Re: FOT Project Pulley

["BOB KRAMER" <rkramer3@austin.rr.com>]

I've never had anything but a stock radiator, and I wouldn't trust them at 
higher pressures. I have been running pretty standard stuff, Hepolite 
pistons, and have not had any #4 problems. I have always run the heater pipe 
around to the back of the head per Ken Gilanders advice. I did get a little 
water in the overflow bottle after each race. Larry has a big aluminum 
radiator and he was experiencing water in the oil. No doubt that better 
sealing of the figure 8's and head gasket oil interfaces would be in order, 
but a simple reduction in water pressure reduced the risk of sending water 
into the oil. At least I think that worked for Larry, but I'd better let him 
answer himself. Larry is bumping up his engine program, and I think he had 
forged pistons last time around. I don't know if he has torn that engine 
down to see if he has anything to worry about. In the meantime, I listening 
and learning as I will be going for more HP soon.
Bob Kramer
rkramer3@austin.rr.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Henry Frye" <henry@henryfrye.com>
To: "Larry Young" <cartravel@pobox.com>; "FOT" <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 9:10 PM
Subject: Re: FOT Project Pulley


> At 09:01 AM 03/26/2005 -0600, Larry Young wrote:
> > However, I've seen problems which I suspected were due to too much block 
> > pressure.
> You got my interest. What kinds of problems?
>
> > I'm hard headed, so it took a while for Kramer to convince me not to run 
> > more than a 7 psi cap.
> Inquiring minds want to know... Why Bob?
>
> > With separate liners that protrude above the block deck, our engines have 
> > many places to develop leaks at high pressure.
> The wet liner engine is far from rocket science. Getting the figure 8 
> gaskets and liner protrusion right is the only tricky part.
>
> > A better solution is to install a higher capacity radiator.
> I did that too. A bigger radiator makes a big difference. On a TR4 it is 
> pretty cheap and easy.
>
> But without addressing the lousy coolant circulation you are still going 
> get localized overheating. Combine that with really low block pressure and 
> you get the classic #4 overheat.