Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I know the S4/ Sprint Elan radiator is a 'modified' Triumph Standpart unit. Has anybody actually modified a Triumph unit themselves and if so how easy is it to do?

My local Triumph part shop has some very nice high effeciency units for sale and I am quite keen to fit one in my Elan to get the running temperature down..

Carl

The top pipe on a Triumph rad points the wrong way - needs unsoldering,
shortening, and soldering back in facing towards nearside. I have just fitted a 'wide' ex spitfire rad to my +2, and thats solved the 'hot' problem.
Rgds john

Thanks John,
Is there an 'easy' way to do this without heating up the whole radiator and ending up with either the whole unit falling apart or holes everywhere where e bits of solder have melted?


Carl

I had an overheating problem on my +2 with the original narrow Spifire radiator (two rows of holes at 13mm spacing).

I had the rad recored by a local specialist for ?120, and it now has 3 rows of holes with 10mm spacing. My 120 hp twinc is now running at 85 degrees max.

There are no problems with fitting, the rad has the same outside dimensions as the old one, with the same header and base tank of course.

Its a possible way forward for those narrow rads with the side pieces.

Dave Chapman.

Carl
I am currently in the process of getting a new radiator for my Sprint.
The radiator specialist gave me the following options:-
1)Recore the existing radiator with more cooling tubes (like Dave has just done).
2)Install a larger radiator that fits the width of the car eliminating the blanking plates (which do nothing). He quoted ?200+ for this option.
3) Fit a large aluminium radiator. Cheapest quote so far ?285 (most were ?350-450)

Another option is to find one from a modern car that fits. These can be quite cheap and very efficient. Only problem being modern car radiators do not have filler caps on them so you would need to fit one of the thermostat housings that has the cap.

Clive

Clive,
There is somebody on ebay who keeps advertising aluminum radiators for the Elan for around ?300... Just don't know about commercial business who sell on ebay??

Hi, re wide rads (see my post above) all they did was to heat up the outlet pipe til the solder around it melted & then remove it. Shorten it. turn around, refit and re solder around. Rad pressure is only up to max 15psi (depending on yr cap fitted). So no drama with pressure testing after.....
Re ally rads - cud try Howard Emes in Kent, he has these made for Elans & +2's. Email: [email protected]. Can supply with/without
new hokeycokey slimline electric fan unit. Rgds john
PS. This is not the ebay advertiser !

Hi Guys,
When I owned a triumph spitfire similar questions were asked on the news group I used to subscribe to.
As far as a swap with a modern rad from a modern car, I recall that the VW Golf (rabbit) was a popular doner.
Can't remember which one though
Cheers
#Tim

TRGB near me (in Cambridgeshire) do an extra wide radiator for the Spitfire for around ?120 (inc). It sounds like it worth looking at this and finding someone to modify it for me...

Anybody else interested in one?

Yes, interested.

Suffolk.

Regards,

Stuart

I have just been quoted ?70 + VAT to rebuild my existing rad with a triple row core from a local company in Cambridge. This means I could keep my existing cooling fan setup.
So now I am spoilt for choice....
(They would also modify the Triumph unit for me if i wanted - turnaround is quated as 24hours for either)

I'd like that company's contact details, please.

Perhaps I can find out a little more on what a triple core upgrade can be expected to achieve, and how it might benefit my setup.

Regards.

My Sprint is running a standard two core radiator and on motorway runs gets too hot. The standard diagnosis for that syptom is a blocked radiator.
But as my engine and radiator are both in excellent condition it must be the feeble two cores that are not up to the job.
There are guys running standard size rads like mine that have no problems so I guess they have three cores.
The specialist did say he might be able to get a four core into the radiator but stated that with four cores they can be too close together and so the middle two cores do not work efficiently.

Just out of interest remember the Elan that did the dakar rally.
That had its standard wide Triumph radiator but had extra cores put in.
It never overheated in the desert.
That is whats swaying me towards a bigger radiator. although admittedly deserts are quite rare in the Thames valley and over cooling can also be a factor.

Clive

Clive,
I don't think you have to worry about over cooling. The thermostat controls the temp. It'll just stay closed longer.

Greg Z
'72 Sprint

While we are on the subject,i'm running an 82 stat but would like to run cooler,has anyone any thoughts on the matter?
Where can i get a suitable thermostat?(72)
Thanks
John