TS6

iTrader: (41)

I removed the A/C condenser, and even installed a pusher fan in its place. I wired the fan on a relay and a switch inside the car. Its maybe 78 degrees right now, and as long as I'm doing 45+ it'll sit at 180. As soon as I slow down or stop, it starts climbing. I was at 200 with 3 ******* FANS running, which of course the electrical system just loves. I installed a yellow top battery in the car, hoping my voltage would stay up at idle. Yeah, right. As soon as I caught a red light the idle dropped to about 800-900 and the volt gauge dropped (verified by the scan tool) and it started heating up. Oh, I didn't mention the voltage dropped w/o the auxilary fans on, just the EWP, single 16" fan, FP, and whatever the ecm/injectors draw. What is the deal with my electrical system? I tried to measure my amp draw the other day but my amp clamp said like 1.657 volts. Must not work on cars?

So, any other brilliant suggestions? So far we have installed:

EWP
3 fans-the ATI fan, a second puller on the ATI shroud (9" Spal), and a pusher (14", maybe 1000 cfm cheapie). Yes, the fans are going the right way. I promise to backhand the first person who asks if the fans are wired backwards. I'm not an idiot.

Aluminum radiator, filled mostly with distilled water. Also added some Royal Purple ice ****. No air in system, and its full.

Removed A/C, no help what-so-******* ever.


Yes, the airdam is on. The A/F ratio looks fine, and I highly doubt the tuner made the timing so bad its overheating from that. Given that the car will cool at 45+ MPH speeds, airflow seems to be the issue. How I can get more airflow in there is beyond me. I could install a bigger pusher fan up front, but as it is the alternator can't keep up. The one I have pulls just over 10 amps according to the box.

I really don't expect anyone to have a useful suggestion, I've searched through every ******* thread about ATI cooling issues, I've done it all. I'm ready to sell this thing. I should have left it alone running 11's all day N/A and just suffered getting my *** whipped every once in awhile. There is no point in having a fast car that you can only drive in 45 degree weather. I'm sick of watching all my buddies with slower cars get to cruise all over with no problem, and its not even hot out yet. Once it hits temps in the 90's, I'm surely fucked.

Rant over, I'll be outside kicking my car if anyone needs me.

Nine Ball

iTrader: (38)

you mention aluminum radiator, but is it big enough to handle the combo you have? On a previous car (434ci 10.6 ET car) it would overheat with a stock radiator and all I did was put a larger one on and problem solved.

Also, are you sure your EWP is keeping up? Maybe time to go back to the belt-driven one. How is your tune? Running lean will make the engine run hotter too.

EXGTPMAN

try removing most of the water and run a 50/50 mix of antifreeze. i read somewhere that water alone doesnt work well at disapating heat from an engine. just my 2 cents.

HUNTER02SS

iTrader: (24)

You must have a simple solution to fix it. I have stock fan's on my setup with 0ver 800rwhp and I can sit in traffic for 4 hour's and it do'e's not over heat.
Go back to square 1 and start over with the cooling issue.It is probably something very simple.

jeffboy757

iTrader: (14)

yea could be something really simple. you didnt mention a thermostat? if you remove it, water may be flowing thru too fast to actually get cooled

Gold Phoenix

iTrader: (1)

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but are you running a thermostat in the water pump? If you left it out completely, there is no flow control and the water will cavitate creating hot spots. Also, how is the wiring of the fans and EWP? Are the ground connects from the component and the battery good? Are the wires large enough to handle the load? Just some other things to check.

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

Sounds like the water pump can't keep up at low speed/idle situation.Also straight water isn't the best.Antifreeze does help an engine run cooler.

I would probly put on an evans overdrive water pump.Can't garrenty it would work but that would be my next move.

98turbls1

iTrader: (17)

Also have you tried the "water wetter" stuff... I hear really good things about that and I put some in and it does help control the temps pretty well but it never gets too hot in San Diego either... Good luck man...

JMBLOWNWS6

iTrader: (17)

You have failed to mention which EWP you have. Are you running a race version (35gpm) which flows less or a street version(55gpm).

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

i have a question.you said u have the air dam on the car.....that mean at the bottom or at the top of the radiator.i had the bottom on and not on the top and car would do exactly what ur describing about speed and staying cool.i put the top shroud on and viola fixed my problem.also what stat is on the car is it sticking?

TS6

iTrader: (41)

It has a 160 stat in it now.

I do have a belt driven pump I could try, and I'll probably step up to a 180 stat. This car will never run 160 unless its below 60 and on the highway, so I might as well slow down the water flow to help it actually cool off in the radiator.

I run a fluidyne radiator, and honestly, its the same size as stock. It is thicker, but not a monster. I am thinking that since I removed the A/C I can fit alot more radiator in it now, maybe a thicker one would help? Who makes such an animal? Be Cool has one that is a little thicker, but I want the biggest I can fit. I might try the stock water pump just to alleviate some of the load on the electrical system.

As far as being something simple, no, its not. I think having a bigger (408 iron block) engine is just alot more to cool. The ATI shroud compounds the issue. I'll probably ditch the shroud if I change the radiator.

You turbo guys with stock fans have no issues because you can use the stock fans. Its really hard to beat the stock fan/shroud setup.

As far as the other suggestions: It does have some antifreeze in it, its good to 20 degrees or so, if that tells you anything. I had more antifreeze in it before, didn't change anything. A/F at idle seems fine. Anywhere from 13 to 15.x to 1. It bounces around.

I don't know about the evans pump, sure is pricey for an experiment. Maybe I should just go Evans pump and coolant? I have searched on the evans coolant and only found a couple guys using it. No FI guys as I recall.

Maybe a bigger radiator is the answer, it surely can't hurt and I can probably recoup most of what the Fluidyne cost me. Its only got a couple hundred miles on it, if that.

Off to find the biggest radiator that will still let me close my hood!

TS6

iTrader: (41)

I have the stock airdam and the ATI upper shroud. I think alot of the issue is that at low speeds/idle, its pulling hot air from the engine bay instead of cool fresh air. I tried making some shrouding to block it off, but it didn't help.

Stat is fine, runs perfect in cold weather. If it were sticking I'd think it would overheat ALL the time.

Thanks guys, at least I can come here and bitch! I drove it to the gym and lifted some weights, still pissed off though. Decided the tires must pay for the cars crimes.

qqwqeqwrqwqtq

I do think your problem is airflow, and if that's the case a thicker radiator will only hurt you rather than help you as thicker heat exchangers are less efficient to begin with.

Have you tried the stock radiator?

Quickin

As soon as you took the factory shroud off you caused the problem. The fans are useless without it. When you start moving, the air damn causes just enough ram air to drop the temps some, but you're still not getting proper air-damn air-flow through the radiator like it should be. You come to a stop and the fans are then resonsible for 100% of the coolant cooling, but with an improper shroud, the fans are useless. Now you just have a chunk of iron circulating hot water/coolant gettimng hotter and hotter. If the t-stat doesn't get a chance to close you're screwed.

Thats what I think it is, if you know everything else is working like it should.


.

TS6

iTrader: (41)

Yeah, I was on the stock radiator originally. I switched to the Fluidyne to try to help.

How can I get more airflow? I mean ****, I have 3 fans on there, which kills the alternator at idle. I need to find a smaller alternator pulley or something to help with that.

Should I be running a 160 or 180 stat? I doubt the car will ever run 160, 180 is where it needs to be I think.

TS6

iTrader: (41)

I agree. Unfortunately, with my FMIC theres no way that shroud is going back in. So maybe its not so much a lack of airflow cfm, rather its a lack of cool air? Just looking at it I can tell its gotta be circulating air from the engine bay through the radiator at idle.

I'm so confused. One guy says bigger radiator, one guy says thinner radiator, and everyone makes sense . One guy said he modified his stock fans to fit with the ATI system, he's supposed to get me more info on that.

THE_SUPRA

i dont think admins like "****" in the title...

TS6

iTrader: (41)

Eh, tried to edit it, can't.

topend

Howabout ignition timing??

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

i run a 160 stat and the car stays about 180-190* most of the time.if u cant use an LS1 top radiator shroud what about an LT1 radiator shroud,it bolts right up.