Radiator flow direction
I own a Lola T324 and recently, was lucky, to find an original Lola T324,328,360 brass front radiator. Great, but on the bottom of the radiator, it has an arrow, which I assume is flow direction. Is that something important or can I use in a reverse to that arrow? I know this is an odd question, because most radiators are bi-directional (able to flow either way) and this arrow has me concerned..... thanks.
Where are the ports? The inlet (hot side) would normally be higher than the outlet.
Correct the water outlet from the engine goes to the inlet (top of rad) and the bottom fitting on the rad is to the water pump inlet.Originally Posted by Joules5
This is important.
Thanks ... Jay Novak
313-445-4047
On my 54th year as an SCCA member
with a special thanks to every SCCA worker (NONE OF US WOULD RACE WITHOUT THE WORKERS)
We're all plumbed that way, but curious why?
If water system is fully bled of all air, why does it matter which way water flows thru rad?
thx
Lola radiator ports
The ports are both on the bottom of the radiator. It is my understanding that this is a multi-use radiator, oil or water. So, still the only fact is that there is an arrow on the brass id plate but other than that, would love to use it in the opposite direction.... Advise?
Pictures
I always thought it was due to convection. Warm water rises and cool water drops. Why have the water pump fight that natural tendency when you can have the hot side enter at the top and drop as it cools?
Standard Disclaimer - I am not an engineer
Eric Little
And back to the question of this radiator which may or may not have a directional marking on it. If I am correct about convection and therefore flow direction, can you look inside the fittings to each end tank to see what the configuration of the tubes across the radiator look like? I am thinking that each end cap could just have open tubes across so that the configuration would look like E3. Or, they could look like SS. I hope that makes sense. If it is the first, then it would appear water goes in one end, makes a single pass to the other end and exits. In that configuration, I would think direction does not matter. If it is the second configuration, where the water makes multiple passes back and forth (which makes way more sense to me for cooling), then I would imagine that direction is there such that the water will enter on the first pass at the top and exit the last pass at the bottom.
Standard dis.... oh nevermind
Eric Little
Last edited by Eric Little; 08.31.17 at 11:38 AM. Reason: Adding picture because a picture is worth a sufficient number of words as to make the words needless.
Good point
Well, maybe I need to clarify again, I am going to use this for an oil application. I will get my flashlight out and peer in the ports and see if I can see the tube situation. Thanks everyone....
tubes open on both ends
It seems to have the config of the top picture, so, my feelings are it does not matter. Thoughts?
I'm betting this is a single pass radiator/cooler with all tubes open each side. The photo appears to show a bleed port on the left side, in theory this should be on the inlet side, not the suction. Assume you are mounting it horizontal with ports at the bottom?
How are you moving oil through it, port from a multi stage pump, independent pressure or suction pumping?
Now that you clarify that oil is your intent, I'm curious if that rad is appropriate. Seems much larger than usual oil radiators, and (while harder to tell for sure) it seems the passages are small (i.e. high delta P losses).
Getting back to original
I bought the car from a hill climb guy, converted back to road course car at much cost...it had a (not original oil radiator) plug in the front of the car due to crash that destroyed the original, and worked fine in cool weather. This is a air cooled application and oil temp is an issue. Anyway, went to Road America in the spring, no problem, went to Indy in June, high heat 95 degrees, and I could not hold oil pressure due to high engine heat... so, I found, and again lucky to get another piece of the original puzzle, an original Lola T324, 328, 360 radiator. I am familiar to this car from racing the '76 Super Vee series, but the guy I bought the car from switch the input sides of the system, and I need to run in reverse...saves me some ugly tubing to corrections....
Oil pump
Yes, I forgot to mention, I move the oil thru a modern 2 stage pump, it is wonderful, and in fact, being an air cooled, 2.5 ltr motor in a 900 lb car, keeping the oil happy is a big issue to run a 20 mile SVRA race in the heat....
Picture
ah, a fuller story emerges :-)
yes, that "air cooled" engine is HIGHLY reliant on the cooling effects of the oil as well
Again, thanks.
Funny, but thanks for your input.....
Reverse
I am going to run it in reverse.... again, everyone, thanks for your much appreciated advise.
These engines while being called air cooled are actually oil cooled. I am the culprit that sold John the oil cooler.
Became surplus long time ago when previous owner converted the car to rear mounted oil coolers.
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