Radiator

[baz-r]

i would recommend to use a mercedes 190e rad from 82-93 petrol manual upto 2.3l no A/C with the core size 293x343 (45mm thick) it has 2 inline 30mm in/outlets and a drain tap. mine was reasonably cheap (about £50) you will also need 2 90deg bend hoses

its small and thick and should be big enough core wise to cool anything that will fit in the roadster and fits nicely with masses of room in the nose cone

[voucht]

Baz, +1
I bought this radiator (Mercedes 190) last week (500 SEK= 55 EUR), thanks to you I must say : I actually wrote down this tip you gave already last year on this forum, to remember it when the time to buy the radiator will come . So first, thank you for that.
Mine also have an internal water-oil heat exchanger (2 x M16x1.50 connexions). Does yours have one too? I don't know if it is originally designed for gear box oil or engine oil?
The size is perfect for the Roadster, and thanks to its thickness, it can cope with 2.0's (it did anyway with the Mercedes)!

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[baz-r]

Originally Posted by voucht

Baz, +1
I bought this radiator (Mercedes 190) last week (500 SEK= 55 EUR), thanks to you I must say : I actually wrote down this tip you gave already last year on this forum, to remember it when the time to buy the radiator will come . So first, thank you for that.
Mine also have an internal water-oil heat exchanger (2 x M16x1.50 connexions). Does yours have one too? I don't know if it is originally designed for gear box oil or engine oil?
The size is perfect for the Roadster, and thanks to its thickness, it can cope with 2.0's (it did anyway with the Mercedes)!

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looks to me like you have a automatic rad my one is a manual one its the same size and shape with no ATF cooling loop. 1 supplier where listing one part no. for both gearboxes? but i found the manual only ones a bit cheaper

just leave them or blank them off

another handy thing about the 190e rad is it can be flipped over to get the outlets on the side you want and its got handy rails on its side to mount fans to (didn't use side rails to mount rad to chassis they are crimped to the core/fins)
mine has the inlet on the top left and outlet on bottom right (sat in car) i used 2 flat plates off the bottom rail with holes in for the pegs and 2 L brackets of top rail and put a push fan on the front

[Dualist]

Good call on the Merc rad, looks far better than the polo option which I fear won't cool enough for my needs.

[spud69]

Originally Posted by Dualist

Good call on the Merc rad, looks far better than the polo option which I fear won't cool enough for my needs.

The polo rad, even the thicker diesel version, does struggle a bit with more power especially blasting round the track. Will probably upgrade mine for next year.

Andy

[voucht]

Sorry to high-jack the thread guys... it was not the main topic

Baz, thank you for the tips for mounting the radiator, it is something like that I was planning for. Do you have any pictures of your mounted radiator please?
Another thing Baz, I would not put a blower fan in front of the radiator when I have enough clearance for installing it behind (in that case a puller).
Front mounted blower fans are far less efficient than back mounted puller fans, as they block a big part of the air flow.
This is the "rule" we try to apply and advice we give to our customers in my work: put a front mounted blower fan only when you don't have enough clearance for mounting a back mounted puller fan.
I think it is too late, as you already have installed your fan , but it might be useful for others

[Oscar]

Hmmm...

Will definatly start looking at these merc rads, sounds like a viable/solid option.

I agree with Vought, I prefer a fan in the pulling position, mainly because it looks better from the outside

[Wynand]

Originally Posted by voucht

This is the "rule" we try to apply and advice we give to our customers in my work: put a front mounted blower fan only when you don't have enough clearance for mounting a back mounted puller fan.

I bought one of those common universal radiator fans (14') similar to the picture attached and now the question is whether it is a blower or a puller.... I plan to use it as a puller though.

How would one differentiate between a puller or blower fan if its not stated on the fan or packaging?

[alga]

Try to inspect the blade profile. It could be either a bit teardrop shaped or symmetric. Also, why not try to run it forwards and backwards and check the noise and air stream strength?

[voucht]

If the blade is symmetrical, it can be either/or, just inverting the polarity will make it a blower or a puller.
if the blade is snot symmetrical, obviously the black cable is the negative pole, no? (so the blue is the positive). So if you plug it this way to a car battery:
- if the the fan vacuums the air from the curved face and blows it through the flat face, it is a blower,
- it if vacuums the air from the flat face and blows it to through the curved face, it is a puller.