To my Dolomite I have successfully fitted a Saab 9-3 radiator
(well actually, it is pretty much the same as a 99, 900, 9000 etc radiator !).
However I have not finished the installation since I have yet to fit a fan or finalise the bottom hose design, but
given the discussion in THIS RESTORATION THREAD I consider my posting at this time to be worthwhile.
I bought the radiator from a local motor factor who price was no dearer than mail order but gets next day delivery.
Why change the radiator?
A Dolomite radiator is adequate for the vast majority of use but its weakness is on long climbs, particularly when slow
moving (thereby having slower airflow through the radiator). The temperature will rise to reach halfway on the gauge, then on the descent quickly drop back down.
Looking at the engine bay, there is ample room for a wider radiator, so what to use....?
Obviously I am not alone in thinking there is room for improvement.
Other radiators used that I have found reference to include Mitsubishi Gallant, Volvo 740, Porsche and THIS FORD FIESTA DIESEL.
The first three are taller but not really any wider so I dismissed them. The Fiesta radiator needs to be installed upside down
and takes a fair amount of adapting to suit a Dolomite and the photos of these I have seen left me unsure of the LH top hose's 90 degree elbow.
The Ford radiator has over 20% more surface area than a Dolomite's and at 500mm is some 60mm wider to.
My internet search produced a few candidates but I homed on on THIS ONE, which I calculated was as wide as a
Dolomite can accept and very usefully had the correct spouts including the RH vent. It has over 30% more surace area and at
1.8 litres, 50% more capacity.
I would have liked to have studied a Saab first, but after some thought I bought a 9-3 radiator, anyway.
(Since then I have spotted a 9-3 sitting covered in moss in a street I often walk along, but on the other side
.)Here is the radiator
and with an 1850 radiator for comparison
The radiator installed....
The top LH hose needs extending. Simply cut and fit a 32mm alloy joiner.
Note that there is no distortion of either elbow.
I shortened the spout to make it approximately the same length as a Dolomite one.
The top RH hose consists of a length of 16mm bore hose connected to a cut 11mm 45 degree elbow.
I have allowed for movement of the engine so as not to strain the connections.
With the belt driven fan and pulley assembly removed there is ample room for an electric fan.
The only alteration to the bodywork I made was to cut the lip on the inner front panel (as indicated)
and tap down to make room.
The Saab radiator comes with a whole variety of fixings, a lot of which need to be removed to make it fit.
For attachment to the Dolomite I used simple brackets onto the bumper fixings.
The wiring across the front has to be re-routed a little (easy to do) and the battery needs to be about 10mm or so
further back (I drilled a new whole for the back threaded bar, again an easy job).
I haven't settled on a design for the bottom hose yet. The one I am using at present is okay but can be improved upon.
Aside from the lack of belt driven fan noise, things are as before.
The engine takes the same time to warm up and runs at the same temp gauge position
(which is not surprising since it has a thermostat
).It'll probably be next summer before I get a chance to test out how it does on the long climbs.
Given that slant four engines were used in Saab 99s, using a radiator for a Saab seems appropriate?
... Still Sprintless.
and I would need to trade in
.
.