Rotore
Teh SPIK
i had an idea of wrapping copper tubing around the cooling fins of my engine and having a water pump circulating coolant around the copper tubes and into a small oil cooler with a fan.
good idea or bad?
good idea or bad?
cooling system
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Rotore
Teh SPIK
seems like it might make a difference on a flat head im not so sure on a OHV
Kaptain Krunch
Pro Junk Collector
It would allow you to run a flywheel without fins (not saying to modify...), or at least no shrouds.
Russ2251
AZUSA:Powered by LAWN-BOY
All engines are designed to operate at an optimum temperature range. That's why cylinder finnage varies from model to model.
No reason to mess with it unless some drastic changes have been made to original design.
Water cooling also adds weight which pulls down the power/weight ratio.
No reason to mess with it unless some drastic changes have been made to original design.
Water cooling also adds weight which pulls down the power/weight ratio.
Rotore
Teh SPIK
my flywheel weighs 30lbs and is getting replaces with a billet one so weirght should stay about the same
Doc Sprocket
*********
I had these thoughts, too. This is what I decided;
If you have an accurate means of measuring temperature like an IR Temp gun, you could give it a try to see if it's worth the effort for you, but unless you're operating at low speed in the Mojave desert at high noon, or have no shroud or fins, you probably don't want to bother. Overheating is a problem that presents itself as obvious. Less obvious is the problem of overcooling. Running an engine too cold can be fatal, too.
So to do it properly, you'd have to determine the ideal operating range, likely measured at the cylinder head, and then rig up a temporary system. Back up to OpTemp as measured at the head, and then measure the coolant temp. Now set up the system to thermostatically control the liquid system (like a car) to keep the temperature within the acceptable range. Test, re-test, re-re-test, then set it all up for good, and test some more. A water pump driven off the engine will rob ponies. An electrical pump will take a fair amount of current, let's not forget the radiator cooling fan. Better install an alternator. Which adds weight. Speaking of weight, add in the weight of a radiator, all tubing and fittings, thermostat equipment, and the weight of the coolant itself. All this for an engine with a pre-engineered cooling system built in (for normal operating conditions). If you can pull it off, I'd enjoy seeing it. Don't think it's worth it, though.
If I peed out your campfire, sorry. You asked! Cheers!
If you have an accurate means of measuring temperature like an IR Temp gun, you could give it a try to see if it's worth the effort for you, but unless you're operating at low speed in the Mojave desert at high noon, or have no shroud or fins, you probably don't want to bother. Overheating is a problem that presents itself as obvious. Less obvious is the problem of overcooling. Running an engine too cold can be fatal, too.
So to do it properly, you'd have to determine the ideal operating range, likely measured at the cylinder head, and then rig up a temporary system. Back up to OpTemp as measured at the head, and then measure the coolant temp. Now set up the system to thermostatically control the liquid system (like a car) to keep the temperature within the acceptable range. Test, re-test, re-re-test, then set it all up for good, and test some more. A water pump driven off the engine will rob ponies. An electrical pump will take a fair amount of current, let's not forget the radiator cooling fan. Better install an alternator. Which adds weight. Speaking of weight, add in the weight of a radiator, all tubing and fittings, thermostat equipment, and the weight of the coolant itself. All this for an engine with a pre-engineered cooling system built in (for normal operating conditions). If you can pull it off, I'd enjoy seeing it. Don't think it's worth it, though.
If I peed out your campfire, sorry. You asked! Cheers!
Rotore
Teh SPIK
didnt pee on but kicked some sand on it. but i will be running the engine at 7000-9000rpm and it already has a 200w charging system so im fine there but weight as you said kills it
robin
New member
if this was a flat head it would be real easy just make a new head and run colant channles thro it
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