dawn Posted August 18, 2016 Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 (edited) Hello everyone, a quick question regarding the cooling circuit on my project ( 1964 TR4 CT29326 ) I am in south Florida , I will never use the heater and I am not going to re-install it either under the dash or in the engine bay my question is , can I simply plug the coolant circulation at the engine take off points? or will that obstruct the flow? must I install a loop? a bypass ? Edited August 18, 2016 by dawn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dawn Posted August 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 Must I read the workshop manual? last resource Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted August 18, 2016 Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 I think you can safely plug it at the block Dawn - no different from turning the heater valve off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted August 18, 2016 Report Share Posted August 18, 2016 (edited) No you don't want any dead ends. Put a loop in (bent rubber pipe). A turned off heater is occasionally turned back on, but I'd always prefer a loop to a dead end. Mick Richards Edited August 18, 2016 by Motorsport Mickey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I think my 4A was delivered new in Malaysia without heather (it has an original blanking plate on the bulkhead) and the engine inlet/outlet points are plugged. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewMAshton Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Hello, an opportunity to fit a header tank?, I would imagine Florida can get quite hot a few extra pints of coolant must be a bonus, I notice Racetorations do a very nice, but expensive set up. Cheers, Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Hi Dawn, long pipes with a dead end can get silted up. This is really a nuisance if at some time you want to use the piping again. In your case you would not. Remove as much of the pipe work as you can- this will free up a little space in the engine bay. You can also remove the control knob and cable and use the vacant hole for something really super duper. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I got interested when I read the question. Personally, I'm drawn between the 'loop' and the blanking off. I did use a loop when I put the car together for the first time back in 2004 (or so). Back then, the heater was leaking. It would be interesting to see what was originally the solution! A lot of TRs were sold to warmer countries. (I got stopped by a guy who spotted me in the TR. He spontaneously told me about his childhood in Rhodesia, sitting next to his mum in her powder blue TR3A). What about the Australian members here. Surely, a lot of cars in Oz must have been ordered without the heater. Menno Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 If you blank it at the water pump housing and on the cylinder head there won't be any dead ends. Go for it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 Hi Dawn, just had a thought. You say you do not need the heater. However have you considered it is also the cooler as well. It will help cool the engine if you have a panic with hot steamy engine. More importantly it will blow ambient air over your feet and onto the screen should it get steamy !!! Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Hogan Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I don't have a heater fitted to my TR3S - so much comes up through the gear box housing its unnecessary. However, I have fitted an expansion tank up on the bulkhead where on LHD cars the pedal assembly is located. I would suggest you do the same if you don't want a heater as it gives you a better cooling system. hoges. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ade-TR4 Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I agree with Roger, the heater is a auxiliary cooling device; it's just a radiator. You can always divert the warm air onto the screen (assuming no roof!) I'd keep it, put a sub-80 degree stat in the engine, you can always close the heater valve if needed Cheers! Ade Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 19, 2016 Report Share Posted August 19, 2016 I don't have a heater fitted to my TR3S - so much comes up through the gear box housing its unnecessary. However, I have fitted an expansion tank up on the bulkhead where on LHD cars the pedal assembly is located. I would suggest you do the same if you don't want a heater as it gives you a better cooling system. hoges. Pics? And I suppose Dawn's TR is LHD, so with a pic it's time to figure out another fine spot for a tank. M. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 MGB Brass header tank fits nicely up on the left hand inner wheel arch sited up as high as possible to just miss the bonnet then a plain flat cap on the rad and a 4lb cap on the header tank will give you a nice extra head of water. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AndrewMAshton Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Stuart, a nice fit, two questions, how did get the height right, I ask as someone who has a dent in his bonnet from a previous error and where does the bottom pipe from the header tank feed into, I did like the look of the Racetorations kit, expensive but I suspect top quality, but wanted to keep my heater, cheers, Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Hogan Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Hi Menno, Its not a very good pic but you can see where I have mounted my header tank up on the bulkead. it fits neatly into the hole left by taking the blanking plate out on RHD cars. It should work equally well on LHD one too. hoges Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 (edited) I thought Millers were the recent oil sponsers ? Bob. Edited August 20, 2016 by Lebro Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 What's a - 'sposer' Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Dot kow what you are talkig about Roger Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 You little devil - you've found the edit button Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted August 20, 2016 Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Hi Menno, Its not a very good pic but you can see where I have mounted my header tank up on the bulkead. it fits neatly into the hole left by taking the blanking plate out on RHD cars. It should work equally well on LHD one too. hoges Looks good! The higher, the better, I suppose. We're drifting off topic here, but it's still for the good cause: adding cooling to a Floridian car... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dawn Posted August 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2016 Thank you all so much for the response to my heater question, heater itself is long gone I'm afraid Roger so there is no chance of re-installation, I do see your point about it being a handy heat sink but too late now. ( I really don't want to heat Florida up any more, either right now ) Thinking about your various advice I'm going to plug the circuit at the water valve point on the back of the engine and again at the suction side of the pump where the heater return tube comes in, It would be simple enough to loop this out in future if I decide to. I really like the idea of a header tank and I am going with that idea, seems like there are a few options , I'll check out 'Racetorations' thank you Andrew plus Stuarts MGB version, is that really brass? I like the installation on Paul's car, as mine is a lefty I have that shelf available on the right side. Thank you all for that . The refit continues here, I have just laid the wiring harness in and I am marking ( as best I can ) each wire as to its purpose for later. Mostly very logical, the various wiring diagrams don't always agree with each other, a few puzzles making me think. I have changed to an alternator so that bunch of wires that went to the voltage regulator has to be addressed. also I must change to Negative ground but I know that is really not a big deal, the ammeter and a couple of other components, I have the plan here somewhere. I have moved the new radiator forward with the help of some custom hardware you will see so the yellow fan has clearance. I had three used fuel tanks that I kept washing and staring into with a flashlight trying to pick which one and then finally got my credit card out and bought the new aluminum one you can see sitting in place, It has a fireproof blanket behind ( in front ) of it and a new aluminum bulkhead behind the rear seat. So the slow restoration continues held back of course by time and money but It's great fun, couldn't do it without y'all very best Dawn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 Hmmm, I am wondering how long before those welded on tabs on the top of the radiator snap off ? Bob. P.S. Looks lovely though, great work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 Beware the securing tabs on the alloy fuel tank fracturing in use. In it's original design the fuel tank is used as a stressed member by the bodyframe helping to strengthen the rear of deck sections and the rear of the cockpit. Some of the alloy tanks are known to fracture in use the alloy tabs not liking all the pushing and pulling across the body as the body flexes. There has been a thread on the forum about it probably in the last couple of months, try a search under alloy fuel tanks. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted August 21, 2016 Report Share Posted August 21, 2016 .....Have a look through here http://www.tr-register.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/58742-aluminium-tank/ Some last forever and others less so. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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