PeterAllen Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 On my LS1 build I've decided to relocate the radiator from the engine bay (see photo) to forward of the radiator surround - it was becoming too crowded in the bay. I need to mount the radiator about 120mm forward of the surround for hose clearance. etc. (above the stringline in the photo). Before fabricating mount/s I wonder if anyone has photos of how the mountings work on a intercooler or radiator which has been mounted forward of the surround. Thanks Quote
Scoota G Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 That cap is going to be an issue. Perhaps a remote top up bottle will be required? Quote
Riceburner Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 Bonnet height may be an issue, but also that the bonnet opens down and foward into that area :-\ If its going on a stock front end it's going to be very exsposed Quote
Mr Camouflage Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 Not unless you have zg hinges. Standard hinges lift the bonnet up and out to clear the bumper over riders. Is this car getting the zg treatment? Quote
nizm0zed Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 My intercooler has mounting points on the top and bottom of the core, to allow for bolts to screw into them. I made up some small (about 1" long?) tabs that secure from the top of the core backwards and are then bolted to the underside of the radiator support panel. I got the idea after looking at Scott's (Sco_Aus) setup. Looking at your pictures, with a bit of minor fabrication, which i can assume is no problem for you, i personally would mount the bottom of the radiator to the bottom chassis point, using a pin and donut style mounting point. that way the radiator would sit down and into it, with the majority of its weight supported there, yet not hard mounted. If you look at many OEM modern cars, they do the same with their radiators. (mitsubishi magna as an example that springs to mind) From there, you could either attach the top points at the top sides of the radiator backwards and into the factory mount points, or to the underside of the radiator support panel. Dodgy ms paint picture attached for clarity... The grey bit on the side is meant to be a side on representation of the radiator, the red parts are mounting points. Quote
620Z Posted July 18, 2012 Posted July 18, 2012 If you are running out of room then it would seem to me you haven't moved your engine back far enough. I have a chev in my car and have heaps of room. Even enough to put an oil can if I was to go with a dry sump. Unless your engine is back as far it will go your handling will always be terrible. Take it from someone who has had both. The last thing you want to do is all this work and then realise it hadles like crap andthen spend$3,000- moving the engine later on. Just a thought. Quote
RB30X Posted July 19, 2012 Posted July 19, 2012 Why is it getting crowded in there Pete? Bonnet clearance, less protected from elements, radiator piping......... all for what? Leave it how you had it and keep moving fowards, not sideways or you'll never get that bloody thing finished. Quote
Retro Z Posted July 19, 2012 Posted July 19, 2012 Here's some pics of how i mounted my intercooler that may give you some ideas for your radiator. I just used some flat aluminium strips and bent them to the shape i needed and mounted as seen in the pics. You could weld aluminium brackets on if there are no mounting points on your radiator. Quote
PeterAllen Posted July 19, 2012 Author Posted July 19, 2012 Many thanks to those who have replied That cap is going to be an issue. Perhaps a remote top up bottle will be required? You're right, and I will sadly have to relocate it and spoil the beautiful PWR welding. Bonnet height may be an issue, ... It's a GTO and it's all covered by the front bodywork (see photo) My intercooler has mounting points on the top and bottom of the core, to allow for bolts to screw into them. ... I'm worried that a full radiator weights considerably more than an intercooler but the mounting principles are the same - thanks Alan. If you are running out of room then it would seem to me you haven't moved your engine back far enough. ... IIRC your Chev is n/a but the LS1 is efi with the throttle body forward of the manifold. In addition I have an extra thick radiator with twin rear fans and a heat exchanger on the front for the a/c. Plus I had mounted it a further 90mm towards the engine to allow for an OTR cold air intake. By the time all that was done the radiator hoses were operating is a very restricted area. Why is it getting crowded in there Pete?...Leave it how you had it and keep moving fowards, not sideways or you'll never get that bloody thing finished. See comment above. Tim, this is a hobby for me, sure I get frustrated at the slowness (coming up to 7 years) but I love playing around with it and solving design issues. I've come across so many blokes who have a finished project just sitting unused in the garage, why I've even heard of a chap in Qld who is selling his LS1/S30 because he doesn't use it enough - you may know him! Here's some pics of how I mounted my intercooler that may give you some ideas for your radiator. I just used some flat aluminium strips and bent them to the shape i needed and mounted as seen in the pics. You could weld aluminium brackets on if there are no mounting points on your radiator. ... Excellent - As mentioned before I think I'll have to fabricate slightly more robust brackets for the weight of the full radiator but the mounting principles will be the same. Quote
handsandwhich Posted July 19, 2012 Posted July 19, 2012 Here's mine. Basicly just a rectangle piece of 6mm plate welded to the front rail to lift the cooler level with the height of the top panel. Then a hole drilled in it to match the mounting lugs on the cooler. Quote
PeterAllen Posted July 27, 2012 Author Posted July 27, 2012 Here's mine. Basicly just a rectangle piece of 6mm plate welded to the front rail to lift the cooler level with the height of the top panel. Then a hole drilled in it to match the mounting lugs on the cooler. Handsandwich - Sorry I didn't respond at the time but thanks for taking the time and effort to post the photos. Mounting the radiator forward of the surround has turned out to be more problematic than the situation I had previous. I'm working on Plan 'C'. Quote
dat2kman Posted July 27, 2012 Posted July 27, 2012 Consider water to air intercooler, more efficient, and can be positioned anywhere, requires an old heater core, or trans cooler, a small 2 speed circulationg pump, a small fill bottle with very lw pressure cap. Set up pump switching off the ecu, in two stages, low circulating, to stop heat soak, and high circulating flow when you are on higher sustained temps or boist levels. That way the stock location for the apWR stays, and out frint you run the small trans/heater core cooler, as well as an oil cooler. The air/water units are not overly large, square in shape, could be placed on non busy side of engine bay, it will need a air bleed cap if mounted high. I am/was planning to run one in the SR20DET engined Datsun Roadster, there is NO room out front for a FMIC but room on side fro a AWIC Even the water rad will be small, ie 550 mm x 400mm in 3 core from Desert Cooler ( sorry would not touch PWR) Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.