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A number of things contribute to cooling
efficiency, e.g.; fluid capacity, fin design, material, etc. Zionsville
Autosport's Alloy Radiator has a core thickness of 33 mm. It is important
to note that core area takes priority over core thickness. As a general
rule, the core area in square inches should be greater than the engine
displacement plus fifty. For example, the 3.2 S52 motor is approximately
200ci. In order for a radiator to efficiently cool this engine, the core
area should be at least 250 square inches. The surface area of ZA's Alloy
Radiator is 374 square inches.
ZA's Alloy Radiators also use a high efficiency core similar to a stock
radiator. High efficiency cores have more fins per inch, more tubes per
core and more cooling capacity. Each row has a single, large tube. The
flat side of the tube is in direct contact with the fins which transfers
heat from the tube walls to the fins. Since the rounded ends of the tube
are not in direct contact with the fin, this portion of the tube does not
aid in secondary cooling. The more tubes per row, the more rounded ends,
and the less direct contact there is between the tubes and the fins. ZA
uses a single tube for better heat dissipation.
Cooling improvement also comes from larger radiant surfaces on the
tanks. The alloy tanks themselves have a high level of thermal
conductivity which helps to dissipate heat into air instead of back into
the engine. In addition, the tanks on ZA's Alloy Radiator are larger than
the tanks on a stock radiator. This results in a 65% increase in coolant
capacity.
Empirical data speak to the efficacy of the Alloy Radiator. ZA's Alloy
Radiator has been installed in front of super-charged and turbo-charged
engines and has performed superbly. They are running in the hottest parts
of the country - from California, to Texas, to Florida, in both street and
race applications. ZA's Alloy Radiator also survived the twenty-five hour
enduro at Thunder Hill. According to the driver, the radiator performed
"flawlessly."
The E30 Competition Cooling Kit is
designed for race applications where temperature management is even more
critical. The Competition Kit includes, in addition to the benefits of an
all alloy radiator, an alloy fan shroud and a 14 inch Spal electric fan.
The alloy fan shroud and electric fan work in concert to provide maximum
cooling efficiency. Simply hanging a fan on a core won't do. The airflow
must be directed through the entire core area, not just directly in front
of the fan. The latter approach limits the effectiveness of the core.
Essentially, it reduces the core size to the diameter of the fan. Not
a good practice. The alloy shroud in combination with the electric fan
creates a low pressure area in order to direct airflow over the entire
core surface.
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