Very interesting Daniel and your work looks great. Why not cut a hole on each
side? Is your new radiator a cross flow or downflow?
I've been driving Fr Jack's Midget a little and am trying to locate a horrific
rattle that occurs at all speeds and seems to be the steering column. Fuel
pump keeps dying on me too and needs to be replaced. Another thing I haven't
sorted yet is the fuel cap. One of the previous owners replaced the fuel tank
and the tank does not have a vent line like the original tank. That means you
have to leave the fuel fill cap so loose it almost falls off to keep the engine
running. If you tighten it down the car runs OK for a quarter mile and then
dies. If you loosen the cap you get a big Whoosh of air and then the car will
run again.
Rick
> On Sep 20, 2024, at 1:13â?¯PM, Weslake1330 via Spridgets
> <spridgets@autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> 
> Hi list,
>
> A small project report with some background history. A few years back I
> fitted a small airflow blanking device just inside the grille, on one side,
> of my 69 Sprite and found it didn't make much difference to engine running
> temperatures. When tested in the full scale wind tunnel it was proven to
> reduce drag and lift.
>
> At the test everyone asked me why I didn't have one on the other side and I
> explained I hadn't checked if further airflow reductions would increase
> engine temperatures. At a later date I made one and fitted it anyway.
>
> In more recent times the Sprite engine temps ran hotter than I would have
> liked and eventually I changed the radiator after some trouble in finding
> something I thought appropriate. Well I don't think it worked as well as the
> previous radiator and recently I finally found a company that would make a
> copy of the design that I liked. I fitted it and have done some short drives
> and it works ok. However, the engine temp is still a little hotter than I
> would like. What I did find was that with this new radiator is that
> switching on the electric fan makes more of difference than it used to.
>
> On my second run I had a bit more data and found that because of a long
> stretch of 50mph speed limit (with lots and lots of average speed camera
> recording!) the engine ran 5 degrees C hotter than when I could drive at
> 70mph. I have a rebuilt engine and there was a lot of traffic but I'm
> confident my normal cruising speed of about 85 - 90 mph (car has a 5-speed)
> engine temps would be were I would want them to be.
>
> Note it's been warmer than usual for an English September and while not as
> hot as a hot summer's day can get, about ok for my tests since while in the
> middle of the day I would generally drive early morning or early evening when
> the temps are lower on a warmer day.
>
> So, not very scientific but based on lots of my experience with the same
> Sprite.
>
> One thing I did notice was that the Sprite was very warm inside and much
> warmer than outside and there is no heater.
>
> So, the long overdue mini-project was to cut a hole in the wing (passenger
> side for me but exhaust manifold side for all of us) to let air out of the
> engine bay - a bit like a big Healey. The wings are ok and need minor
> paintwork rather than replacing but I was content to take the risk on the
> basis that I had funds to buy a new wing and get it painted if necessary.
>
> I drilled 3 large holes with a hole saw and then used a fine blade for metal
> in my jigsaw to cut straight (well very nearly) straight lines to create the
> aperture with nice rounded corners (used the largest hole saw I have). Then
> I bought and then cut some stainless steel automotive mesh to go in the
> inside of the aperture. I used U clips/speed clips on the mesh and suitable B
> type sheet metal screws to fasten the mesh to the wing (fender for you guys
> and gals I guess). I did use countersunk head screws but without
> countersinking the holes (in a hurry/sloppy/to be addressed).
>
> I think the end result looks ok but the only photo I have is of the car in my
> garage but just as I finished the project it rained. I did a small airflow
> test with the electric fan running and was surprised at just how much air
> came out of the aperture.
>
> So, a road test (but weather is now cooler than my previous tests) to follow
> but I'm confident of 4 things: the engine temp will be slightly lower as more
> air will flow through the engine bay and thus more readily through the
> radiator, it will be cooler inside the car because the warm air is leaving
> the engine bay through the side wing aperture, not stagnant in the engine bay
> or passing through the trans tunnel as much, there will be slightly less
> drag, there will be slightly less lift.
>
> Regards
>
>
> Daniel
> <WP_20240919_14_57_37_Pro.jpg>
> <WP_20240919_14_58_35_Pro.jpg>
> <WP_20240920_14_46_27_Pro.jpg>
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