Bug Screens - Use Them?

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by eschaider

The bugs are an irritation. The stones are a potential hole in your radiator and a tow home — with some luck no motor damage from overheating but the cost to repair / replace the radiator.

This is a piece the World of Outlaws cars use to protect their radiators from on track flying debris. It is a 7/16 honeycomb rigid nomex matrix that does not restrict the airflow to the radiator and does protect it from flying debris that can damage the core.

click here => Radiator Protector It is available in several sizes and trims easily. It also washes easily.



Ed

Great idea, but the color looks terrible. Do you think that is paint-able so you could camouflage it a little, maybe aluminum color?

[cobrakiwi]

This is what I make and like to use on our builds, Stainless mesh.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by eschaider

Phil,

Didn't mean to ignore your post — got distracted and old brain cells dedicated to memory failed me.

There is a relatively low cost fan alternative that is pretty nice. It involves using a fan out of a Lincoln Mk VIII. Early ones were supposed to be 4500 cfm and the last two years of production produced 5000 cfm versions. They can be sourced from salvage yards for ~$35.

After the fan you definitely want to use a fan controller. They are not only high flow fans they are high starting amperage draw. Cold starting the fan can surge over 70/80 amps and damage your electrical system and/or alternator. There is a company called the Hollister Road Company (<= clickable) that makes fan controllers specifically for this fan. The offer two controllers one rated at 85 A and the other rated at 125 A. The 85 will typically work fine the 125 offers a little more head room for $20 more.

Both controllers will give the fan a soft start and then seamlessly vary the fan speed up and down as engine temperature goes up and down. At highway speeds, when there is adequate air flow across the radiator to cool the engine they will shut down the fan. As engine temp goes down so does fan speed. When you shut off the car they will run the fan for approximately a minute after the engine stops.

Way cool controller and the only one like it I could find when I was hunting for mine. BTW when the MK VIII fan goes up to top speed you need to keep women, children and small dogs away from the front of the car.


Ed

Ed,
This sounds like a very cool unit. I went on the Hollister site but could not find this controller. Do you have a model #?
Dave

[1985 CCX]

Basic and simple.

[Karl Bebout]

Davids2,

OK, you made me feel guilty so I bought a can of aluminum colored Rustoleum. I laid several thin coats on and its now not the ugly original tan. Letting it thoroughly dry before reinstalling but I'm sure it'll look better and be worth the $4 paint job.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

Davids2,

OK, you made me feel guilty so I bought a can of aluminum colored Rustoleum. I laid several thin coats on and its now not the ugly original tan. Letting it thoroughly dry before reinstalling but I'm sure it'll look better and be worth the $4 paint job.

LOL, sorry about that

Do you have the exact same one (Honeycomb)? How did you attach it it to the radiator?
Dave

[Karl Bebout]

Hi Dave, yes, I got the nomex honeycomb screen from Speedway. I ran self adhesive strips of Velcro along the sides of the radiator and mating ones to match, on the screen. I did find that the adhesive didn't hold too well to the screen, but that's not an issue, until you remove the screen, like to paint it...I got into my wife's sewing kit and used needle and thread to more firmly attach the Velcro to the screen. Only stuck myself three times. I did have difficulty with the adhesive sticking to the needle, making it difficult to push through, so used some lacquer thinner to keep the needle clean. Easy-peazy BTW, the aluminum paint isn't very bright but at least its not that ugly cardboard tan. Maybe another brand would be better than the Rustoleum 2X I used?

[lippy]

I made this one with stainless mesh from Speedway and aluminum square stock from Amazon. I used a circular/mitre saw with an aluminum cutting blade to cut the aluminum. I sandwiched the mesh between the aluminum and held the aluminum together with stainless hex head fasteners, threaded into the "bottom" aluminum bar. I drilled mounting holes in the radiator guard and then fastened it directly to the frame of the car using the same fasteners.

It doesn't appear that there is any effect on the cooling capacity of the radiator, and I'm happy with the way it looks and the protection it provides.

[davids2toys]

Karl,
Sounds like a PITA. The dull paint seems like what you would want to camouflage it. If it was bright and shiny it would be calling attention to it.
I think I would use safety wire to hold it in place.

Lippy,
That is quite a beautiful job you did on that screen. Did you do this on the car after it was built or was it part of your build?

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Ed,
This sounds like a very cool unit. I went on the Hollister site but could not find this controller. Do you have a model #?
Dave

Apologies for the late response Dave. Here is a link to their stuff, => Fan Controller. This particular unit was a special unit they built for me and then productized it for general resale.

The feature set and design is very attractive. It uses a Meziere 50 or 55 gal (forgot which) per minute electric water pump and a 5000 cfm MK VIII fan. When you start the car both the water pump and the fan get a soft start so you don't overload your electrical system. There is no thermostat! In the top radiator hose there is a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the coolant leaving the engine. You set your target temperature and the system provides a closed loop control of engine temperature by seamlessly raising and lowering both the pump and fan speeds to maintain the target temperature you have selected. At highway speed the fan shuts down.

When you park the car the unit will continue to run both the fan and the water pump for a minute to a minute and a half slowly but uniformly cooling the engine down. It is a very nice package both in terms of cooling capacity and also in terms of nice touches like the short run on period after you shut off the engine.

Ask for Dave at Hollister Road Co. He is super easy to communicate with and helpful beyond your expectations. The phone number is 713-937-0387.

Almost forgot, when you remove the thermostat and the obstruction it represented in terms of coolant flow it is stunning how much more heat energy your cooling system can sink away.


Ed

p.s. The 85A fan only controller is listed as out of stock but I believe the 125A is still available. Dave should be able to give you an availability on the fan only controller if that is the route you choose to go.

[lippy]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Karl,
Lippy,
That is quite a beautiful job you did on that screen. Did you do this on the car after it was built or was it part of your build?

Thanks for the kind words. I did it after the car was finished. Started thinking about a rock flying into the radiator and decided to make the guard. It was really pretty easy.

[davids2toys]

Originally Posted by eschaider

Apologies for the late response Dave. Here is a link to their stuff, => Fan Controller. This particular unit was a special unit they built for me and then productized it for general resale.

The feature set and design is very attractive. It uses a Meziere 50 or 55 gal (forgot which) per minute electric water pump and a 5000 cfm MK VIII fan. When you start the car both the water pump and the fan get a soft start so you don't overload your electrical system. There is no thermostat! In the top radiator hose there is a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the coolant leaving the engine. You set your target temperature and the system provides a closed loop control of engine temperature by seamlessly raising and lowering both the pump and fan speeds to maintain the target temperature you have selected. At highway speed the fan shuts down.

When you park the car the unit will continue to run both the fan and the water pump for a minute to a minute and a half slowly but uniformly cooling the engine down. It is a very nice package both in terms of cooling capacity and also in terms of nice touches like the short run on period after you shut off the engine.

Ask for Dave at Hollister Road Co. He is super easy to communicate with and helpful beyond your expectations. The phone number is 713-937-0387.

Almost forgot, when you remove the thermostat and the obstruction it represented in terms of coolant flow it is stunning how much more heat energy your cooling system can sink away.


Ed

p.s. The 85A fan only controller is listed as out of stock but I believe the 125A is still available. Dave should be able to give you an availability on the fan only controller if that is the route you choose to go.

Great post, good info Ed, thanks
Where in the world did you mount that thing?

I have had no problem with my fan and I am staying with a traditional water pump. My fan also stays on for a good 3-5 minutes after I shut the car off. My the fan is on a relay and I thought that solved the problem of starting up big load?
Is the fan only much cheaper
I will probably keep it simple and not do this mod ....for the moment anyway!
I think I will call him per your suggestion and get his input

Dave

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by davids2toys

Great post, good info Ed, thanks
Where in the world did you mount that thing?

I have had no problem with my fan and I am staying with a traditional water pump. My fan also stays on for a good 3-5 minutes after I shut the car off. My the fan is on a relay and I thought that solved the problem of starting up big load?
Is the fan only much cheaper
I will probably keep it simple and not do this mod ....for the moment anyway!
I think I will call him per your suggestion and get his input

Dave

I haven't mounted it yet Dave. It just arrived last week and the new engine build will be this coming month. I am currently thinking about somewhere on the driverside inner fender although I would prefer getting it out of the engine compartment, ideally somewhere under the dash.

The fan run on at shut off is nice the fan and pump run on is nicer. The fan only units are about $100 or so less expensive IIRC.


Ed

[davids2toys]

I agree, the water run on sounds great, I am just not a fan of electric water pumps for street use.
Not knowing the size of the unit, how about mounting it with Velcro or to sided tape to the MSD box underneath the dash

[eschaider]

That may be a good alternative, Dave. They are about the same size, although the MSD is heavier.


Ed

[Morris]

Here's how we mounted the Radiator .... It has to be sealed around the edges.... You want the air to pack into the radiator and not go around it.... especially on those hot days in the summer.



That is Hi-Temp Silicone that has glue on the back side.



You can see how we sealed it down the inside of the radiator. That's Hi- Temp 1/4" hose that we use around the edge of the metal




And how we sealed it on the outside of the radiator




And the Top..... this is a must if you put a car on the track.

You only want the air going thru the Radiator and not out the sides. except we feed air from the opening on the side panel to the foot box... for driver comfort. car runs nice and kool.

[Morris]

After we did that ..... when we went to a bigger oil cooler to cool the motor it had no affect on the temp of the water because we had done a good job sealing up the radiator and making the air coming thru the oil cooler no where to go except thru the radiator.






Here you can see how the front opening is sealed up even with the big oil cooler.




That is one Bad looking Cobra..... wither you like tradition or not .... don't mess with KMP259 on the Track. It is very fast.

[Karl Bebout]

'Way too pretty to beat the crap out of it on the track, but Morris, your car, your wallet, your good times. U done Gud!

[Morris]

Originally Posted by Karl Bebout

'Way too pretty to beat the crap out of it on the track, but Morris, your car, your wallet, your good times. U done Gud!

Karl

Thanks ....it is a labor of love for all of us.....and a to each their own.....I'm just lucky to have been the builder of KMP259 and the custodian and care taker.

[lippy]

Very cool car. More photos?