small radiator problem

[aamiraijaz]

I have a suzuki alto 796c with the F8b engine. It has a very small radiator which does not work in summer. There is no space for a bigger rad. What can i do.

[UncleBob]

don't know much about that car specifically, but usually an overheating problem is due to a part failure, not poor design (well, you could argue one leads to the other, but thats besides the point)

In other words, you should figure out what is causing the overheating, and not assume its simply due to too small of a radiator. Could be a partially stuck thermostat, poor performing fan, blown head gasket, restriction in the system.....many things can cause it to only overheat in the summer

[aamiraijaz]

Dear sir i have consulted lot of workshops and the suzuki people they all say there is nothing wrong with any part but the radiator itself.

Is there a way i can speed up the fan would it help?

Or if i install an oilcooler?

Thanx for the sincere reply.

[Moppie]

As bob said, there is something else wrong with the system, simply putting in a bigger radiator will not solve it.

You need to find out why its over heating, if a mechanic has said its because the radiator is to small, then you need to find another mechanic.

[aamiraijaz]

I talked to the Suzuki Guy (the expert) he said since these radiators are for non airconditioned model intended for normal use they dont work when an after market ac is intalled or the car is driven hard or modified etc.

What do u say know??????

[slideways...]

call an aftermarket radiator company such as koyo or something, give them the maximum dimensions that will fit in your car, and see if they have any part numbers that match that size.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by aamiraijaz

I talked to the Suzuki Guy (the expert) he said since these radiators are for non airconditioned model intended for normal use they dont work when an after market ac is intalled or the car is driven hard or modified etc.

Some information that might have been useful to know from the beginning perhaps?


Any good radiator builder/repairer will be able to either install a bigger core, or fit a whole new radiator.
Ask your mechanic who gets to rebuild his radiators, and go and see them.
Also check your local directories, unless your in a very un-populated part of the world, with no local industry, there will be someone handy.

[GreyGoose006]

in the short term, you still might want to check the thermostat.

[UncleBob]

a common upgrade when converting from R12 to R134A was to add a push fan to the outside of the radiator/condensor combo.

[72chevelleOhio]

Originally Posted by aamiraijaz

It has a very small radiator which does not work in summer.

What temp does it go up to? Does it have a light or a gauge for temp? Have you verified with a temp gun or manual gauge that it is overheating? Is the antifreeze mixture correct? IF it is actually overheating, you could try some "water wetter" of another coolant additive to bring the temp down.

[curtis73]

One of several things could be happening, and I think that the above responses are all valid. Its quite possible that the stock radiator wasn't effective enough in the first place, but you can do things to help.

If everything is new or in perfect operating order, you can try changing the antifreeze mix from 50/50 to 70/30 (more water) to help cooling in the summer. Adding water wetter or another surfactant will help keep the water in contact with the surfaces of the water jacket and help cooling. Using a smaller water pump pulley will do two things; speed up the water pump and speed up the fan (if its a belt-driven fan).

But, anything could be wrong with any part. The water pump could be eroded and not pumping well. The fan clutch may not be engaging. The radiator may have crusty corrosion inside. The thermostat may be sticking closed. The internal passages of the water jacket may be excessively rusty. The fins in the radiator might be bent over.

You may not have any room to go bigger size with the radiator, but usually you can go thicker. If your current radiator is a 2-row, see if one of the many aftermarket companies makes a 3-row. If all else fails, you can have a radiator shop build you one to fit your needs. You can also add a helper fan (as has been mentioned) or maybe an aftermarket hi-flow belt driven fan.

Whatever you do, don't try to fix it with a lower-temp thermostat. That won't do any good.