[DeTomaso] FLUIDYNE RADIATOR STORY

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sun Jan 26 18:26:27 EST 2014


In a message dated 1/26/14 13 45 21, asajay at asajay.com writes:


> I find Fluidyne's forensic evaluation (without being able to see the 
> photos) to be sound.
> 

FWIW, I do too.

Bob has been asking my advice for years on why his Pantera constantly 
overheated.   I tried every suggestion I could think of but nothing seemed to 
work.   Bob eventually shared with me that he had a radiator that would only 
flow air in one direction????   That sounded ridiculous, but he said his tests 
had proven it.

What he didn't say, and I perhaps didn't think to ask, was HOW he came to 
that conclusion.   If he just switched the polarity of the fans and spun them 
backwards, and compared the airflow, of course there would be substantially 
more airflow from back to front, if he had pusher fans installed on the 
wrong side of the radiator.

The fact that the car ran perfectly while moving but overheated 
consistently while stationary points to an airflow issue.   Installing the wrong fans 
(or rather, installing fans the wrong way) would explain that airflow issue.

The other issues point to a deeper problem lurking in the car though.   How 
does a cooling system get overpressurized?   If a head gasket is leaking, 
and combusion pressures are allowed to enter the cooling system, that can 
certainly do it.   One of my Sciroccos had a weepy head gasket, which would 
both allow a bit of fluid into the cylinder, and also allow combustion pressure 
into the cooling system.   It was pretty easy to detect--besides all the 
'mud' in my cooling system, I could demonstrate it experientially.   I could 
approach the car when cold, remove and replace the radiator cap, start it up 
and run it for five seconds, shut it off, and remove the cap, and there 
would be a hiss of pressure being released.   That pressure was being produced 
by combustion, not by expanded/heated coolant.

So I'm calling BS too....I'm glad the car is finally fixed (or at least 
isn't overheating, although a compression check would probably be a good idea, 
as well as testing the coolant for indication of combusion gasses), but I 
don't think Fluidyne deserves to be bashed here.

Mike
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