The V8 Owners Forum -

Iv got a rv8 in the front with a large custom radiator seams to be working fine. I have a water leak from under the water pump. No space for long bolts on water pump so not fitted. So my plan is to fit a new water pump with new bolts and gasket re fitting the radiator in the boot any help on fitting the radiator in the back would be fantastic

You are gonna need some big fans on the rad, and some good ducting.

Why do you want to move the rad out of interest? The front is a good place for a rad!

Chris.

You are using the P6 water pump ?
Couldn't you move the engine back ?

I have a water leak under the water pump. The water pump had to be removed to get the radiator in. The radiator sits about 15mm from the end of the water pump so no room for long bolts on water pump Whitch is why it's leaking. Moving the radiator will make room to fit the correct bolts on the water pump.
Mabe removing original water pump and fitting a modern electric pump would be better ????

So you've got to drain the coolant to change the water pump. So why not remove the rad, fit the water pump + new gasket properly, including all bolts. Then drop the rad back in?

But to your original question - Ian Anderson on here has a GT40 with front rad / rear engine which is close ish to what you are asking. I don't know if he has had trouble with that or not.

Chris.

Chris
GT has the radiator up front with good nostrils to allow the rad air to exit over the bonnet and windscreen

There is more drag ofnthe water pump belt to move the 13 litres and getting it moving takes a lot of squeeling but once moving does not appear to have any ill effects, although I am sure water pump life will be reduced.

Big thing with a rear rad is getting enough cool air in and hot air out.
Rule of thumb is 1/3 rad area as inlet and2/3 rad area as outlet areas

Huge fans will be required unless ducts are excellent sand no low speed driving is dine

Ian

Rear rads are quite popular in off-roading (keeping the mud out). My friend had his rad in the back and seemed to have no-end of trouble with it. It seemed to be a pig to bleed the air out and as noted you need to good fans and ducting. I would be the first to admit that said friend didn't have good fans, didn't duct it and the general health of the whole engine was marginal.

If I ever did it, I would be attaching the fans to a sealed duct around the radiator rather than direct attaching to the rad itself, which reduces the throughput no-end.

We've got a Healey V8 in the Modifieds club with the rad mounted where the boot floor was. Low pressure under car helps suck through the rad. Needs good sealing and decent vents into boot area though.

It's easy on a land rover, but maybe not so on a car? For a start, a typical racing 4x4 gets it's air over the cab. Or like mine, have no windscreen...
Assuming you can get air to it, then the rest has been covered above with 1/3 inlet ratio and good fans.
I'll add that mines been on there since the mid 90's and worked fine. I currently run two header tanks, where the rear one has the rad cap and I have a good bleed/filler point at the front as well. Another trick is to use metal pipes (I use 38mm steel exhaust pipe) as the extra surface area off-sets and pumping losses. My main fan is a large Kenlow sucking fan in a proper sealed ally air box and two spal pushers are on a thermo-switch with their own air box sealed with foam strip. I can expect a draw of 40 amps when it's all running. (which is rare). It's no light weight install once all the nits are added up! So the electric water pump could easily be your best bet given your problems?