My LUMP , like most of them I guess, has the engine set to the rear of the engine bay. This leaves a lot of real estate between the front of the engine and the radiator. On many cars there are various bolt/clip on covers that enclose that area from underneath. On mine its all air. Can someone confirm if anything exists there in an unmodified car.

I have a small problem with fine dust on a short section of road before I get onto the bitumen, even though the fan is well cowled I stir up a lot of dust under the engine bay. I'm also thinking I may just toss the fan clutch arrangement and go to an electric fan (I certainly have the room for it).

 

The space you have on your lumped car would have been occupied by the rather lengthy Jaguar XK engine. Of course with a V8 now fitted you only have to fit in 4 cylinders front to rear instead of 6. Jaguar never fitted any undertrays or other cowling to the cars until, (I think), the XJ40 series of the XJ saloon, and maybe not even then. Of course later on these undertrays became common fitments; I have one on my X350 XJ6.

 

Steve, there is a metal stone guard fitted, extending from the front valance, but it's only about 8" deep. If this isn't on yours, and since the mounting points/bolts should be there, it may not be too difficult to fab up a homemade under tray?

Cheers,

 

The pic:

BTW, I have the electric fans as you know, but I haven't experienced the standard cooling fan on this car to compare. The electrics definitely keep the temp where it should be.

 

Thanks for the responses guys. I think the best approach will be to go electric and then see if its worth going the next step to close things in a little (assuming I could come up with an effective design). That will at least remove half the problem as a thermo fan will be doing zero while the engines cold as I leave.

 

But the other half of the problem will still be there when returning home after a good thrashing.
I had a look at a lump a couple of weeks ago and there is a massive hole between the radiator and engine, unlike mine.

 

Yep there is a lot less hardware in general, especially if you have a plain vanilla single carb version, and no smog stuff.

Will be interesting to see what the airflow does when the fan is bolted to the radiator, and I guess how often it runs.

 

Do what I do to all mine, 3 cans of degreaser and a hose once a month(or gerni). Whether it needs it or not.
Makes for fairly clean hands when going in deep is required. Matters not that her indoors doe's like the smell of degreaser! They get used to it after 25 years.

And Elinor, I know this won't offend you because you probably love the smell anyway.

 

Yes, actually, I do. It's the smell of Clean!
I especially like the smell of a hot engine after it's had such a bath.
(';')

 

My lump is LT1 powered. The front engine mounts can be bolted on in two patterns.
The kit I used called for the forward pattern. Effectively, the engine was furthest back.


Engine to radiator space. Yes, but not inordinately so? I used a goodly portion of it for the two Efans and their shroud. They are controlled by the PCM. I am quite pleased with them. They usually stay off. but, on hot days at idle or in slow traffic they will fire up. First one, then closely followed by the other. The interval is so short so as to be virtually meaningless.


I seldom if ever get on dirt or gravel, so under pans are not a needed.


I don't wash my engines. In pre electronic days, yes, a lot. too many sensitive electrics under the bonnets of either of my cars. I just wipe down what I can reach.




Gotta study up on testing water heater thermocouples. Or just get another one!!!!
The latter not my usual style.


Carl

 

Just get another one, Carl, quite trying to test the thing.
Been there, tried that, was a Complete waste of time.
It's not like they're expensive or anything, and the most common failure of any such equipped appliance.
(';')

 

LnrB:


True, they are not. If I did figure out the test, it would probably be bad and I'd be on my way to where I am going to go in a bit anyway!!!


More like curiosity. Heat creates a minicurrent. It in turn allows a gas valve to open and remain so. It looks like a simple little copper tube. so where and why does it get the property of creating a current?


Or, "it is not for me to reason, why, but to do"!!!!


Thanks for the kick in the pants, I'll get on it.


Carl

 

Not sure if your LUMP is a typically hot running engine Steve, but from what I've gathered along the way with the S3, the XK does (more so than the AJ16 did in my X300). My fans come on a lot, even in cooler ambient temps. Doesn't bother me since they are doing the job, but I guess in an inherently "cooler running" engine the fans should kick in less frequently.

Cheers,

 

At the moment it locks on to a bit above 85C and just sits there pretty much. Might go up a couple of degrees a hot day with the a/c on continually. Part of why I have left it and put up with the dust a few months of the year, Ive been a bit reticent to dump a very functional low tech system.

 

OK. Mine sits on just a smidge over 90, then the fans are pretty constant...