Re: Uprating the cooling for older Spiders

[hugh shawcross <shawcros@domain.elided>]

Ed, before doing anything real expensive, I'd be tempted to take the rad
out of the car and give it to a radiator shop to clean.
My '74 spider (2 L) ran pretty warm for the first few years I had it (not
quite as hot as you indicate but close and despite the normal assumptions
many people make about Canada the climate where I am is very hot in the
summer-- +38C is not uncommon although we don't have the mountain slopes).
Eventually my rad developed a small leak and instead of paying the
exhorbitant cost of importing a new rad, I got the local rad shop to look
at it. They pulled the headers off and rodded it clean for about $100 and
the spider runs cooler now (max about 198F) and I'm expecting it to last
quite a while longer. That beat the hell out of paying $400 US for a rad
plus the cost of shipping and duty. The rad I've still got is copper as
well, and I'm sure that wouldn't be the case if I had switched.

FWIW, that's my 2 cents

Hugh
Medicine Hat



>Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 18:15:01 -0600
>From: Ed Lutz <edlutz@domain.elided>
>Subject: Uprating the cooling for older Spiders

>My 74 Spider (older 1750 motor) is having some problems staying cool.
>I like to flog it hard up in the mountains and when I do the temp
>gauge starts a steady climb up past 212f. I don't know how high it
>would go if I didn't slow to let it cool but I don't plan on finding
>out. The driving tends toward slower speeds, lower gears, and high
>revs so the cooling system is put to the test. Its also been quite
>warm here in Northern Colorado. I recently replaced the
>coolant mixture, cap, and thermostat, and the radiator seems in good
>shape. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to increase the cooling
>capacity of these cars? I wouldn't mind a larger radiator and am
>considering an oil cooler. Any suggestions?

>Thanks,

>Ed

>Loveland, CO.

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