Small radiator

[Steve Taylor]

Is it practical to fit a smaller rad? I noticed the V8 Choppers run a small one which looks much better.

[KrautV8]

Steve, if your Kannon is a single speed, then a smaller radiator will give you most likely thermal problems, especially at steady, high RPM's in summer...let's say on the Autobahn. Before my 07 SS bike I owned a 99 Boss Hoss single speed and installed a BIGGER radiator off of (spelling?) a 2000 Boss Hoss 502...and geared the bike for lower RPMs until my high speed problems were solved. I would not suggest to install a smaller radiator just for the looks even thought I too hate that big ugly thing...kinda makes the bike look like a rolling refrigerator, but I think you will run into problems with a smaller one here in Europe.

Loaf

[AR]

Yep agree Olaf..a rolling refridgerator from the front view thats why you always see bad-ass backend pictures. However a couple of aftermarket rad cowls are around that to some degree change the boxiness into a cool feature. Particularly the 'Boss Hoss Concepts' version...thats where my next free 300 or so is going. The guys that built the Viper bikes also had a nice solution but they had their radiators special built i think.

http://www.bosshossconcepts.com/radiator_shroud.htm

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-JgheMy ... iper_bike/

AR.

[Elvis]

I look at Elvis radiator and it looks good and he has big horsepower and single speed trans. How does it work for you Elvis?

Elvis' 2000 American King V Wild One

So far no problem with cooling the 436" AFR Donovan, getting to Dyersburg is 9 hrs at 70 mph turning 3500 rpm's, (3.97 final drive) fully loaded, no boil overs when stopping for fuel. And I only have room for the 1200 cfm fan motor.

[hogv8]

I see NASCAR is experimenting with new radiator technology . The radiator looks smaller but thicker . I think what these bikes need is a belt driven fan and water pump behind the radiator that runs all the time . Seems like it would be less troublesome than the electric fan and water pump and would run cooler with a smaller radiator . The biggest problem with this is space .

Jack

[Els]

I see NASCAR is experimenting with new radiator technology . The radiator looks smaller but thicker . I think what these bikes need is a belt driven fan and water pump behind the radiator that runs all the time . Seems like it would be less troublesome than the electric fan and water pump and would run cooler with a smaller radiator . The biggest problem with this is space .

Jack

I was going to see if there was SOMETHING I could just read and not add my 2 cents to but...it didn't work here. I've done quite a bit of playing and observing with cooling and have a few comments.

Much seems to center around what bike and where you live. Through the years we almost never heard of small block heating issues but they seemed commonplace with the 502's. Where I used to live in SW Florida, it was regularly an issue. At the suggestion of Guru Weber, I changed fittings and plumbing to enable better flow/volume. At the radiator, at the manifold, at the pump. It did in fact make a difference. I also had Soldana, who at the time was making a new radiator for the BH, make me a new radiator that was a bit smaller but also more efficient. I forget all the technical, "single pass, double pass" stuff but it was a design they suggested would be more efficient.

With all this being done, it seemed the BH and V8 bike community used to always use the 180 degree mark as the benchmark for "normal". To this day, I don't understand this as 180 doesn't mean anything with respect to overheating. Perhaps it's just about rider comfort which can be a real issue bike or trike. My hotrod truck with an LS2 blower motor has a "normal" operating temp of 210 degrees.

When you look at data supporting optimum hp figures they're seldom if ever at the best below 180 degrees. I can easily tell with the butt dyno that I'm not making max hp when the gauge shows 160 degrees.

I 100% agree with Jack about water pumps and fans and the wish it was belt driven rather than electric. I've often been heard using the old "if it has tits, tires or wires, it will give you trouble" saying. One of the reasons I love my Edelbrock performance fuel pump (mechanical).

I recall from my old hotrod days in the 60's and early 70's running 351 and 390 Ford motors, they seemed to always be heat prone and I'd be real careful going smaller unless you go more efficient, make sure you have an optimum fan setup, and a good gauge. Unless rider comfort is an issue, there's nothing wrong with seeing 200 degree temps.

Els