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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Water pump change

Hi,

I am having over heating problems with my 3.9 EFI when stuck in traffic on a hot day. I want to increase the fan cooling and am thinking of either an RV8 electic fan or changing my water pump to a Buick and fitting an engine driven fan. Does anybody know of any web sites where I can pick up a new air-con Buick Special or Old F-85 water pump in the UK? (that is what is says in the book!)

Also does anyone have the dimentions of the RV8 electric fan or where to pick one up at a sensible price?

Thanks

Richard
R Weston

Richard
Before you spend any money on your car - are you sure your gear is working as it should ? - my OE fans/MG Water pump/rad keep the 3.9FI at normal or just above on the hottest days.

There are some very dodgy water pumps about but I would suspect your rad - how old is the core and is it the uprated version ?

Rimmers of lincoln will find you the water pump if you go down that route.

Roger
RMW

Hi Richard,
Like Rogers car, my bV8 roadster 3.5 efi has a factory rad, water pump and fans. If I sit in traffic on a really hot day, the fans only come on for a minute or so at a time, which is enough to get the temp back down to normal. When the car is moving, the fans never come on!

Worth checking you existing set up before doing loads of mods?

mike
mike

I live in south of france, with hot climate in summer, 26/28° celsius all days. For my V8 3.5 conversion I built my own ally radiator with two push fan and an airdam behind the front valance. I built also my own short water pump for give some clearence with the radiator, new pulley also with reduced diameter (slightly). I have fitted an oil radiator. No heating problems.
Pace product is able to built for you a beautiful ally radiator.
regards.
http://www.paceproducts.co.uk
http://membres.lycos.fr/mgcontact/fileupload/uploads/1123912698_fan.jpg
http://membres.lycos.fr/mgcontact/fileupload/uploads/1123912698_pulley.jpg
http://membres.lycos.fr/mgcontact/fileupload/uploads/1123912698_airdam.jpg
michel

Thanks all for your feedback. My current set up is a standard "B" radiator (that was new a few years ago) with seperate expansion tank and Wetter Water. Cooling is provided by a 10" elecric pusher fan close coupled to the radiator and a smaller 8" pusher fan supporting it. I have RV8 exhaust manifolds to help with cooling but no oil cooler at present (on the basis it would reduce air to the radiator). The engine was rebilt a few thousand miles ago and is in a good (if slightly uprated) state of tume. The fans are on most of the time when driving under 30 MPH.

Whilst stuck in a traffic jam on the A303 (the sort where you go along about 5 mph then stop and start again 30 seconds later) on a hot day, I watched the needle rise over 100 degrees C and at times hit 110 C. Bliping the throttle I guess moved the water a little faster and would bring it back to 100-105 c. Full credit to the efi as the engine that ran smoothly but with the upraded heater full on, my clutch foot felt like they were on fire!

I want to cure this problem once and for all and I was considering either an upraded standard or an alloy radiator (looks very expensive), if the water pump/fan solution is not practical. With regards to 'bad' water pumps do they wear out? I have no idea how old the one on my car is but it runs freely with no noise or obvious signs of wear so wasn't changed when the engine was rebuilt.

I do however think the rad/pump set up maybe on its limits of cooling as after a couple of "hard" sessions on a track day I had to let it cool down between outings, but it runs OK (85-90 c) when driving at motorway speeds.

Any advice on uprated rad's, coolong fans or other solutions would be much appreciated. Michel, thanks, I have seen details of your car before and am very impressed but regrettably I don't think my budget would allow such a solution!

Thanks

RIchard


R Weston

I see that Clive Wheatley has some high-efficiency rad's at £205 outright or £139 exchange. Does anyone have any idea how these perform against standard and alloy?
R Weston

Richard - I hope you mean 'standard BV8' radiator - and if its more than a few years old, it may not be as efficient as you need. However, the fans interest me -they need to push a lot of air through the rad - is the supporting fan taking too much current and slowing the main pusher (why haven't you got the standard two fan outdit) - are the fans properly earthed ??

Go anywhere near Sercks in N. Portsmouth - they will tell you whether you have the right rad.

Keep us posted

Roger
RMW

Hi Roger,

Thanks for the feedback - I did use to have twin 8" fans but found that the cooling was not up to it so I increased the size of one of the fans. I am happy with the electrical side as I am taking a direct power feed (starter) and have good earths.

I am now thinking back to the radiator... is there any way to identify a 1800 radiator from a V8 one?

R Weston

Richard - both our cars are up-rated - that's where Sercks come in - why not give them a ring 02392667641.
Roger
RMW

This thread was discussed between 11/08/2005 and 17/08/2005

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