Why can't radiators be moved under the body?

[winkosmosis]

Turning hoses into heatsinks doesn't really make sense. You'd be bleeding heat to the cabin and the chassis, and only a little because a hose doesn't have much surface area. You could maybe decrease the size of the radiator by a few percent, so why bother?

[winkosmosis]

Here is my idea. I'm sure it's been done.. It's just a radiator in the form of a heatsink. The thin fins flow air much easier through them and the stream can be reintroduced to the airflow

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

Here is my idea. I'm sure it's been done.. It's just a radiator in the form of a heatsink. The thin fins flow air much easier through them and the stream can be reintroduced to the airflow

I'm no thermodynamic expert,but my thought is that the heatsink would not provide enough surface area to transfer the heat flux from the engine.I believe this is why the industry has ended up with today's radiators,with enormous surface-area do to the "maze" created by the corrugated fins,with their attendant turbulence-induced high transfer coefficients.---------- Optimized conventional cooling systems have no drag,parts are easy to get,and are relatively compact.

[Sunwapta]

Don't mean to flog this one to death but it seems to me that you could put an even larger radiator under the pickup bed than you could put in the front of the truck (maybe some towing advantage) and since you have even less heat flowing past the cabin, from the engine compartment, there might even be some benefit there.

Other considerations: You might need an electric fan integrated into the belly pan.
It would shift a bit of weight to the rear of the truck. Long durable lines and possibly an upgraded pump might be required. The returning coolant might be slightly cooler than a front mounted radiator. Sleeker, lower front end designs might improve front end safety (if hit pedestrians), among other things.

[Frank Lee]

"Sleeker, lower front end designs might improve front end safety (if hit pedestrians), among other things."

Like this?



D'oh! Front radiator!

[Snax]

I think that's a perfect example of a combination "pedestrian launcher/windshield wiper wedgie giver".

I'm sure that much could be learned from Porsche on this issue however.