Rectangular cooling pipes instead of round...

[danielzijlmans]

Hi everybody,

I'm doing some major work on my GTD. This is regarding the coolant pipes from the enginebay to the front. Prior installed were 2 Stainless steel pipes on the lefthandside of the car. I'm also converting to lefthanddrive so the shifter will become in the middle. The idea is to make one pipe on the lefthand side, and one on the righthandside. Instead of a round pipe I would prefere a rectangularpipe so I can put more isolation between the pipe and the interiorside. (5cm instead of 2cm) the inside diameter of the pipe was 10cm2. A rectangular pipe has a little more resistance, so they say, so I want to use a rectangular pipe of alluminium 8 x 2 cm (inside). the ends will have round fitting, which ofcourse have a gradual flow. Then, further to the front, where the interior becomes more narrow, instead of going inside with the pipes I want to go outside to the front wheel area. I want to install the pipe just below the upper arm, and when I pass the steeringhouse, I will go back inside and connect to the radiator. Of course the frontwheel wont be able to touch the pipe. I see a lot of advantages, less sharp curves, more room for isolation, lighter due alloy instaid of SS, in the wheel area extra cooling, more space at foot end, etc etc. What do you guys think??? Good Idea or not? Please your reaction.

Daniel

[Tommy]

mine are square and only go round the last 6" from the frame for the hoses to attach and really gives a clean mount underneath. i left my digital at work or would take a foto for you. as for liquid flowing better in square tube, it think that is poppycock.

[Phil]

Daniel
Tommy is correck about the flow....the only thing I can say about the square tube is that it has about 40% more inside area than the round (size for size), also think about the problem of bending that square tubing. I have dies that bend it quite nicely, (Pricey), but you cannot bend the square tubing on a random axis, only in 90 deg rotations, this is where round tubing shines as any axis is possible.
Hope this helps
Phil

[lotus]

hee daniel, nog steeds bezig? mbt leidingsweerstand heb je in theorie gelijk als de doorstroming gelijk blijft heb je met een vierkante buis meer leidingweerstand (de oppervlakte van de wand) maar met een grotere doorlaat doe je dit weer teniet, denk er wel aan dat je doorstroomsnelheid sterk verminderd als je je buisinhoud vergroot wat niet gunstig is voor je koeling en overgangen van dik naar dun en omgekeert leveren ook weerstand op. maar met jou vermogen moet dit geen probleem zijn, je pomp vraagt gewoon wat meer pk's, het belangrijkste is je doorstroomsnelheid gelijk te houden. succes

[danielzijlmans]

Thanx guys for your reply! Luc, leuk weer wat je te horen, bedankt voor je reactie.
But..... as builders know... plans are changed again. I started with plans for a new pedalbox, new brakingsystem, widen the rims, new motor and gearbox... So I started stripping, and stripping... didn't like this.... didn't like that... Guys, There is nothing left in the car, everything exept the mainbody and the fueltanks are left!!! haha. Some pedles and a bikechain and I have a nice flinstones car!!! in the length of the car in the center I will make a new chassis square tube. Both coolantpipes will go inside, next to each other, the left over space will have a extra alloy pipe( just for cabling, braking line, that sort of stuff, just in case) and filled with isolation material. Instead of the metalsheet botomplates(where the seats are at) I will welt small square tubes(in the width of the car 25/25mm. Some will be crossover. Then from underneath a complete new botomplate. Then between the tubes isolation material and a upper alloy plate. The coolant pipes are now in between the chassis tubes in the center of the car, like an original right??? I'll shoot some pictures to vieuw the process, this will be so awsome!!! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hi Daniel

We moved the pipes to run down the centre of the cabin, one above the other. There is only one fuel tank, down the LHS but it is wider than normal, filling the space the coolant pipes normally occupy. Thus:

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Subsequently, we moved the engine feed pipe by fitting pipework behind drivers seat (hidden by a panel). This was done as we now run a dry-sump and the nose of the pump was too close to the existing pipework. (oh, and there is no measured increase in cabin temp as the pipes are well lagged with some very effective insulation Roy sourced - in fact you can put a torch on one side of it and not feel any heat on the other!) Thus: