radiator on the roof

72panelvan · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:04 am Post subject: radiator on the roof

I thought I would share with you guys a brainwave I had the other day which entails mounting the radiator on a roof rack! If you boxed it in neatly in period luggage it would look pretty inconspicuous and I'd imagine pretty effective. Simply route some tubing up one of the air intakes and it would also eliminate any tubing under the van which could get caught going over something!

I was thinking it might be hard work for the water to get pumped up onto the roof but i guess it would be a natural heat cycle where the hot water/gas would rise naturally and then the cooled stuff would flow down.

Anyone seen an effective radiator on the roof?

Cheers

Tom

famous phil · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:23 am Post subject:

a few years ago the was one just like you describe , at bug jam ,
you would think that the water would flow , if the system is bled ok then it should not need to pump up , as the cooler water falls

what might be good is stainless tube roofrack , that is the cooling rad , only thing is the cost ,

_________________
Auto Union Munga Jeep ,T4 2.4td , T4 2.5tdi ,Mercedes S Class on LPG , 66 splity deluxe , GP mk1, 3 type 25s 1 with 1.9dt pug engine + 1 with N/A pug engine ,,there are 6 t25s with pug power in Darlington

jp · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:34 am Post subject:

Neat idea wouldn't want it to leak or burst though :smt088
_________________
1971 Devon Bay with 1800 Ford Turbo Diesel Engine (wip)
1983 VW Golf GTI Campaign
1979 Mini 1275 GT
2013 Scirocco TDI GT

famous phil · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:05 am Post subject:

no but think that the spray would end up on the rear window , same as when a pipe blows in engine bay , another reason for looking in rear veiw mirrow ,pluss warning lights

does the stick get any bigger at 300 posts , this is it

_________________
Auto Union Munga Jeep ,T4 2.4td , T4 2.5tdi ,Mercedes S Class on LPG , 66 splity deluxe , GP mk1, 3 type 25s 1 with 1.9dt pug engine + 1 with N/A pug engine ,,there are 6 t25s with pug power in Darlington

72panelvan · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 2:49 pm Post subject:

My dad kept on suggesting making the roofrack out of tubing to act as the radiator but I thought it was a lot of work with little control over the cooling.

famous phil · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 3:57 pm Post subject:

72panelvan · Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:06 pm Post subject:

Yeah would be doable and pretty unique!

jp · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:54 pm Post subject:

Cleverchap · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

Check out this site.
Its how I first came across water cooled motors in buses about 7 years ago Wink

http://www.blabberon.com/whati.html

The Roadcow '71 Bay has a roof mounted radiator and might be of use if you do decide to go for it

72panelvan · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:13 pm Post subject:

Thats a really informative site - if i go ahead with it I'd aim to make the rad a little more discreet!

Good to know it definetely works with the rad on the roof though.

Cheers

Tom

72panelvan · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

Just an after thought with this idea, but i remember reading somewhere that the expansion tank needs to be higher than the radiator? Is this true?

Cheers

Tom