Mid- Engine Modified Sports

[manta22]

My back has been hurting for the past few days so I've been working on the computer, creating a wiring diagram for what I've done so far.

Our New Year morning was greeted by a half- inch of snow! OK, yoopers- I know it is hardly any at all but we don't see much of the stuff here in the desert.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Hey, Neil -- what a coincidence.  We got about a half-inch of snow today, too.  just (barely) enough to cover the dirty snow and the sand on the roads.  It's pretty, isn't it?

[manta22]

It is, Jon but we're not used to getting snow. Have you ever seen folks running around trying to build a snowman with 1/2" of snow?

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Milwaukee Midget]

Neil -

What program did you use to create your schematic?

I wound up using the Ticonderoga #2 method, but yours is a lot easier to read.

It is, Jon but we're not used to getting snow. Have you ever seen folks running around trying to build a snowman with 1/2" of snow?

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

A number of years ago, we had a friend come live with us for about 6 months.  Raised in Georgia, moved to Seattle, and wound up operating a barbecue joint in Ho Chi Min City - an interesting story arch, in and of itself. 

A smart guy, but unfamiliar with the ways and appliances of the Great White North. 

He spotted our snow blower in the corner of the garage, and asked if it was a wood chipper. 

Happy New Year.

[manta22]

Chris;

I used the same software that I use for my electronics design consulting business-- TINA Industrial v9. It is an analog circuit simulation program but it also includes a very easy to learn and use schematic drawing feature. It is a SPICE based program but it has been thoroughly modernized.

There is a free version called TINA-TI that you can download free from the Texas Instruments website www.ti.com. It is a limited version but is still quite useful. It's library of components is not as large as the commercial version but I could have drawn my wiring diagram with the free version except I would have had to create my own symbols for the lamps & motors. There is an Insert feature with Shapes that you can use to create geometrical shapes.

Sometimes I use TINA or TINA-TI simply as a drawing tool to create circuit diagrams.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

Yesterday I ran a radiator vent line back to where the header tank is located. The radiator air purge fitting is a -4 AN but it seems that no one makes a -4AN to 1/4" Nylo-Seal tubing adapter but in searching the internet for one I found that someone had used his 37 degree flaring tool to form a flare on his nylon tubing. He found that if the end of the tubing was heated, the flare remained permanent. I tried it and it seems to work but I've also ordered a couple of adapters to go from -4AN to 1/8" NPT and 1/8" NPT to Nylo-Seal. It is not as straightforward and clean- looking as simply flaring the tubing and using a -4 AN ferrule and nut. I'll think about which I'll settle on using.

I'm trying to decide whether to run my tach output signal from the Crane HI-6 CD ignition box to the SW tachometer in miniature coax, RG-174/U, or in a twisted pair shielded cable. In a mid- engine car this wire is longer than it is in a conventional front- engine car so I am concerned about extraneous noise pickup on this line causing erratic tach readings. Any suggestions?

I ran a woven sleeve over the wire bundle that goes from my instruments and switch/breaker panel back to the engine compartment. It tidies up the appearance and allows additional wiring to be added or subtracted- unlike cable lacing (which looks great but takes a lot of work). I added a few cushioned clamps to support the wire bundle.

The 14V #382 lamps arrived in the mail yesterday so I'll replace the #327s in my lighted indicators today.

I'm still undecided about installing electric radiator fans. The big fan I was planning to use was simply too tall to fit under the sloping nose of the car so I foraged in my stash and found 6 smaller fans that could work; they are 13.8V 2 amp Nidec TA600DC fans rated at somewhere between 240 and 300CFM free-air delivery. An array of 6 fans should move enough air to cool the radiator in the pits or on the return road.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Wow - cable lacing.  I remember seeing the instructions for it in the '62 ARRL handbook.  I never tried it -- shrink tubing and now zip ties worked for me.  But I've got a NC183 upstairs and it's all cable laced inside. Sure looks nice.  Go ahead, Neil -- do it for the sake of beauty - to show the youngsters how nice it looks.

[manta22]

Jon;

A National NC-183! I had an NC-98 when I was on the air as DL4CU back in high school. I always liked National stuff. The big geared knob of an HRO-60 was the epitome of receiver tuning. I never owned an HRO, though... snivel.

Maybe I'll haul out a roll of waxed lacing cord just to see if I remember how to do it. 

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Hijack haters -- bear with me as Neil and I talk about ham radio stuff for a minute.

When I was a high school freshman Dad made a deal with me -- if I built, from scratch (no kits) a novice transmitter and got it working he'd buy me a receiver.  I built a 15 watt peanut whistle out of that '62 Handbook -- and he bought me a used HRO 50.  It was way better than I knew how to use -- but it was good for me to learn.  Oh, do I wish I still had that receiver.

[manta22]

"Oh, do I wish I still had that receiver..."

I'll bet!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

I still don't know if I'll really need a fan to cool the radiator but I thought that now is the time to fabricate one- just in case.

I decided to use an array of six small 12V fans and this made it necessary to cut 6" holes in my aluminum shroud. I made a circular gizmo out of 5/16 aluminum plate. on one end I drilled a 3/8" hole for a pivot bolt and 3" away from that I drilled a 7/16" hole that fits my rinky-dink Harbor Freight plasma cutter. The arc distance is set by a stack of 3/8" washers. After the pivot bolt is fastened to a center hole, the torch is placed into the 7/16" hole and the arc is run around the pivot. Voila! a nice big hole is cut out.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

The fan panel is almost finished; I still need to run the wires to the barrier strip. I did the usual 2- part zinc chromate primer and assembled the ribs with 1/8" Avex rivets.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Milwaukee Midget]

Neil -

I love the repurposing aspect of this, but it's got me pondering.

Just did a bit of math - you're pulling about 1500 CFM with this setup, which is about 500 cfm more than a single 10" electric should pull, and your total fan area is about 216 sq in vs ~79 for a 10".

I guess my question is this - is this going to be flush up against the radiator?

If it's a 14x21 opening (approximate), you've blocked off about 1/4 of the radiator and limited quite a bit of passive heat dissipation.  If it is, I suspect the shrouding may actually inhibit air that would pass over the fins unassisted, and the fins that are being locally cooled by the small fans may be cooled beyond the capacity to dissipate heat.

Maybe? 

Of course, it's all a grand experiment.

As usual, I certainly can't fault the craftsmanship! 

I downloaded the TINA program - Trying to find a program to open it - thanks for that tip!

[Finallygotit]

Neil, I tend to agree with Chris on this one.  I think you will be doing more harm than good with that set-up.  YMMV

Dan

[manta22]

Chris;

When you downloaded TINA-TI you should probably have received a zip file that includes an executable installation file. Unzip & install.

Yes, there won't be as much air running through the radiator at speed but we'll see if that becomes a problem. No, the fans aren't right up against the radiator; that would block quite a bit of area and the vibration would eventually wear a hole in a radiator tube. I have about a 1" standoff that provides a plenum so that air does flow through all of the radiator area, but it is faster directly under each fan.

A 10" fan has an area of only 78.5 sq in but the flow rating of automotive electric fans is suspect. I think the CFM rating is probably done with a #2 Ticonderoga pencil by marketing types. Note that flow vs pressure curves are rarely provided, unlike industrial fans.