triumphs
[Top] [All Lists]

Coolant flow restriction explained !

To: "Triumphs (E-mail)" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Coolant flow restriction explained !
From: Randall Young <ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1999 13:34:56 -0700
Organization: Navcom Technology, Inc
Listers :

For many years, I've been hearing the story that "you have to have a 
thermostat, or a restrictor, because otherwise the water flows through the 
radiator too fast and doesn't get cooled".

For just as many years, it hasn't made sense to me.  The faster the coolant 
circulates, the closer it keeps the radiator fin temperature to the engine 
temperature, which lets the radiator radiate more heat.

At last, I've found an explanation that makes sense !  Check out
http://www.stewartcomponents.com/techtip3.htm, especially the paragraph 
that starts "Years ago".  It basically says the problem is that the extra 
flow through the radiator increases the pressure at the top of the 
radiator, which causes the (low pressure for our LBCs) radiator cap to blow 
coolant out the overflow, just like it was overheated !

Randall
59 TR3A "daily driver wanna be"

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>