Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 14-Apr-2003, 01:09pm
Hi Huw,
The standard radiator for the spitfire MKIV and 1500 was always marginal at best. One solution is to fit a Herald full width radiator in its place, or if you prefer the original look get the standard radiator recored to four core (usually three).
As for the gauge, they are not exactly what you'd call accurate at the best of times either but half way should be safe, 3/4 is a little concerning but if it hass been up to RED before then you are probably okay.
By the way, when you flushed the rad - did you do it in the reverse direction? That's the only way to really shift the filth.
NiG
http://www.niginthecar.net
The standard radiator for the spitfire MKIV and 1500 was always marginal at best. One solution is to fit a Herald full width radiator in its place, or if you prefer the original look get the standard radiator recored to four core (usually three).
As for the gauge, they are not exactly what you'd call accurate at the best of times either but half way should be safe, 3/4 is a little concerning but if it hass been up to RED before then you are probably okay.
By the way, when you flushed the rad - did you do it in the reverse direction? That's the only way to really shift the filth.
NiG
http://www.niginthecar.net
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Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Jim Stanhope, 14-Apr-2003, 04:36pm
My spit allways sits about 3mm from the red and has never given any problems, even on long runs.-
Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Chris Wilson, 14-Apr-2003, 07:57pm
Hmmm! Little story! I have always believed that anywhere between half way and three quarters is ok (no wisecracks please!
)
I now have a kenlowe fan installed and combined with the mechanical fan, I was lucky if the temp needle got as far as half way! Anyway, I heard also that by removing the mechanical fan I would achieve a bit of extra oomph so thats what I did. With a few adjustments to the thermostat knob (normal!) I now run the car with a temp reading of just over halfway and no apparent problems! One word of warning though - if the kenlowe fan stops working it dont arf screw you up when driving down a country road! Culprit was a blown 30 amp fuse where I had wired the fan into and the fuse blew due to a totally different problem not related to the fan! After replacing most of the lost fluid in the rad I managed to jury rig the fan direct to the battery to get me home! That was an experience I'll never forget!-
Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Huw Harrison, 17-Apr-2003, 02:08pm
Thanks All
Have bitten the bullet and awaiting a full width radiator from canley classics...
Huw
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Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Simon Thomas, 14-Apr-2003, 07:58pm
My spitfire was doing the same thing even after I changed the temperature sender. I have since changed the gauge for a dual temp/oil pressure gauge which is a mechanical gauge and the car runs about half way. I think the electrical gauge and wiring has degraded with age and is reporting higher than it actually is.
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Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Don Cook, 15-Apr-2003, 05:55pm
I am a bit embarassed to admit this but last June, when I bought my GT6, it continually overheated. I checked and changed all the usual stuff and left a hose for an hour in the rad and engine orifices (eventually the water ran clear).
The problems continued for a while - until, that is, (here's the embarassing bit) I found a black plastic panel covering half the radiator! Whoops - now the guage hardly moves at all though. Don't laugh - you never know, you never know...
Don
Spitfire - Hot Stuff !!
Posted By : Timothy Ward, 14-Apr-2003, 08:18pm
Have a look at the following link, it has quite interesting things to say about the problem and is certainly worth reading.
http://www.canleyclassics.com/infodatabase.asp?top...
http://www.canleyclassics.com/infodatabase.asp?top...