Crankshaft's Red.

[Crankshaft]

I did the spring lift thing and I got the heights I was after and it all works well now however it took a bit of getting the death wobbles out of it.
I did new shocks, new bushes in the idler, caster wedges, stiffer 2nd leaf, Sway lock bar on extenxded shackles, and then eventually found out what causes it and fixed it. (there may be an aftermarket bolt on product in this if a manufacturer wants to contact me) Its great now and has done a few trips.
I have also fitted a front lokka and that makes a real difference. Its mostly going as I hoped and is seriously unstopable. the only issue left is to solve the overheating.
Low first and 2nd in steep country on a hot day and it boiled.. Refilled it and turned the heater on and that was enough to keep it from boiling but then I had trouble not boiling and needed lots of fluid.
I am researching the air flow over the bonnet and may end up putting louvres in the bonnet to let the hot air out.

the km are only slowly going on and its nearly up to 148,000.

[BigRAWesty]

Good write up mate. And sounds like a good bus.
Re the over heating, pull your radiator out and inspect between the ac condenser and radiator fan shroud. You may not see anything but if you've been in mud or even dusty conditions then it would be a suspect area.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories

[Crankshaft]

Thanks Kallen
I found a piece of flyscreen between the condenser and the radiator on my wife's Rodeo and removing that helped that one heaps but alas old red does not have air-conditioning. The radiator was less than a year old when I got it and it is running inhibiter so it is all clean and should not be clogging.

Perhaps some of the tuning I did to get some bottom end torque as added to the overall heat. I don’t want to lose that torque. I have removed and then added a new thermostat. I did some spot temperature measuring under the bonnet and found it all pretty warm and I think if I can get some of that heat away it might be enough,

I towed a 5 ton truck 20k yesterday in some hilly country and had to turn the heater on to keep the temp down. But that was all it took to keep it from boiling. I am reluctant to junk the radiator as it is new and so is the one from the donor.

The radiator has a single 16” thermo fan on the engine side and another option is to add to this. It all runs pretty cool until it gets lots of load.

More to do yet

[BigRAWesty]

Ok, I'd still be pulling rear shroud off, if fitted..
Radiator may possible be to small if youve modded the motor.

Be careful were you add vents, as sometimes it can reduce air flow at speed and create still spots.

So if it was me I'd just cut my losses and get a bigger radiator.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories

[Crankshaft]

The way they look at airflow on aircraft is to simply tape 6" pieces of wool to the surface and watch it. From that you can gauge a lot about airflow.
I keep getting told that louvers won’t work and won’t help but there is a lot of heat trapped under the bonnet. To get away it must be pushed down and under the car leaving a pocket of hot air under the bonnet and heating the rest of the floor. I can see why vents in the bonnet may not work in a performance car with a sloping bonnet and an air dam as that generates a negative pressure under the car and helps the airflow from the radiator and under the car.
But Red is as far different to that as is possible.
So I need to identify the low pressure areas on the top of the bonnet and I suspect they are on the side and then set up some sort of venturi extraction vent.
Hopefully better flow through the radiator and conductive cooling direct from the engine.
If nothing else it will be interesting..

[BigRAWesty]

The way they look at airflow on aircraft is to simply tape 6" pieces of wool to the surface and watch it. From that you can gauge a lot about airflow.
I keep getting told that louvers won’t work and won’t help but there is a lot of heat trapped under the bonnet. To get away it must be pushed down and under the car leaving a pocket of hot air under the bonnet and heating the rest of the floor. I can see why vents in the bonnet may not work in a performance car with a sloping bonnet and an air dam as that generates a negative pressure under the car and helps the airflow from the radiator and under the car.
But Red is as far different to that as is possible.
So I need to identify the low pressure areas on the top of the bonnet and I suspect they are on the side and then set up some sort of venturi extraction vent.
Hopefully better flow through the radiator and conductive cooling direct from the engine.
If nothing else it will be interesting..

Could you try spacing bonnet up at the rear so it gets sucked out as it passes over bonnet and window...
Save cutting holes..

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories

[Crankshaft]

Update
It has taken a while but Red is going strong.
I lifted the back of the bonnet and used some tape to attach some bits of wool.
Interesting and not what I expected.
The air flow is down and back into the engine bay. NOT out and up the screen.
so I put the back of the bonnet back down again.

I have advanced the timing somewhat and it is a bit better and does not overheat anymore. BUT there is nothing in reserve.
When I am feeling rich I will get a bigger radiator.

[Crankshaft]

Old "red" got stopped on the side of the road 200k from home . Luckily in a good spot, but with a hole through the rotor button........... Sunday night on a long weekend

The missus was in the other car traveling with me so she towed me to a friends place only about 5 k away where we left it overnight.

Took a spare down this morning popped the cap, swapped the button, refitted the cap and drove it home.

Not sure if the gods were smiling or just teasing.

Cranky