anyone recommend a high quality alu rad for a 2001 mpi sei sporting?
Technical high quality rads?
- Thread starter ronnieronson
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Technical high quality rads?
AFAIK, the originals were aluminium. Don't get the high quality bit -- original should be plenty good enough unless you've tuned the gonads off the motor (and "high quality" would be a one off). Try Fluffy the Impaler on ClubCento.
OP
OP
hmmm okies, so standard aluminium is the order of the day then.
The engine is pretty standard- induction, kv85 leads and champion eon plugs.
Think the rad needs swapping out- original is a tad battered. Gonna swap the thermostat out while im at it.
It just puzzles me why the mpi engine seems to require the fan so much more often than the spi ?
The engine is pretty standard- induction, kv85 leads and champion eon plugs.
Think the rad needs swapping out- original is a tad battered. Gonna swap the thermostat out while im at it.
It just puzzles me why the mpi engine seems to require the fan so much more often than the spi ?
It shouldn't really. The MPI rad is a touch bigger than the SPI.
I'd try the thermostat on it's own (they're much cheaper!) and maybe some of the radiator flushing stuff your local factor will sell you (followed by a reverse flush of engine and block).
I'd try the thermostat on it's own (they're much cheaper!) and maybe some of the radiator flushing stuff your local factor will sell you (followed by a reverse flush of engine and block).
OP
OP
Got a new themostat already - just havent got round to fitting it, and since a few of the fins on the rad are a little bent I figured I might as well do it at the same time...
My 899 rad fan only ever used to come on after a motorway blast in the peak of summer, but the sei likes her fan on (once up to temperature) whenever I stop in traffic - been in cinqs and spi sei's and not seen this happen, but Rusty's Sei does the same thing as mine, and his is Mpi... kinda figured it had something to do with that?
Will try the thermostat 1st, and see where I go from there
First off, what are you meaning by spiking? On for a few seconds then off, or a +30 second burst of fan usage? An MPI is more likely to spike the fan than the SPI due to the fact the ECU drives the fan taken from the engine temp sensor, this temp sensor responds quicker to temp increase because it's reading its temp in the engine rather than taking a short trip to the rad and getting cooled down a little bit before being read by the temp sensor.
As said get flush the system properly with a rad flush. While you're here take the front tube off the water pump and have a look at its condition, if it looks a little grotty I'd have it changed too.
I'd also get your self a temp gauge, I'd recommend Revotec for an electrical gauge and racetech for a mechanical one. As you've got a new stat you may be best off getting the new stat housing drilled and tapped for a temp sensor/capillary take off.
As said get flush the system properly with a rad flush. While you're here take the front tube off the water pump and have a look at its condition, if it looks a little grotty I'd have it changed too.
I'd also get your self a temp gauge, I'd recommend Revotec for an electrical gauge and racetech for a mechanical one. As you've got a new stat you may be best off getting the new stat housing drilled and tapped for a temp sensor/capillary take off.
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Shop for parts were the cheapest I found for the rad. You also get a FF 10% discount. They are also genuine MM part which is a bonus
KRistian
KRistian
OP
OP
Well basically it's on for +30 seconds, or until I start moving again.
Was planning on having the water pump off while I'm doing the stat, but as for temp guage - already running one tapped in near the stat on the rad hose - car hits a steady 90 degrees and stays there - never seems to get any hotter, so temps don't worry me too much, but would just prefer it if the fan didn't cut in so damn often!
If the ecu drives the fan, would it not be plausable that there's an open / close circuit switch somewhere that sends a signal back to the ecu? - if so would it maybe be possible to swap this with a slightly more tolerant one?
Nice oneShop for parts were the cheapest I found for the rad. You also get a FF 10% discount. They are also genuine MM part which is a bonus
KRistian
- got a crank sensor and some other bits from them recently, and was well impressed with the service (though I wish I'd known about the FF discount )
The ecu takes it's cue (or, at least, one of them) from a temperature sender.
But everything seems in order. There's really no point in spending money on a radiator.
Have you sorted the brakes and clutch out yet?
But everything seems in order. There's really no point in spending money on a radiator.
Have you sorted the brakes and clutch out yet?
OP
OP
Yup - was passenger side caliper sticking, prised it free and cleaned the mechanism - seems to be alright now.
As for the clutch, it seems to be on it's way out, but have adjusted the clutch cable and it feels like it's stopped fouling now - so downchange gremlins are almost eradicated.
Only other major thing that remains is the rough (and now rather low rpm) idle - waiting to get a spare MAP from steely to see if that makes a difference.
All being well, she seems to be on the mend - Only a broken headlamp, and a miscelanious interior trim (probably parcel shelf) sqeek to sort - and in about 3 weeks its gonna be time for the grand unveiling of something I've been fairly quietly working on
