[DeTomaso] Fluidyne Radiator

[Stephen]

Back a bit I was trying to learn all I could about cooling options from the good folks on this forum.  Then I followed up with several manufacturers and tried to decide what made the most sense.  Brass vs aluminum, suckers vs pushers, shrouded vs unshrouded, 12 inch vs 13 inch...  A surprisingly large number of options.

I finally decided on a Ron Davis radiator from Pantera Performance.  It is now in the car.  If you haven't seen one of these - nice looking units.  Like the one I put in my XKE many, many miles ago.    

Gotta say, if you are used to the 12 inch fans on a Fluidyne, the 13's on a Ron Davis are a wake-up call.  I am using a SPAL PWM fan controller.  It spools up one fan as the temperature goes up from the lowest set-point (which you specify) to the max set point (again, one you set).  If it hits the max set-point the second fan turns on.  If the controller can hold it with just one fan, then the fan spins at the speed needed to hold the temperature.  With the 12 inch fans you hear the whir.  With the 13 inch - you hear a lot more whir.  

Yesterday (85 in garage), the engine idled at 925 rpm and just one fan ran about 50% (my guestimate) and held the temperature constant at around 205.  I set up the Spal so the first fan starts to spin around 200, and a max around 210.  

Why the new radiator, well, the Fluidyne installed 4 years (and 4,000 miles) ago has a very small leak.  

When I first got the car, knowing I had an aluminum radiator, I checked the potential between the coolant and ground.  It was in the 38 mv range (using two different meters).  So, not a problem endangering the radiator.  Then I installed a zinc electrode in the radiator to be safe.

Boy was I surprised when I realized it had been leaking all along.  I figured this out one day when I ran car in my garage for 20 minutes at 1800 rpm to charge the a/c system.  Note, it was 90 degrees in the garage.  The only evidence was a puddle of antifreeze on the floor, about 3 inches in diameter.  So, like very little antifreeze.

I just listed the radiator and all the stuff that goes with it on eBay.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/291547513727?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

If anyone wants to make a decent offer - I can pull it off eBay.  

Stephen Nelson
360-210-7295