to spend the money and buy a decent Pacet or Kenlowe fan, and not an Ebay special as they're crap!

P.S you could just top mount the rad under the bonnet, my brother has done this and it's been fine, lot less hassle too! Smile

ScubaDan · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:30 pm Post subject:

I thought about that but there's the heat from the engine and I was looking to open a little space up in the engine area.

I dont mind running pipes under a false floor and electrics.

I think the idea of two rads might work better than one. Just thinking if i should have then running of a Y split or in series. Air flow would be larger with two fans.

Bussuki · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:53 pm Post subject:

Maybe mounting them in the back like this could be an idea, with the checker plate over the top it would never get clogged up.

Link

ScubaDan · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:06 pm Post subject:

I kind of want to keep it hidden away a bit more.

I may see how it goes with a single larger rad on one side and then have a marine fuel tank on the other.

I shall see what space I have to play with once I have it pick-up'd and if I should bother to get a marine fuel tank for it instead of lifting the current tank up when I do a 3" body lift.

teamidris · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:59 pm Post subject:

I'm with DE76. The fan needs to be in a plenum air box to spread the fans suction over all the fins and a sucking fan makes the rad work evenly all over Cool

And you can have a pusher fan on the other side as a boost. So I run a big old kenlow fan sucking all the while on a resitor switch. For trialing I have it on slow and for challenge I have it on full speed. Then two 11" on the pusher side are on an allysport thermostat for when things get silly Very Happy

A bigger rad is nice, but you shouldn't need it if you can make the air flow?
I like the idea of side vents. We planned it on our build, with two slim line rads either side, but it didn't work out into the build.
Still, shouldn't grumble, its worked well for 17 years as is.

ScubaDan · Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject:

I'm planning to run it on a single rad and if that is too hot then add in a second.

If the single rad is ok, I can put a marine fuel tank next to it (with insulation between the two).

The spare batteries I plan to move inside the cab so I shall work out some plans then.