Dual radiators on a sandrail 2.3L turbo. Is it functional?

[database00]

So I see this everywhere But it is not street legal.

Hoping not to obstruct my view Iam thinking I would like to make it street legal. Not to mention see behind me.


Pair of these to cool my 2.3L turbo lima motor?

Thinking of doing something like this on both sides

Use something like this

Would this work?

Is it dumb to put 2 radiators increase your chance of something going wrong.
Leaks from jumping sandrail?

[di11ard]

Lol. The first picture isn’t dual radiators. It is one radiator + intercooler (for the turbo).

Yes, you could run dual radiators. Yes, more possible places to leak.

[Vanapplebomb]

I think the original poster was saying that he seesrails with a single fullsize radiator blocking the rear view, so he want to use two smaller radiators so that it doesn’t look like the above pic with no rear view...hence not being street legal a lot of places.

I think it is a good idea to break it up into a couple smaller radiators. Actually, I’m surprised I haven’t seen more people do that. Certainly would be easier to tuck a couple smaller ones out of the rear view than or full size radiator, that’s for sure.
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1800 Type 4 Berrien 295

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=487021

[pullstart]

For flow quality, I'd think running 2 rads in series would be better than parallel with that Y connector. I have a Honda Civic aftermarket half rad and it cools my 2.5 Subaru just fine. I'd imagine two would keep it plenty happy on the gauge pod!
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4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[PhillipM]

Parallel is much better than series, you've got more delta-t across both coolers and less flow resistance.

[Q-Dog]

I would like to know where it is illegal to have an obstructed rear view? It certainly isn't illegal anywhere I have been. As long as you have a mirror on both sides of the vehicle you do not have to have a clear rear view.

The partly obstructed rear view is the reason why VW convertibles got mirrors on both sides while hardtops only got a mirror on the driver side.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[database00]

I think I might have been mistaken on illegal. I had remembered reading to make a custom vehicle street legal requirements rear view mirror was a requirement. Along with wipers and windshield. But i just reread it said you need 2 mirrors even if its one on each side of vehicle.

And yes I am talking about wanting to see out the back instead of a giant radiator obstructing the view.

So would the Y thing worrk or running in series?
Running in parallel is with the Y thing correct?

Was also debatting on electric waterpump

[dustymojave]

The 70s would certainly have been vastly different if a blocked rear view was a legal problem. So MANY vans. Who and what would Eric Estrada have chased on the show CHiPs? What would the TV studios have had to crash into the back of other cars and barrel roll up in the air and burst into flames for no apparent reason other than false excitement? Not to mention all the local delivery box trucks and semi trucks that don't have rear windows.

I don't like the radiator in the "back window" But I don't see it as a legal problem.

One car I worked on years ago:

was built with 2 VW Rabbit radiators to cool its 410ci Chevy race engine. These pics show the plumbing for a parallel setup.

I think it should serve for a 2.3 turbo motor.
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Richard
Offroading VW based cars since 1965
Tech Inspection 1963 - 2012 SCCA/SCORE/HDRA/MORE/MDR +
Retired from building Bajas, Fiberglass Buggies and Rails in the Mojave Desert. Also Sprints & Midgets, Dry Lakes, Road Race cars. All types New and Vintage
SoCalBajas Member
Kicked Cancer's A$$...1st and 2nd round...Fight ain't over yet.

[database00]

awesome exactly what I was looking for, in a few weeks I will be mounting the motor and transmission so I will figure out how much room I have.

[pullstart]

Richard's picture brought up a great point, something that would make me easily retract my previous statement. In the plumbing industry that "F" shaped outlet in front of that beautiful SBC would be called Reverse Return plumbing.

https://www.pmmag.com/articles/100205-when-and-how-to-use-reverse-return-piping

if you were to run two radiators this way, you'd have as equal flow as possible. The Y will allow the path of least resistance whereas reverse return will promote even flow.

Reverse Return in water heating allows for even usage of two tanks, even if the capacity is not a match because the water pipes dictate the even separation.
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4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[database00]

Wow alot more to this then I was thinking.

would it still matter if the y parts I was installing used same length of tubes?
Was just thinking 1 tube from motor into splitter then 1.5 foot of tube into radiator, then out 1 foot into y adapter back into transmission.

That was the thought atleast.

[database00]

Or are you saying the y into radiators is fine but an F on the return will allow better even flow?

[pullstart]

An F coming from one direction and leaving the other direction is the key to making the manifold dictate flow rates through the heat exchangers (plumbing) or radiators (automotive).
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4 seater Appletree buggy, road legal with 002 IRS, 3x3 Appletree kit, 6" over Dan's beam with 10" towers and Fox 2.0 shocks, '00 Subaru EJ25 with KEP stage 3 clutch and KEP adapter plate.

my build page: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=662104&start=0

[pullstart]

[cbeck]

Wait a couple years and of will be your doc asking about even flow
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779