Getting hott
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi guys im after abit of advice, with regards to cooling, ive had my turbo mini built years and always used and put up with it getting too hot on track for quite a while now and shortly will be taking it to Nurburgring so have got to try to get it sorted before, the cooling system is as follows,

Minispares 4 core rad
High capacity water pump
No thermostat just restrictor ring
Minispares plastic mechanical fan
Kenlow electric fan on switch in car
Running water wetter
Heater matrix still in the car for aid of cooling on track.

Car has just been rolling roaded at sleaths so everything timing wise is spot on,
Not really got room for a front mounted radiator atm,
To give an idea of how bad it is At Donington park evening session last thursday i could enter the track with a water temp of 80degrees and within 4 laps be at 115 degrees. These temps measured on a brand new stack gauge and sender.

Just after advice, what do you guys use, is it my mechanical fan? Are the minispares 4 core rads no good? Just after something to sort this for once and for all,
All advice n help appreciated,cheers guys

I never had a problem with a 2 core side mount rad for the road but when on track my car was the same as yours. I tried various things like running extra small rads inline but it never really made any difference. So I made the jump to fit a front mount rad and electric water pump and now the temps never go above 85 all day long on track.

MED and Radtec do a 70mm wide side mount and ducted right that should be more than up to the job fella.
I get my car set up by John sleath, I really like how he works.
Roy B

Roy are you the guy thats been to his place quite a few time's? Are you in a clubman? Who ever that is he speaks highly of them,

Any picz of your front mounted radiator install with electric water pump

Yes thats me. The amount of times I have been there he could retire😁. He does push them on his rollers but he sets them up nice and I have never suffered from any det or blown head gaskets. (still scares me everytime when he hits 7k+ revs)
I don't have any pics of the install and my motor is out for the next couple of weeks but I will certainly send you some when I put it back together. It helps that I have a clubby front but it's all still very tight.
There are plenty on the forum who have done it, so I am sure there will be some pics coming up for you soon.

Ye he does make them work hard but is a great guy! Was the 3rd time ive been there, was hoping someone would say buy this side mount rad its a miracle cure 😂 but ye its only a week today i go Nurburgring so abit tight time wise to start converting to front mounted rad with electric pump, what radiator and pumo do you use, do you also use the davies craig controller too?

Yes i use a davies craig pump and controller, it works for me.
I got radtec to make me a bespoke radiator that fit perfect.
Have a look at them thick side mount rads, they must hold nearly half again as much water at a 2 core and i dont think you have to do hardly anything extra to fit them.
It might sound a daft question but check to see that your fan is on the right way round. I made that mistake once.

Fans definitely on the right way around.. I think 🤔

http://classicalloyradiators.co.uk/product...nt-radiator.htm

Thanks for the link, anyone got experience in the above radiator, more than happy to push the button on one if someone actually says they will cope with the task in hand, just dont wanna spend 300 quid to find my self in the same position again in a weeks time, id kick my self when that money could be invested into a front mounted radiator setup.

I have to be honest, just go for a front mount rad.
It transformed my car, you never need to worry about it getting hot and backing off for a few miles to cool down.
This is not the situation you want at the Nurburgring, you’ll end up catching someone out with their closing speed.

Any front mount would be considerably better than an expensive side mount that will probably still give you the same issues.

Ok so when we are talking front mounted radiator are we saying an mpi radiator is suitable, or chinq rad or a big boy like a Miglia, cheers for the advice guys

Mpi is no good John and Andy tried one on the metro van and they changed it

Ok so been wide awake lookin into this, from what ive seen the cinquecento and metro rad is upto the job? And i could still run the mechanical pump effectively, next items in question will be intercooler and alternator,
Ive currently got an audi tt intercooler so ill have to change that to usea front mounted radiator, been looking at 2wd cosworth intercoolers and have a question if im ditching the side radiator is there still the need to modify the end tank or will i be able to simply slide It across a little to run the hoses either side of the head?
With regards to alternator ive seen the denso ones people run, am i rite in saying 40a kubota ones they are? And as a next long shot ive seen MED sell a nice alternator that actually has 2 lugs at the top mount (ideal) http://www.med-engineering.co.uk/products/...ight-alternator
Anyone got any idea what they are off?
Cheers for the advice all!

Edited by jamiestevenbell on 19th Jul, 2018.

I use an Audi TT intercooler at the side where the radiator used to be

How do you get air in?

Ducting from the grill when i have made it

Ah OK cool im tempted to run a front mounted rad and cossie intercooler then ill be able to use an electric water pump in the old rads space so when i pull up in the paddock it can cool down properly

So OK guys this was great while it lasted but I think I have managed to pop the head gasket yesterday on the nurburgring, water temp was about 108 degrees and I was still giving it death so was inevitable, now just thinking about the rebuild what's the ultimate way to stop head gasket failure on these beasts? I'm thinking dry deck with all waterways plugged, and a decent front mounted rad to keep the dam thing cool? Any other things to concider? Also what gasket should be used? Ive seen the composite ones you can get, are they any better than the bk450, cheers

I run a Cometic mls in my 1380, as a bonus you can get a dry deck gasket so you only need to plug the head. you do need a good deck finish though. I also have a Davies Criag pump and controller in my daily and it doesn't get over 95c even on a 40 deg day, stuck in 5 kph traffic for 45 mins but I do have a Morrie 1100 rad

1977 Leyland mini Sunshine -- moleseted -- Named " Ray" becoming a 7 port efi slowly
1971 Nota Fang 145 bhp 5 port fun @ 450 kg
1969 Austin 1800 ute, 1800S running gear, tip rat and hardware store runner

Did you get home ok? My ambition is to do the Ring in the Elf, and drive back l, hence building mine with dry deck.

There is a German lad, google ring mini who has a turbo mini as well as two Honda engined ones he regularly beasts around the ring. There is a good video on you tube of him going up against Sabine Smit in his mini van.

HOSS

Jim uses a BK450 on his race car with something like 30psi boost!! Dry decking can help the cooling around cylinder 4. And some people do go to 11 stud as well

The metro turbo used a thin rad core to allow for greater air flow for greater cooling. When I went 4 core I had constant overheating issues. Finally settled on the minispeed alloy rad, never had an issue since. Also switched to the metal fan.

Edited by Mr Joshua on 29th Jul, 2018.

Own the day

OK cheers guys, it's not home yet but we trailered it here anyway as I've drove it here before a few times and it's always previously broke 😂 but previous breakages were all very minor,
Ye elf turbo I presume you are on about ringmini, it's a great place here and I'm here very regular just the mini isn't, thanks for the advice guys,