Attachment of water pipes inside bottom tunnel

[RZSR X]

Paul,

Those pipes would only work for those drilling out or cutting out the entire box under the X. The bends and flanges would prevent their use in the push through method that we are discussing here.

And I for one am not removing that box!

 

[Ulix]

Well, you could cut the new pipes in the same spots I did, or possibly even only in the rear.

 

[dcioccarelli]

Well, you could cut the new pipes in the same spots I did, or possibly even only in the rear.

Hey Ulix,

that was my plan. Based on your experience removing your pipes, how easy would it be to insert new ones, with the front bends intact? I'm thinking that they could simply be inserted with the bends rotated downwards at 90 degrees and once they are through they could be rotated back to the normal position?

Cheers,
Dom.

 

[Ulix]

Hi Dom,
Yes, that should be possible, but you would have to cut open the metal loops that hold the pipes in front of the tunnel and reweld them after inserting the pipes.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

Has anyone attempted to remove/replace the smaller "heater" tube this way (pulling out from one end without opening-up the box)?

 

[darwoodious]

It won't work. It is bent at the forward area and runs up thru the tunnel to feed the heater valve.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

It won't work. It is bent at the forward area and runs up thru the tunnel to feed the heater valve.

I guess that should have been obvious...I didn't think it through. Thanks. However that will mean having to remove the tunnel cover to access it.

Wonder why did Fiat put the two heater tubes in different locations rather than running them together?

 

[lookforjoe]

Wonder why did Fiat put the two heater tubes in different locations rather than running them together?

Space? Based on the first pic, you couldn't fit 4 pipes neatly in the under-floor box.

 

[Dr.Jeff]

I have not opened the tunnel to see just how everything is situated, but it seems the two smaller pipes could be placed one on top of the other vertically. Basically in the same position as the existing one but stacked. This would be about the same height as the larger pipe diameter. Being a "heater" supply, there would be no real down-fall with the two running next to each other, like say the AC hoses where the heat exchange might decrease cooling performance. Naturally the shapes of them would require some changes, which would be easy to do if replacing the tubes with newly fabricated pieces. But I'm just speculating. If I wind up opening the tunnel on mine I will look into relocating both heater tubes in there, in an attempt to remove all heat sources from the interior space (i.e. the spare tire well, etc). It also seems that would make for a much cleaner install with the heater hoses running parallel from under the car up to the engine; especially if the attachment from the water pump return tube was on the right end of the tube, near the one for the other hose. Again, just throwing out thoughts.

 

[dcioccarelli]

Another take on the coolant pipe replacement from the guy (Franco) who produced the stainless steel pipes that I bought. Photos are from his car...

 

[ng_randolph]

Dom, how was the bottom of the tunnel re-attached? Welded?

 

[RacerRon]

Water pipe solution for an X race car: http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/other/1451509518/1451509518lf.htm
Not a very elegant solution in having the braided hoses exposed for a street car. I would think the the diameter would be too small, plus braided hoses and AN fittings are not cheap.

 

[Ulix]

Aren't those two hoses for the oil cooler?

 

[lookforjoe]

Aren't those two hoses for the oil cooler?

They certainly are way undersized for coolant.

 

[RacerRon]

Aren't those two hoses for the oil cooler?

I could be but hat is a long way for the oil to go to the front and back to the engine.

 

[Rupunzell]

That is a Mocal oil thermostat in the picture. Those are oil lines.

We run really long oil lines in the Rotary powered exxe. They go from the engine to a ex NASCAR oil cooler (30" x 19" x 2" core) then to the front oil cooler via tubes on the bottom where the coolant tubes once lived, then oil filter than back to the Rotary.

Picture of the LeMons exxe at Thunder Hill about apex. Note chassis-suspension behavior at-near traction limit.

Bernice

I could be but hat is a long way for the oil to go to the front and back to the engine.

 

[lookforjoe]

I notice the mushy caster rod bushings are deleted - are those rigid mounts instead? Or is there still some give with a poly bush in there?

Bernice

 

[kmead]

I notice the mushy caster rod bushings are deleted - are those rigid mounts instead? Or is there still some give with a poly bush in there?

Doesn’t look like it. It looks like a pretty direct connection. Compliance and quiet are not the hallmark characteristics of a race car

 

[Rupunzell]

Going way off topic...

There is no rubber or polyurethane in the Roto LeMons X suspension, the suspension joints have been converted to precision spherical bearings. It is not possible to hold precise suspension alignment with compliant bushing in the suspension. These are the front "castor rods" or part of what makes up the front lower A arm.

The spherical rod ends are 7/16"x 20 tpi. The stock rod is drilled and tapped to accept these rod ends. The PBS modification of these same rods call for external threading the stock rod to fir a 5/8" rod end. This is not a good idea as external threads are far more prone to result in a stress riser at the thread's shoulder which can result in a part failure and the 5/8" rod end is heavier than a 7/16" rod end. The 7/16" rod end is more than strong enough for this part of the suspension. Bolts used are common generic AN-7 aircraft bolts with prevailing torque nuts (not shown in this pix).


Bernice

 

[Ulix]

Bernice,
Does a rotary race engine always require this much oil cooling capacity?