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Avid Mk IV belly radiator - Motorcycle Radiator?

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Posted

I am thinking that an extra belly radiator might be necessary to get my water temp back down to redline on hot days. With outside temps above 85 degrees, the minimum water temp in normal cruise is 170 to 175 degrees, and it gets to 180++ in climb.

I wonder if I could hang a belly radiator at the bottom of the firewall, using a quality motorcycle aluminum radiator. Lots of expertise here, I invite your criticisms and comments. BTW, I have flushed the system, checked the thermostat, blocked the sides of the nose radiators to guide the air into the rads, but I get the same ultra warm H2O anyway. 

Below is a pic of one possible motorcycle radiator, is this a bad idea?

Thanks

Nick

radiator.jpg

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Posted

if your oil cooling system has spare capacity for cooling, try an oil to water heat exchanger,

One of our local flyers is using one with excellent results,and as a bonus his oil temp on warmup follows the wate temp.

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Posted

Well if it doesn't work I have a brand new belly radiator from kitfox that I never used, I would let it go for some money, Make an offer,

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Posted

I have the same problem Nick with my water temps.  Curious to see what you come up with.....

I am thinking that an extra belly radiator might be necessary to get my water temp back down to redline on hot days. With outside temps above 85 degrees, the minimum water temp in normal cruise is 170 to 175 degrees, and it gets to 180++ in climb.

I wonder if I could hang a belly radiator at the bottom of the firewall, using a quality motorcycle aluminum radiator. Lots of expertise here, I invite your criticisms and comments. BTW, I have flushed the system, checked the thermostat, blocked the sides of the nose radiators to guide the air into the rads, but I get the same ultra warm H2O anyway. 

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Posted (edited)

Akflyer had some cooling issues and solved them - of Course it only gets warm for a short time up there.   I was thinking that he changed from cheek rads to belly rad and then moved it down about 1.5" from fuselage.   I've got two Kitfox belly rads for 532/582.  EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

I ran 2 in series for a long time. Have you had your cheek radiators professionally flushed? Maybe do away with the cheek rads altogether and put a bigger aluminum radiator on the belly? Fleabay sells em as well as Murle Williams.

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Posted

No oil to cool on a 582.  2 stroke.  Having another radiator wont hurt anything.  I think all these cheek radiator set ups are marginal.  My last MK IV had foam around the radiators to seal them off to the cowling.  It cooled the best of the 3 Avids I've had with cheek radiators.  Air will try to go around instead of through a radiator it you give it a chance.  JImChuk

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