Cooling on a 5 litre TVR V8 in a project 90

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DaviesDJ

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Hi there guys, was wondering if anybody had any thoughts or experience with electronic kenlow style fans and oil coolers on Rv8s?? Have started my rebuild linered engine (started first time:)) and working nicely but was wondering if the electric fans are really all that much better than viscous "mechanical" fans (standard or off p38) - do they put that much load on the engine to cause MPG or power issues?? Do they over cool early?? Is the kenlowe option worth the cost? I am also thinking of fitting a small oil cooler - i intent enthusiastic road and regular but light off road use. Is it worth the cost?? What do you think?? Many thanks
 
engine oil cooler kit a defo
what type of timing cover have you got on the front end?

i am biased but cannot fault the kenlow kits the new kit has done away with the poor sealing top hose set up a twin hd 13" kit with twin speed and manual override fans will do the job
 
Pre serp timing cover. Worked closely with wards of rugby developing engine. Richard Campbell there really knows his stuff. Assembled engine in his workshop. New Rad, silicone hose. Im sold with oil cooler, but fan?? Im sure they work, but what differences did anybody notice with them?
 
Engine spec- TVR 500 - ARP studs top and bottom, top hat lined, big valve heads with low profile guides, ported and polished, 3 angle cut, skimmed slightly. Edelbroch 600 cfm carb, TVR cam - rhoads high rev lifters, john eales rocker outriggers, double valve springs. all rotating mass re-balanced perfectly (problem with TVR crank etc). Ohh and nitrous oxide plate from wizzards of nos (not connected yet - not for some time)
 
Come to think of it it needs all the cooling it can get!! But many TVR's got away without electric fans??? with much smaller engine bays then my 90. SS manifolds are not lagged in my 90 either, have never found this makes a difference.
 
600 cfm might be a little too much. I have 4.3 with similar spec see profile pictures and had to rejet to almost leanest....

Cooling I have hd tad from series lamdy and works fine.

One kenlowes I have hd 16" and have set q switch to 85 and second to 92. Make sure you get a suck type as blow covers rad and seriously restricts air flow.

Worth the money.


One more thing make sure you go with
85 deg thermostat. As cooling takes a while to react. It will give it best chance....

TVR cams are pretty top endy. I swooped for a stealth derivitive, still sounds like a machine gun on over run, but gives a whole bunch of torque....
 
you could use the 19J turbo diesel radiator

if you are planning to use it off road then keep the viscous unit


600 is probably too big for the long stroke TVR engine. its not going to rev that high and you don't want to run a cam thats going to make the engine pants on the road. stick with a 500
 
I mused for ages on 500 vs 600 carb - Paul at V8 advised eventually. If im ever using nitrous then i wnat it as wet as possible (even on a wet system) - also he has had some experience with larger capacity rover v8's and siad that when going for over 300bhp the 600 is quite good. Will try and get some pics soon.
 
if you are going for that kind of power what are you doing about the transmission etc - its not going to last long with 300 odd hp of the 5.0L engine.
 
uprated R380, HD clutch. Not quite bullet proof i know, but thinking about cost effect. treat it as a sort of consumable;-)
 
Regards electric fans, I noticed no difference really.

I have 2x12" I think on my disco radiator, engine runs at halfway mark on the gauge normally, when first warming up it reaches slightly over halfway but quickly drops down once fans engage at around 90 degrees iirc.

They are on constantly when offroading on anything warmer than a cool day.

A viscous fan is a very simple affair so for reliability I'd say stick viscous on, but if you don't want the resistance, the water issue and the increased possibility of the fan damaging the radiator with some debris etc then electric fans are a good shout.

I bought a pair of fans for 25 each on eBay, lasted a few months. Then bought a pair for 50 each, have lasted for ages and still operate quietly and smoothly.

Also, you can use an OEM aircon fan switch instead of the kenlowe style thermo. This fits into the OEM position in the thermostat housing cover. M16 x 1.5 iirc, I've got the tap at work anyway. It's just a bit neater IMO.

Cheers
 
Regards electric fans, I noticed no difference really.

I have 2x12" I think on my disco radiator, engine runs at halfway mark on the gauge normally, when first warming up it reaches slightly over halfway but quickly drops down once fans engage at around 90 degrees iirc.

They are on constantly when offroading on anything warmer than a cool day.

A viscous fan is a very simple affair so for reliability I'd say stick viscous on, but if you don't want the resistance, the water issue and the increased possibility of the fan damaging the radiator with some debris etc then electric fans are a good shout.

I bought a pair of fans for 25 each on eBay, lasted a few months. Then bought a pair for 50 each, have lasted for ages and still operate quietly and smoothly.

Also, you can use an OEM aircon fan switch instead of the kenlowe style thermo. This fits into the OEM position in the thermostat housing cover. M16 x 1.5 iirc, I've got the tap at work anyway. It's just a bit neater IMO.

Cheers

Many thanks for your input - i think i agree, the oil cooler is a go, will prob use a good viscous fan
 
Hia - heads done to stage 4 and seats cut with a seride (i think that how its spelled??)- thou perfect and no need for paste, and pressure tested, all done by Wards of Rugby, first class work - and paul from V8 tuner now gets all his blocks from them. They do all their engineering in house.
 
serdi ,and its not the only machine that cuts the 3 angles in one go ,but probably the easiest to use with having air floating head no complicated center finding
 
Heres a pic without the wings!
 

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