Downflow Aluminum Radiator for 948-1275 Engine Sprites

BEST SELLER!

This is THE most recommended upgrade we make. This aluminum radiator, which comes with the proper 5-7 lb cap and a metal petcock, mated with a plastic 6 blade fan have time and time again proven to be the most effective way to keep your Sprite or Midget running cool. 

This is a 2 row aluminum radiator which we have put on a high percentage of the 400+ Bugeyes that we've sent out into the world, including my personal car "Gumby", my wife's Bugeye "Egg", and the cross-country we built named "Ducky" which has driven from Connecticut to Washington state (4000 miles) numerous times, once with a 948 engine, to name a few. 

Installation Notes:
- Other aluminum radiators come with higher PSI caps (somewhere around 15) - these caps will stress your cooling system, and you may end up with coolant leaks from the weakest link in the system. Get this radiator and use the proper 5 lb cap that comes with it. 
- Occasionally there are problems with the temperature probe for your gauge not seating well with this radiator, thus causing leaks. We see this on a fraction of the cars we install these in, but if you're a lucky one who is experiencing this problem then you need the temperature probe adapter with the sealing washer.  
- After you install your radiator, make sure to confirm that the top of your radiator is not hitting your bonnet. In some situations, particularly if your car has old crash damage, your radiator may sit a little too high and can dent your nose if you don't check inside the wheel well to make sure you have an air gap between the top of your radiator and your bonnet. If you do have this problem, you may need to put a spacer between the uprights and bottom of the radiator as well as a spacer on the top bolts to slightly tilt it. 
- Every Bugeye Sprite that we’ve ever seen has had some form of front end damage and if the frame horns get bent the radiator support towers will also bend which can sometimes lead to radiator fitment issues. When installing, you may have to bend cut weld drill elongated and or otherwise fabricate a solution if the previous damage is fairly bad, but in most cases, this is unnecessary.

When removing and replacing your radiator, there are a couple of other components you should consider replacing while you're at it. These bits include: the radiator hoses (upper, lower and bypass hose), the heater valve components, and the fan blade to a plastic 6 blade; check your water pump to verify it is in good working order, and check your thermostat. 

Additional Notes: 

Original Bugeye radiators are getting pretty old these days and their cooling efficiency is generally somewhat diminished. Even after a good flushing, the capillary tubes are usually somewhat coated with deposits and so they don't cool like they did when they were new. Air in the original Sprite cooling systems (unlike sealed modern designs) contributes to corrosion and reduced efficiency. Aluminum radiators just work better because they offer superior heat transfer.

You'll notice we are not huge fans of electric cooling fans. We have found these to be wonderful for slow speed parades or in traffic but in most cases, they seem to block air flow at speed and REDUCE radiator efficiency. We feel that the best line of defense is the best radiator with an upgraded engine driven fan.

Your Sprite operating temp should run at about 180 degrees (or less). It may climb to 200 in traffic, sometimes a little more. Temp gauges are sometimes inaccurate, best to check with a handheld IR thermometer to confirm accuracy.