Austarion

Hi all, just wondering if there is a calculation or something to work out how big a radiator has to be for a car
My starion, will will be standard except for a FMIC, slightly bigger exhaust and possibly a TD05-16g. Will be used on roads and for track days.
I have a plan in my head for a few things and what would help these plans out is a narrower radiator
I have been offered for cheap and full alloy race radiator, triple core, 364x422x69. I would be running the biggest electric fan I could fit on it. I could also run some better coolant as well.
Only thing is I'm having some doubts this would be enough to cool it?
Anyone able to help?

I fitted an adjustable switch that has a sensor probe going into the top radiator hose. You can adjust when the electric fans cut in. My poor car was always running that little bit too warm but with the switch in it it is wonderful.
I am using a new standard radiator.


Hopefully that helps.

Its not necessarily about the overall radiator size that affects cooling, more airflow & making sure the rest of your cooling system is up to scratch.

That size should be fine, but make sure your water pump is in A1 condition, use a Tridon High Flow Thermostat, Hoses are in good cond, run a good coolant & an additive like Redline Water Wetter or Pro Blend 40 Below and make sure the cooling system is bled well, with no air bubbles.

Also, making sure your engine oil cooler is clean & flowing well makes a big difference.

1320ft wrote:Its not necessarily about the overall radiator size that affects cooling, more airflow & making sure the rest of your cooling system is up to scratch.

That size should be fine, but make sure your water pump is in A1 condition, use a Tridon High Flow Thermostat, Hoses are in good cond, run a good coolant & an additive like Redline Water Wetter or Pro Blend 40 Below and make sure the cooling system is bled well, with no air bubbles.

Also, making sure your engine oil cooler is clean & flowing well makes a big difference.

Going to be doing head gasket, thermo, new hoses etc anyway.
Car has a lot of character, just ask Jas and proZac. It doesn't have power steering, and the steering cooler has been adapted to be the oil cooler...
I was planning on running the radiator in the factory position right in the middle with a big electric fan connected to the ignition so it's always running.

if you really wanted to see how small you can get away with, you could test the temperature of the water going into the motor at operating temp, and check to ensure that this matches with your new thin setup in the most extreme of conditions...

(i know this probably doesn't help you lol, but putting it out there anyway)