3" radiator too thick??
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3" radiator too thick?? I think my radiator might be too thick. I have a 22x19x3" radiator and a single 2500cfm fan. Last year I was running a 29x20x5/8" thick radiator and one of the two shitty stock 350z fans and the temps never went over 190*. Now the car doesn't seem to wanna stay cool and I can barely feel air coming through the radiator.
With or without the 160* thermostat the temp never gets below 180* and in order for it to stay at 180* I have to be on the highway going at least 80 (The air has to travel through a 4" intercooler then throug the radiator). and it will slowly heat up as the night goes on. I was thinking about switching it out for a 24x19x2" seeing as it might be easier for the fan to push air through it...what do you guys think?
With or without the 160* thermostat the temp never gets below 180* and in order for it to stay at 180* I have to be on the highway going at least 80 (The air has to travel through a 4" intercooler then throug the radiator). and it will slowly heat up as the night goes on. I was thinking about switching it out for a 24x19x2" seeing as it might be easier for the fan to push air through it...what do you guys think?
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yeah that 24x19x2" seems more logical, like you said it would be easier for the fan to pull air through. also i know it may sound really retarded but i have been guilty of this
...just double check to make sure the fan is pulling air and not PUSHING air. when we installed the e-fan on my '68 rs/ss we followed the directions in the kit to the T, but the directions were wrong and we ended up with a backwards flowing fan 
and we were completely stumped as to why the bitch kept running hot...till one day i popped the hood with the key still on and i felt hot air rushing through the grille hitting me in the leg.
but yeah if thats not your problem then a slightly thinner and wider radiator SHOULD do the trick. in theory anyways.
...just double check to make sure the fan is pulling air and not PUSHING air. when we installed the e-fan on my '68 rs/ss we followed the directions in the kit to the T, but the directions were wrong and we ended up with a backwards flowing fan and we were completely stumped as to why the bitch kept running hot...till one day i popped the hood with the key still on and i felt hot air rushing through the grille hitting me in the leg. but yeah if thats not your problem then a slightly thinner and wider radiator SHOULD do the trick. in theory anyways.
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its funny you guys say that cuz I wired my fan up the way they told me to and I tested it out before I ever started the car and it was backwords. plus I double checked with a spray bottle of water and it was sucking air in so its the right way.
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I haven't even gotten into boost yet. Even with the car parked sitting the temps go up..no matter what I do they go up..even took the thermostat out and it actually got a little hotter. Theres absolutely no room in my car to fit anything else so I can't really move the IC. Only thing I can do is get the thinner radiator and try a bigger fan.
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Verdad Gallardo TECH Addict
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From: Texas/Afghanistan
got any idea what kind of shape the WP is in? my old mustang gt did the same thing(or very similar at least). although it wasn't boosted, but i found out AFTER i blew the motor and bent a couple valves that the WP was shot.
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From: Texas/Afghanistan
yeah i don't have too much experience with ls WP's(at least not as far as durability goes). it was just a random thought, maybe something to research before you drop money and time into it.
