Building Endurance - Performance Radiator Kit R&D, Part 4 - Primary Production Sample
PERFORMANCE ALUMINUM RADIATOR KIT, FITS TOYOTA GR SUPRA 3.0L, 2020+
When it comes to athletes, it's all about continuous improvement. Tireless training, coupled with the latest gear, ensure that athletes stay on top of their game. When it comes to the petrol-powered athlete that is the A90 Supra, the Mishimoto primary radiator is essentially a combination of the two, building the car's endurance with a shiny new piece of gear. Before we dive into how the new radiator performs though, let's take a look at our primary radiator production sample.
The most obvious improvement over the stock Supra primary radiator is the total lack of plastic on the Mishimoto replacement. As we covered in the last post, we ditched the plastic end tanks in favor of an all-aluminum design. This construction method significantly improves the radiator's durability by replacing the crimped-on plastic end tanks with TIG-welded aluminum, minimizing potential future leak points. That also means every connection and mounting point is supported by aluminum, rather than plastic, for a sturdy connection.
The real MVP of our new design is the radiator's core. While the length and height dimensions have remained the same, we added 10mm of thickness to the core. This extra thickness equates to a 31% increase in core volume, a feature that is imperative to heat dissipation. Our engineer, Jason, also made vital adjustments in the fin design that allowed us to pack in more fins and bump the external fin surface area by 57%.
We also added a few features below the radiator's surface that will contribute to performance and make the core stronger. First, we carried over the use of louvered fins from the stock radiator. These fins amplify the radiator's heat transfer, so we made sure to keep them in our primary radiator.
To reduce the effect of chassis flex on the core, we improved our core's rigidity by incorporating strutted tubes. These internal tube supports prevent cracks by helping the radiator resist twisting under heavy driving conditions, such as track days or ripping through the back roads. Without these strutted tubes, any chassis flex would pass through the radiator, weakening the brazing over time.
As the primary radiator continuously improves, so does the rest of Team Supra. We have our fresh new auxiliary radiators in the R&D facility as well. Make sure to check those out here and stay tuned for our full cooling system's dyno testing.
PERFORMANCE ALUMINUM RADIATOR KIT, FITS TOYOTA GR SUPRA 3.0L, 2020+
Thanks for Reading!
-Nick