hogv8 wrote: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