Radiator Alignment / Fouling Bonnet

[BarryG]

Having owned my TR4a now for about 3 months I am gradually working my way around the car that has clearly had very little use over the last few years

 

I have just had my radiator re-cored as it was leaking in two places, I noticed that the bonnet strengthener was marked at the point it touches the radiator.

 

I read with interest in other older posts and apologise if this is repetition. So far I have had most success by removing the rubber spacer under the radiator, however although not as tight the radiator still touches the bonnet on closure. I have also tweaked the radiator side bars to pull the radiator back.

 

I like the suggestion by TR4Tony about "check that there are shims between the body / chassis mounts". This sounds like the best option in that it would raise the front of the car up, however is there a recommended thickness for these shims and would it have an impact on the next chassis mounts along? I have checked and there seems to be very little or no shims at all at the very front and reading the various catalogues adds further confusion as there seems to be mention of metal plates should supplement the rubber/canvas pads.

 

Also does there have to be any rubber spacers under the Radiator, could it not just be bolted, or would this cause damage?

 

I have also read that there was a problem years ago where a batch of radiators where constructed with the side lower brackets being welded 1 inch too low, in order to check this does anyone know what the correct position should be?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Barry

[Tr4Tony]

Barry

 

The top most part of your radiator (ie the filler cap) should be about 1 inch clear of the bonnet strengthening bar. The bottom of the radiator should be about 1/2 inch above the stone guard in the chassis. Many radiators have the mounting brackets welded in the wrong place, but the radiator should fit this's vertical hole unless it's very badly sized.

 

Check these measurements and see where it's been pushed up. If there are rubber washers or shims remove and drop the radiator. If it's just too big yiu may need to replace it.

 

The worst scenario is that the chassis mounts have been replaced and / or incorrectly welded on, meaning that this needs to be rewelded.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[stuart]

I usually come across this when the body has been off and the wrong amount of body shims have been fitted.It very often shows up a s a rub mark where the overflow exits the neck of the rad. Check that you have at least 1 thick rubber shim at the front and a couple of thin rubber shims and an ally spacer on the turret support mount.

Stuart.

[BarryG]

Thanks for your quick replies Tony and Stuart.

 

I have just finished checking the points raised by Tony. Yes the rad cap is about 1" behind the front strengthening support that runs along the front edge of the bonnet. The rad is actually rubbing on the top nearside up against the bonnet stiffener that runs from the front to the back of the bonnet.

 

After checking the stoneguard (which has clearly taken a knock sometime in the distant past), If I assume that the stoneguard is straight then the gap would be about 1 1/4". I guess this indicates that my rad is one of the suspect ones with the side supports welded too low down?

 

I have also looked at the chassis mounts which all appear OK.

 

Stuart, looking at the very front chassis support the spacer that is there is probably no more that a couple of mm, so would you suggest increasing the shim thickness here, is it a 'suck it and see' or is there a maximum thickness I can go to? Not up with the correct terms yet but when you refer to the 'turret support mount' - is this the mount the rad is bolted down onto? You are right when you say the body has been off, this was done about 15 years ago so I have been told.

 

I guess it is all going to come down to a spot of fettling.

 

Once again thank you both for your advice.

 

Barry

[RogerH]

Hi Barry,

It is also possible to fit the wings a little on the low side and this would put the bonnet lower.

 

However it would put your 'A' post door gap out a bit

 

Roger

[stuart]

The turret support mounts are the ones in the engine bay behind the spring turrets, You do have to be a bit careful with increasing the shim height too much as it can upset your door to wing gap. You wont need a lot of lift to give you sufficient clearance.

Stuart.

[Les Millington]

So that's where my bonnet vibration has been coming from!

Had a wee bit of vibration since I've owned the car but nothing too obtrusive. Various bits of rubber here and there did nothing to alleviate it, so just too just took it to be one of those quirks.

Came to fit a new aluminium radiator from SC Parts this week and suddenly the bonnet won't close. Found that the new radiator header tank is making contact with the longitudinal bonnet stiffener. Looking at the old original radiator and the bonnet stiffener, both have wear marks that would be consistent with them making contact and vibrating against each other.

If it was somewhere else I would use a hammer to increase the gap but the bonnet stiffener is curved out and looks perfectly designed to make contact with the radiator. I've tried using the thinnest rubber mounting pads for the radiator but the shape of the aluminium header tank, whilst it is tapered, it is nothing like as tapered as the original. 

As this conversation took place over 10 years ago I wondered if anyone had any newer solutions. I'm wary that altering turret support mounts and body shims may be beyond my capabilities.

 

Les

 

[stuart]

14 minutes ago, Les Millington said:

So that's where my bonnet vibration has been coming from!

Had a wee bit of vibration since I've owned the car but nothing too obtrusive. Various bits of rubber here and there did nothing to alleviate it, so just too just took it to be one of those quirks.

Came to fit a new aluminium radiator from SC Parts this week and suddenly the bonnet won't close. Found that the new radiator header tank is making contact with the longitudinal bonnet stiffener. Looking at the old original radiator and the bonnet stiffener, both have wear marks that would be consistent with them making contact and vibrating against each other.

If it was somewhere else I would use a hammer to increase the gap but the bonnet stiffener is curved out and looks perfectly designed to make contact with the radiator. I've tried using the thinnest rubber mounting pads for the radiator but the shape of the aluminium header tank, whilst it is tapered, it is nothing like as tapered as the original. 

As this conversation took place over 10 years ago I wondered if anyone had any newer solutions. I'm wary that altering turret support mounts and body shims may be beyond my capabilities.

 

Les

 

Im afraid you have a TR4 bonnet, the longitudinal bar thats rubbing was moved over on the 4a when they went to the different width radiator. The only thing to do would be to unpick it from the front end and move it over so its the other side of the left hand hole in the cross member in the picture.

Stuart. 

[Les Millington]

44 minutes ago, stuart said:

Im afraid you have a TR4 bonnet, the longitudinal bar thats rubbing was moved over on the 4a when they went to the different width radiator. The only thing to do would be to unpick it from the front end and move it over so its the other side of the left hand hole in the cross member in the picture.

Stuart. 

Wow, this car certainly keeps on giving. 

Stuart, thankyou very much for that information, I'll see what can be done and report back

Les

[Malbaby]

Is there enough space under the radiator to move the side brackets up, hence lowering the radiator.?

[Les Millington]

Apologies for the delay in coming back to you. I've got really thin rubber washers to go on the mounts and this already makes the top hose incline downwards towards the radiator. I'm exploring all options but suffering from lack of time/ability to implement them.

 

Les