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donfaber
Don Faber
Terra Alta WV
(117 posts)

Registered:
10/31/2007 10:53PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB 3.9L Rover V8

authors avatar
Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: donfaber
Date: July 12, 2024 09:30AM

For better summer cooling - is there an alternate water pump or thermostat to consider? Im also considering re-coreing my MGB stock radiator. Things are fine until temp runs above 80 degF


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2482 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: mgb260
Date: July 12, 2024 07:25PM

Don, What fan do you have? 180 thermostat would be good. Have you looked at a 65 Mustang radiator?


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4559 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 14, 2024 10:07AM

As Jim suggested, better radiator & better fan.


donfaber
Don Faber
Terra Alta WV
(117 posts)

Registered:
10/31/2007 10:53PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB 3.9L Rover V8

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: donfaber
Date: July 16, 2024 07:05PM

Guys - I have what looks like a 12" Corrpeggio (about 10 years old) pulling fan installed on the engine side of the radiator, I don;t know the capacity and am looking for a better one. Thanks for the tip on the 180 deg thermostat.


donfaber
Don Faber
Terra Alta WV
(117 posts)

Registered:
10/31/2007 10:53PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB 3.9L Rover V8

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: donfaber
Date: July 16, 2024 07:23PM

is the 65 Mustang radiator a good fit (close)?


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2482 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: mgb260
Date: July 16, 2024 07:37PM

Don, It is longer and you may have to trim brackets and redrill. The V8 one has both inlet and outlets on passenger side. 6 cylinder has top inlet on passenger side and bottom outlet on driver side. Can't beat the Volvo fan.

[www.ebay.com]

[www.therangerstation.com]



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2024 07:50PM by mgb260.


donfaber
Don Faber
Terra Alta WV
(117 posts)

Registered:
10/31/2007 10:53PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB 3.9L Rover V8

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: donfaber
Date: July 16, 2024 08:42PM

Jim - I need to see your car(s)! My son lives in University Place - we come out 1 or 2 times a year!



mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2482 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: mgb260
Date: July 17, 2024 10:45AM

My cars are basket cases. Life keeps getting in the way. Glad to help others though!


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4559 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 17, 2024 03:02PM

We certainly appreciate your help over the years. You are a walking hot rod encyclopedia of gearhead knowledge!

Aren't you planning to retire before long?


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2482 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: mgb260
Date: July 17, 2024 03:43PM

Carl, been retired for 4 years but working on home improvement projects and a few health issues for both the wife and I. Helping the grandson on the MGB restoration and haven't even started on the Sunbeam.


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4559 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 17, 2024 06:40PM

Ah, time flies. I thought you were still working out of town.

After my dad had been retired for awhile, he said that he didn't know how he found time to work. :)


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1384 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: July 17, 2024 09:19PM

Hey Don,
The engine bay on the B's are tiny and once you get it filled with a big V8, headers, filters, hoses, accessories etc. It becomes really tight.
All that air that comes through the rad has nowhere to exit.
With that in mind , an air dam or spoiler will help to give a low pressure area under the engine compartment. Hood vents will help, but they need to be well forward of the high pressure area in front of the windshield. Wheel well vents help as well. These will also pull heat away from the exhaust making the cockpit more comfortable. You get the idea, port and polish the engine compartment.

Live like you mean it
Fred


turbodave
dave cox

(194 posts)

Registered:
04/30/2018 03:00PM

Main British Car:
SD1

Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: turbodave
Date: July 19, 2024 02:55PM

I have a 3/4" thick single row radiator from a 1999 Nissan Maxima in my Rover and never have cooling issues. I am using the stock Nissan fans as well - I find that OEM fans / shrouds are almost always superior to anything else available.
That said - I agree that it's all about airflow thru the radiator, especially in a B

If you want the best cooling system, take a look at the CWA200 brushless electric pump, using the TinyCWA PWM controller from Tecomotive. This is a brilliant setup that uses an automotive OEM pump, and the controller will control the motor to achieve the desired operating temp. It also has settings such as fan output, and a "cool down" to slowly circulate the coolant an turn the fan on/off as needed to avoid heat soak.


donfaber
Don Faber
Terra Alta WV
(117 posts)

Registered:
10/31/2007 10:53PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB 3.9L Rover V8

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: donfaber
Date: July 30, 2024 11:29AM

Lots of good info - thanks!


MGBV8
Carl Floyd
Kingsport, TN
(4559 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 11:32PM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: MGBV8
Date: July 30, 2024 11:45AM

Another option for removing heat from the engine compartment if not using fenderwell exit headers (RV8 style) is the method used by Kurt Schley. He cut an opening in the fenderwell by the header.

Not a very good pic, but hopefully you can see the wire mesh he used to cover the hole. Works due to the wheel well being a low pressure area.



BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6507 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: Cooling 3.9L V8
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: July 31, 2024 10:55AM

I still favor the "use a a bigger radiator" approach and probably always will after seeing how it handles the output of the 455 and the 340. You can easily make the radiator too small but can't make it too big.

The MGB will accommodate a surprisingly large radiator without all that much effort and without compromising the structural integrity of the front of the car and the bumper supports. This is more than can be said for the "notch the frame" approach, something that creates a weak crumple zone at the radiator and can lead to destruction of an otherwise repairable car after the cost of new fenders and pulling the tub straight plus a new radiator is taken into account, damage that might have been avoided with a stronger frame section.

The approach is a simple one. Using 1/16 wall x 2" square tube and telescoping 1-7/8 square tube for the bumper stubs, the frame extension is laid below and along the line of the inner fender flare outwards to the margins of the grille opening, tied into the inner fender with extensions up and down followed by a lower crossbar to tie the two sides together. I find that 1 x 2 rectangular tubing works quite well here, up to 1/8" wall thickness depending on your desire for more or less substantial radiator protection.

This allows the use of up to a 17" x 32" generic (Summit) crossflow radiator and a late Camaro dual 2 speed fan assembly, cost for both around $250. 16x32 would be an easier fit of course. The slam panel may need some modification but making it removable is not difficult. I've had replacements made in polished stainless bent by the local sheet metal shop based on a bent wire pattern that I provided and been quite pleased with the result as it dresses up the engine compartment nicely.

For the bumper you simply include parallel forward pointing stubs, weld the telescoping pieces to the bumper support brackets, trim off the excess, plug those in and use a cross-bolt to secure them. A bolt tube is a good idea to prevent collapse of the square tube but this can just as easily be a flat piece welded inside the telescoping section. I like to weld a nut on the opposite side for the bolt to thread into as well just to make bumper removal and install easy.

The result is a strong front structure that protects the radiator from curb damage and an end to overheating concerns. As always with these cars, strong consideration should be given to the use of a surge tank to remove air pockets from the system. I recommend a 1 gallon capacity tank located on the passenger's side shelf with vents to the system high points and a drain to the pump inlet. Heater return can also go to this tank.

It's the ultimate solution for any high powered MGB. We've been running this system on the Roadmaster and my roadster for over a dozen years now and overheating is simply not a concern no matter the conditions. The RM has AC and barely hits midrange on the gage.

Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2024 11:01AM by BlownMGB-V8.


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