S4 Cliveyboy radiator position? Photo required

[terryp]

Hello
I am about to fit my super radiator / fans and becasue I had to do some fibreglass work to the inner wings I have no existing holes or way of determining where it should be
Can anyone give me a photo looking down onto the radiator to show what clearance to the engine should be obtained and also what height it should be at.

Thanks a lot

Terry

[lotusfan]

Terry

On my Sprint the radiator core is about 3 inches away from the timing chest on the front of the engine. I have a Lotus chasis, not sure if you have a Spyder chassis but if you look down the radiator core face nearest the engine is roughly in line vertically with the front of the vacuum tank.

In terms of position vertically the top of the top tank is roughly at the same level as the tips of the bonnet hinge 'horns'.

No photos but I hope that helps.

[terryp]

Thanks Mike, I've give it a go in that position

Cheers
Terry

[billwill]

There are plenty of engine bay pictures on the forum showing standard radiators, is the Cliveboy one much different?

[terryp]

Bill
I think its the same radiator as an S3 (or an early +2) but with twin fans on the engine side so its all a bit tight.
I had the radiator in temporarily but I was concerned that the water pump pully actually goes in between the two fans .... with about 20mm clearance but I suppose this is OK.
I'm only taking about the difference of 10mm here and there and its difficult to see that in generic pictures
Cheers
Terry

[billwill]

I guess the pump drive-belt will be the main problem.

If the old rad cap has been removed (assuming you have a cliveboy thermostat housing) that will probably let you mount the rad a bit further forward. The limiting factor will be when the top of the rad touches the bonnet.

My S3 rad is held by rather flimsy L brackets. You can just see them on the left of this picture.



They look as if they could be rotated 180 degrees to move the rad forward or better still perhaps you can make L brackets where the bolt into the body is through a long slot so that you can adjust the forward position of the rad to optimum.

[terryp]

Thanks Bill, I think I was also tryting to get Clive's brackets to link with the bonnet / body supports from the chassis mount

Try again this week!

Cheers

Terry

[RichardHawkins]

Terry,

I have the same problem, my car has been repaired and painted but the holes for the radiator bracket have been filled and re-drilled in a different position. I am trying to fit the radiator at the moment. From looking at other cars I think the radiator should be installed vertically, as most cars seem to have their radiators about vertical. As mentioned the top of the radiator mounting flange seems to align with the the bonnet hinge horns. For vertical position I have left a 5mm gap between the radiator cap and the bonnet. I don't have the engine in the car so am able to do this work from the engine bay. My concern is that I might fit the radiator too close to the engine.

Regards

Richard Hawkins

[billwill]

Thanks Bill, I think I was also tryting to get Clive's brackets to link with the bonnet / body supports from the chassis mount

Try again this week!

Cheers

Terry

I have not double checked, but I think the L-brackets fasten into bobbins which are glassed into the body.


<later>
On second thoughts, I think they are merely bolted on through holes in the inner wheel arch, with the bolt head and a large washer on the wheel side.