Radiator inlet outlet placement

[DaveW]

Guys,

Is there any rules around inlet and outlet placement.
Ideally i'd like to place them both down at the base, with just a breather / air bleeder tube at the top leading to a remote fill point.

I've only seen opposed radiators, ie top on one side and bottom on the other.
any thoughts on this ?

Cheers

Dave

[Philm]

Sounds like a nice idea.

I am pretty sure you will need the opposing end thing.

You can have the inlet connect at the bottom and run a tube inside the radiator tank like a snorkel.

Phil

[DaveW]

Thanks Philm,
I should have explained, on the CR, the tanks are verticle on each side, so the coolant flows from one side to the other, not up / down, so i cant see any reason that it cant enter and fill from the bottom left flow to the right and exit at the bottom right.

Dave

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by DaveW

Thanks Philm,
I should have explained, on the CR, the tanks are verticle on each side, so the coolant flows from one side to the other, not up / down, so i cant see any reason that it cant enter and fill from the bottom left flow to the right and exit at the bottom right.

Dave

Other than the fact that there will be a massive air bubble in the top.....

[Modena]

I think it would have something to do with evening-out the flow. If the radiator inlet is at the bottom, and the outlet at the bottom of the other side, surely more hot water would flow along the bottom 1/3 or so of the radiator, and thus be less efficient?

Ben

[Rob. Smith]

yeah I think it originated with thought to temperature and heat rising etc...but with a decent flow and totally air bled I don't think it would matter that much...the only other reason I can think of is the outlet from the engine is at the top and the inlet is at the bottom...it's cheaper for the factory to use shorter hoses !

[Merv and Sharon]

Like air, I also thought that hot water rises and thus the flow pattern of the conventional radiator. However, with oil coolers the inlet and outlet seem to both be at the top?

[Tenrocca]

I'm with ben, I reckon you would get water stagnating in the top half if the rad, with mist flow running through the bottom. I have a dual pass rad with inlet and outlet both on drivers side. The tank on that side is separated by a baffle.

[DaveW]

Tow,
Why would air be trapped in the top, no different to other radiators with either a fill point or breather tube at the top. just inlet and outlet from engine on the bottom.

Good thought Merv, oil coolers are all on same plane.

I dont see why a current of water would be restricted to running just along the bottom, the volume of water is too great to just travel accross a few tiny capileries.
It would be the same with a convential radiator, doesnt just pour in on the left side, down to the bottom on the left side along the bottom tank and out the right.

I know that radiators run under pressure, not vacuum, and pressure would be a constant, so there fore flow would be equal through all the radiator tubes....i think.

still open to ideas.

[Rog246]

Gemtlemen think Cross Flow Radiators Which is what most oil coolers are and it will work . Yes you would need a bleed point, but it can be accommodated.

Rog

[Aussie Mike]

I've got both inlet and outlet on the same side and this works very well. There is a divider in the tank on the connection side that forces the coolant to go across the radiator and then back again (dual pass).

I reckon it makes for a much neater hose arrangement.

[Rob. Smith]

Oil doesn't boil and create steam and air; the system is a totally filled one ( if there were air pockets there would be hell to pay).... if the water system is totally sealed and bled there should be no problem...as for flow, the radiator should be 'baffled' to make ALL the water to flow through ALL the radiator. Not too much of a mod....it can be done

[AC-460]

You have to be carefull with double pass radiators ...the water moves twice the speed through half the radiator which doesnt give it time to cool ....even though its going through the radiator twice the speed reduces the cooling process. A single pass radiator works better in extreme conditions.
I think you may have missed phils point a the top both hoses could go in at the bottom as long as one pipe travelled to the top on the inside of the tank the water pressure would soon force the air out. However in a cobra the outlet is on the top of the engine I don't know why youd want to run it to the bottom anyway

[Philm]

Thanks AC 460, exactly what I ment.

Phil

[DaveW]

AC,
Just looking to make any maintenance in the future as easy as possible, easy to get too from below, also, neatens up the top of the bay, still with a breather tube back to the fill tank and presure cap for air bleed.
basically thinking straight out of the LS outlet, left hand turn after passing through the suspension cross brace, follow the brace angle down to the chassis, right hand turn then straight in to the radiator....pics would be better than words.

That being said, Mikes pic looks neat and clean.

I did understand Phils idea, its a great idea, and easy to do inside the tank, its a serious consideration for me, baffled correctly, i could have both on the same side and down lower.

[AC-460]

That looks good Dave ....If it where me Id lean toward the keep it simple principle and go for the single pass method

[Philm]

Love it Dave.

[DaveW]

Like this, with just a 1 cross flow, in one side out the other,

[Tenrocca]

I see now - great idea. I find my top hose a PITA to get too (although I do have a slanted rad)

[gjkrv8]

Dave, I like your idea, I have the crazy crossed over hoses in my Cobra and dont like it. I think I will get some bent pipe one day to neaten it up. Another job for the Cobra which is never finished :-)