REFLECTOR: V-6 Radiator System

[dmartin@cougar.netutah.net (Dennis Martin)]

David:

A Fluidyne engineer (Ontario, CA) designed my system.  He made two aluminum
racing radiators designed for each of my wing roots.  I used Alan Shaw's
(Wingco) design for wing root installation.

Fluidyne insisted on two things:  First: Make the cores big and wide.  I
have three cores (each almost one inch each) running horizontally for a
total cooling area of 3 inches across.  Second: Capitalize on the cubes.
Wayne's right about cubic inches.

Basic engine/cooling specs for my 173 Elite:

All aluminum Chevy V-6 (350 HP estimated)
4.5 liter (Not same as 4.3 Vortec)
Dry sump oil system
Fuel injected

RADIATOR
Length: 18" from tank to tank
Height: 6"
Width: 3 1/2"
Fin Area: 5 3/4" high X 14" long X 3" wide
Cost: $300 for each radiator

Fluidyne's phone:  888 FLUIDYNE

Tim England, the Canadian V-6 Velocity builder told me that my system may
be excessive.  My reply:  I want excess since most all - I take that back -
all V-6 and V-8 auto conversions I've seen or read about have cooling
problems.  Although well designed, Tim's plane boiled over during taxi at
Oshkosh last summer.  I want excess cooling for excessively hot summer days
and long taxi situations.  I also put a full size air conditioning core in
the nose with 3/4" braided, teflon hoses with AN fittings.  This will be my
heater.  It also provides more redundancy since a full-size fan will cool
it during taxi and dump the hot air out in the summer.

Good luck with your Mazda, and it sounds like you're doing some very good
preliminary research.

Dennis Martin