Cooling

[crider]

Ok, got my shifter on it's way. Now on to the cooling system. What radiator are those of you that run water using? I'm going to be carbed on gas at least for a while. Plan to go stack injection on alky next spring, but in the mean time I'm going to need a decent radiator to cool the bbc.

[ricardo1967]

Crider,
I'm a small guy here, so here's my humble advice: I was going to take the same route (carb/gas than injection/alky), but I'm glad I jumped straight to injection/alky. I saved a bunch of hard earned money that way. As a bonus, it's a much simpler setup. No radiator here. No regrets at all.

[GlennLever]

I went the gas carb route and took it off almost immediately.

Could not keep it cool.

I went to an alcohol Carb and it ran much cooler

Went from that to blown injected.

It is a steep learning curve, but if possible I would advise you to go to the alcohol injection.

I am still currently running a radiator because in my class they tend to hot lap at the end.

With the new engine I will have no cooling

The radiator I run now was custom built double core cross circuit cooling.

[JrFuel Hayden]

I agree with Glenn, just go to injected Alky, no cooling needed, mater-a-fact alky runs better with a hot engine. I run it at 180° to 200° while staging. I know some racers that race bracket, and will adjust engine temp so that they will run the number [ 7.60] ie cooler will slow it down some. I also run water just in the block/heads because I have found it helps seal the rings better, besides more even engine temps. When we are getting close to getting called to the staging lanes I warm it up to at least 180°, and then cover the engine with a packing blanket if we think we might be in the lanes long. If we get caught with a cooler motor I have our driver take his time backing up from the burn-out to build heat. We run raised runner all iron SBC, and by adjusting the barrel valve I can build the heat I'm looking for. I have found non-raised runner SBC have trouble building 200° heat. When I have helped other JF teams I have kept them from staging right away waiting to build heat, and sometimes we lean the barrel to get to heat we want. On a dyno we have seen 20-25 HP loss running the SBC dry.
So save money on gas carb, cooling system stuff, etc, go to injected alky. BTW alky has a much wider tune-up window than gas, case in point when I have helped with Comp elim A/ND and B/ND the other Comp teams don't like racing against FED on alky in hot weather because their cars will slow down in the heat and alky can run the same if not better in the 90°+ heat. You just have to clean / flush your fuel system after a race weekend.   
Have a good time !
Jon Hansen, 805-444-4489

[msundstrom]

My BBC FED had one on it when I bought it, ran it for a month and took it off. I believe it was off a VW Rabbit or Jetta. Still sitting in my shop.
Mark

[dreracecar]

Alc fuel is cheaper then race gas even tho you use twice as much $3 a gal vs $10+ for a gal of race gas

[dusterdave173]

Think hard you will spend a lot on radiator, plumbing, etc Go ahead and do injected alky to start--the cost MINUS what you will spend on the other way is not that bad--Mike at Alkydiggers in Nashville TN can sell you a set up, used pump and set of nozzles pretty reasonable--really there are lots of used units available but get one from Mike ready to go is best bet  I am near you and can coach you through set up which is really not bad if you have some help--I installed nozzles and pill Mike sent and have not changed the pill ever--runs like a dream!

[Roger]

Bought a custom fit radiator and fan from Spike Products in Brownsburg, Indiana. The service was great, sent them a detailed drawing and they sent me a well-crafted finished product built to my specs.

New radiator with fan made to fit your car - $550
New electric water pump - $350
Plus hoses, fittings, and whatever = Over $1,000
I know, that’s what I’ve spent on mine.

Pros for alcohol:
Engine runs cooler than gas
Fuel costs less per run

Cons for alcohol:
Needs primer system or helper with stack or hat injection to start
More frequent oil changes
Need to purge alcohol from the system so it won’t attack unprotected parts (no, a condom will not work)
If you have a fire it’s harder to detect, I know

Pros for gas:
Engine warms up easier
Easy of system maintenance

Cons for gas:
Engine runs hotter
Fuel costs more per run

Having run an alcohol injected dragster for a limited time, the altered will have a radiator and water pump. With a gas carb I can start it by myself, make a run, turn on the radiator fan & water pump and drive it back to the pits. And no need to flush the system of alcohol when done. However, an alcohol carb may be in the works later if heat is an issue. Guess it all depends on your personal preferences.

[wideopen231]

If you intend to go injected in future.Why spend the money for cooling system a cost of carb thar will be lost for most part.

[jeff/21]

i think we all went alky for the same reason because of heating now drive back to the pits no need to be towed like they said get the temp up to 200* when staging. to start cold with a carb filled the front tank with gas it will start and it keeps on running. just to say go straight to alky  good luck

[dusterdave173]

I start my car in pits and get a little heat in the engine--I drive to staging and shut off --I make my run and can drive back to the pits--When alky is at idle you are rich so it is COOL--when you stomp it--thing goes lean and temp builds during run until you close the throttle, then back to rich and major cooling  If you learn all the tricks with fuel shut off you can build heat easy when needed and also using correct shutoff procedure ensure it will fire right back up usually without a prime--most primer systems sold use the cheapo electric pump from auto parts ebay and it is a sorry piece of junk though those kits may be sold for couple hundo--a squirt bottle is all you need --you are show racing--you have time--if you want to bracket race then that is a whole different kettle of fish--sure 180-200 runs faster than 150 at the line but ain't that big a deal unless you are real racing and need that extra--sure! you need good heat to be safe for the engine but again not that big a deal. Yes you MUST drain system when you get home from wk end of running--you develop a routine and it becomes second nature--easy as pie--gives you a chance to go over everything and get to know your car. An old dragster with a radiator just looks wrong to me , same goes with a carb--take your time do it right the first time  Help is all around you--several of us run near you  Good Luck!

[crider]

I do understand the benefits of running alky. That is the reason for planning to do the switch. But my plan for now is to get it to the track before the end of the year and make a few passes and try to see what I need to address before racing begins in the spring. I had the intake  carb, and water pump laying around, so really just need to add a radiator to be gas ready. Injection just isn't in the budget, with all the other things I need to do to get it race ready, if I'm going to run it before winter. I do appreciate all the offers to help with the tuning of the injection when the time comes, I may need a little bit. My one alky car was blown injected but it was close to 15 years ago, so I'm sure I will be very rusty tuning. But most of what goes on in my area is bracket stuff anyhow, so if I'm gonna run more than a couple times a year, a cooling system will probably still need to be in place   

[Scott Krieger]

VW Rabbit radiator here. 12"x 24" two 10" fans sitting on top sucking the air through. Stock aluminum water pump with electric moroso type motor. We run a BBC on gas in Las Vegas, running in two bracket classes super pro & pro each event.

We always run the water pump and fans. Stage at 170. Drive back to pits 180-190. When we start hot lapping in the heat in booth classes, we put the charger on and run the water pump between rounds to cool it. 

[crider]

Thanks Scott. How many cubic inches?

[Scott Krieger]

427 bbc, 500 hp@ 6500, 1050 dominator, turbo 400 2nd gear launch. Bracket car