-----Original Message-----
From: James Carpenter <james.carpenter@jccsystems.swinternet.co.uk>
To: nikolai jaremka <njaremka@yahoo.com>; Spitlist
<spitfires@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 1999 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: Back from the trip (long sort of car endurence report thing)
>Well my radiator is in perfect condition, no blockage, no sludge and no
snip
Are you SURE???
>My car is
>suposed to have an 82 degree thermostat, and an 82 degree thermostat it
>shall have. I could get myself a 78 degree one but I cant see what
>difference it would make, afterall the car runs in the 90+ degree range and
>that temperature both are fully open. It's just I like to have the engin
>warm up quickly to minimise the dammage and poor economy caused by low
>temperatures.
The temp range of the engine is dependent on the prevailing air temp. High
in cool ambient temps, low in high ambient temps. My 63 SPit and 66 2000
both get 68 degree (160 F) thermos for the summer. If I drive the 2000 in
the winter - it gets a 80 (180 F) thermo. The thermo _starts_ to open at the
rated temp, and under optimum conditions, will maintain an average rad temp
of the level stated.
>
>Could it be engine tune, I had retarted the timing 2 degrees for the trip,
>and is pretty much in tune, but the wax stats could have leaned it out
which
>caused the heat to rise!
Definitely - get rid of them. Waxstats are notorius at melting in the
summer, but only with the bonnet (hood) in place messing up the mixture.
Rimmer has replacement kits!
Weak mixture tends to raise combustion temperatures. As the engine revs
higher, the volumetric efficiency of the carbs decreases - ie: have a
tendancy to run weaker. Try a touch on the richer side -- 1/8 turn.
>
>I have the front radiator things in place and in reasonable condition,
>complete but a bit loose. I don't have the ones on the side of the engine
>in place, are they necessary to cut the temperature?
- YES YES YES YES YES. The function of the cowls in FRONT of the rad are to
direct all airflow through the radiator. The function of the ones at the
side of the engine are to direct the air from the back of the radiator over
the engine and away from the car (under and through the wheelwells) The
radiator should also have two mounting points with one a bit higher than the
other. All Spits for Canada were mounted high (lower airflow volume) and
most from California were mounted lower (higher airflow volume) If you want
to try it, stick some cardboard between the frame and the bottom of the
radiator to block the space. You will notice a difference!
>
>How do you tell if your themostat is openign wide enough, to let all the
[water]
>flow through?
Take it out, put in a pot on the stove, and use a candy thermometer to note
when it starts to open, and when it is completely open - Or get a good
quality replacement (not generic)
>How do you tell if your water pump is effective?
Undo the top and bottom rad hoses, stick the lower in a bucket of water, and
start the car (not for long!!) and watch the water flow. _Do NOT do this
with the car WARM, and make sure the bucket is large enough to keep the
water flowing!
> Is there suposed to be somthing below the radiator to block the air flow,
>and even above it ?
Depends where the car was intended for and when it was built. Africa,
California, Germany and some others had cardboard skid pads fitted in
addition to the different mounting positions. Nothing above the rad.
>James
Wayne Burton
1953 Austin A40 Somerset
1963 Triumph Spitfire4
1966 Triumph 2000
Others
>
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