Overheated my RB25DET, what should I be checking?

[240z4u]

MAJORLY overheated. I knocked the damn harness loose for my e-fan turn on switch when I was d!ck around with my TPS. Sitting in traffic I glance town to see my needle BURIED. I knew I was screwed, and I was stuck in traffic. I shut her down, and restarted to get moving again. Water temp was 143c. Don't ask HOW I didn't know. Car was idling perfectly, and no steam from underhood. I knew things were bad when I heard a BOOM, and coolant shot out from under my hood and on my windshield. The top of my KA radiator split in half.

Well, I now sheepishly come to you guys for some advice. Car still runs perfectly, no water in the oil. I got water on everything and hosed it all off here at home, so I don't want to pull plugs for a compression test until tomorrow. Is there anything else I should be looking for?

For the life of me, I have no idea why this thing didn't just blow up on the spot. Maybe its because I put ARP head studs in and everything stayed together.

Thanks guys. I will be ordering a radiator tomorrow.

Evan

[Coolwhip]

damn man, that sucks. Well, you might want to double check the engine after you get the new radiator installed and check if then it mixes or blows compression through the cooling system.

Check under the oil filler cap for water droplets (on the actual cap).

Do procced with a compression test.

Double check all your hoses, and do a pressure test to make sure that it was a hose that gave and not something else. Could of been a freeze plug that shot out as well too. Run through the whole setup and double check everything.

And those ARP's must of helped prevent your head from floating and blowing out that gasket.

GL

[240z4u]

Dude, you don't understand. It blew the entire f-ing top off the radiator. Ill pressure check the rest of the system after I get it running.

No water droplets anywhere in the motor that I can find. I gotta take a picture of this, its definitely a statement to an ARP stud set.

Evan

[gawdzilla]

happened to my cousin's sti this weekend at the track. built motor, overheated while running it hard and blew the endtank of the radiator out the side. motor ran for a bit but when he tried to start it again after cooling it off it just cranks and puffs smoke. HG blown and heads are warped most likely. then again that motor is glass.

in your case i'd pressure test the coolant system, do a leakdown test (or compression test). if everything turns out good, consider yourself lucky. you may not have hurt much since you were just idling it and slowly heating it up. if you were running it hard and blew something the temps would have really gone through the roof.

btw are you running an aftermarket high pressure radiator cap? theres a reason i don't believe in those..

[crakin]

Good luck hope you didn't break anything major. It'd be a shame.

[240z4u]

Stock radiator cap! I haven't had a working fan since sunday!!

I think my ARP studs may have saved my ***. Yes it was idling as temps climbed so that was good. I had it shut off when it exploded and puked coolant all over the road and my windshield.

Eva,

[Neejay]

Damn man. Definitely keep us posted.

[kouki-gymkhana]

Haha, I beat you man! Shortly after I finished my swap I was driving down the highway at about 65mph when I heard a "pop." I didn't think anything of it at the time but as I glanced down at my temp gauge I noticed that the needle was quickly rising and then it quickly fell to "C." Puzzled, I checked my rear view mirror only to see a huge cloud of smoke pouring out behind me. As I slowly came to the realization that ALL OF MY COOLANT WAS NOW GONE, I tried to pull over ASAP but the damage was done. The SOB shut off and I coasted to a stop on the shoulder of a busy highway. I didn't have a true temp gauge, only the OEM one in the s13 cluster, so I don't know exactly how hot it got but it got hot enough for the ECU to shut down the motor.

Damage? One toasted headgasket and a slightly warped head. Took me 1+ year to get it back on the road!

[240z4u]

Did your radiator pop? Mine sounded like a shotgun. Sounds like you didn't have the cooling system bled. If I had been rolling at even 40mph nothing would have happened.

Car still starts and runs fine. I ordered a Mishimoto radiator. I am actually starting to feel a bit guilty for buying these knockoff parts..

Anyway, I am going to run through it tonight to make sure everything is still good. I am also going to build a shroud, I don't want to mount my fans directly to the radiator this time. Half my KA one had flat fins anyway.

Evan

[Neejay]

Actually I've heard nothing but good things about the Mishimoto. I've seen them used in the mustang/hot rod world as well (lots of heat and hp).

I'm ordering one...or a CXRacing

[matafied]

the only thing to keep in mind about the aftermarket radiators are the clearance issues. how are your fans mounted? How is your intercooler piping routed? i have just seen these thing be issues due to the thickness of radiator it places you even closer to the rb thus no room for piping or fans, just a little heads up. i have replaced 2 rads with CXRacing

[240z4u]

the only thing to keep in mind about the aftermarket radiators are the clearance issues. how are your fans mounted? How is your intercooler piping routed? i have just seen these thing be issues due to the thickness of radiator it places you even closer to the rb thus no room for piping or fans, just a little heads up. i have replaced 2 rads with CXRacing

I measured first

I mounted the motor as far back as I could, and my fans are already setup as pushers. I have a forward facing manifold so I think I am fine.

Thanks for the warning.

Whats your thoughts on the CX units?

Evan

[Carl H]

you'll be fine...i've had fan controllers fail on me 4 times now and each time the engine would pin the stock gauge.stock block rb20, and was fine every time...hg was in great shape when i tore it down to rebuild it too.

[240z4u]

you'll be fine...i've had fan controllers fail on me 4 times now and each time the engine would pin the stock gauge.stock block rb20, and was fine every time...hg was in great shape when i tore it down to rebuild it too.

Four times? jeebus!

Glad to hear Carl, thats reassuring.

thanks! - Evan

[Carl H]

why do you think i put a clutchfan back on the car lol.

[matafied]

they have been great, cheap to. got mine for 200 shipped.

**carl if you could check your email *** thanks

[240z4u]

Carl, I hear ya buddy.

Evan

[240z4u]

Assploded radiator!











There ya have it, the radiator cap was still on tight!

Evan

[mott6904]

thats nuts ive never seen a rad blow the whole damn end tank off, just a small chunk. Oh well a bigger rad will never hurt anything

[lilskyline240]

damn evan that sucks!!! Good call on the mishimoto Rad tho. Thats what im running with my Rb30 setup and ive NEVER had an overheating issue. Drivin the thing in rush hour traffic, in 90 degrees with only a 12in pusher fan on it. No problem at all. Beating on it at 85 degrees it still never gets about 185 degrees.

[240z4u]

damn evan that sucks!!! Good call on the mishimoto Rad tho. Thats what im running with my Rb30 setup and ive NEVER had an overheating issue. Drivin the thing in rush hour traffic, in 90 degrees with only a 12in pusher fan on it. No problem at all. Beating on it at 85 degrees it still never gets about 185 degrees.

I had no idea you had one! I shoulda asked you. You came through on the boost controller HAHA.

I am going to move my intercooler tonight so I can slide the fans forward, allowing for re-installation of my A/C condenser. Not sure if or when Ill do A/C but its nice to have an option.

Evan

[lilskyline240]

one of these days i gotta head out by ya again and drop off the ECU and maybe get a ride in ur car if its fixed by then

[240z4u]

Sounds good, my new radiator will be here friday.

Evan

[lilskyline240]

maybe sometime next week. i gotta see when im off

[l0nestar]

De Horror!

LMK how that new fancy-pants radiator you ordered works out..

[lilskyline240]

lol i just realized we have the same sweet jack!

[240z4u]

lol i just realized we have the same sweet jack!

Hell yeah, mine leaks too.. which I love! I need to add fluid to it and find the source of the leakage. Just started a month ago.

Evan

[ItzGenX]

why do you think i put a clutchfan back on the car lol.

It fits in there? I've gave it an eyeball guestimate and figured it was like shoving a basketball into a golf hole, so never gave it a try lol.

[mott6904]

yeah it fits but you have to cut back part of the rad. support and move the rad. forward then your all good.