$900 Cooling System and Still Running Hot

[rico05]

Koyo R1276 (2.1" dual core), 16 row B&M oil cooler, new thermostat, Nismo radiator cap, radiator panel, and Altima fans (one of the fans died, so I will be replacing next weekend with a Zirgo and a thermostat). So here is my issue: Even with only 1 fan running, I am still getting temps around 180*. Now, once it gets there, it pretty much stays there according to my aftermarket gauge. Now, my stock gauge will go to about 3/4 to H, and that worries me. I know that 180* is ok, but I just dropped a lot on this cooling system, and i was hoping that it would make a difference. But I guess it doesn't. Any feedback, or am I being worried for nothing?

[Trigger]

i think your worried for nothing. as long as the timing is right and the car doesnt seem to be actually overheating (ie fluid coming out of the overflow tank) then i think your ok. Just keep an eye on that overflow tank and that will let you know if your running to hot

Tim

[XTCshri2222]

If you got a180deg thermostat. Thats what the temp is going to be, the thermostat is there to regulate that temp.plus the standard temp is 195degrees your 15 below as it is.

And if you want it to be cooler, get a lower temp thermostat, and get a higher PSI radiator cap.

[c-rad]

Koyo R1276 (2.1" dual core), 16 row B&M oil cooler, new thermostat, Nismo radiator cap, radiator panel, and Altima fans (one of the fans died, so I will be replacing next weekend with a Zirgo and a thermostat). So here is my issue: Even with only 1 fan running, I am still getting temps around 180*. Now, once it gets there, it pretty much stays there according to my aftermarket gauge. Now, my stock gauge will go to about 3/4 to H, and that worries me. I know that 180* is ok, but I just dropped a lot on this cooling system, and i was hoping that it would make a difference. But I guess it doesn't. Any feedback, or am I being worried for nothing?

You do know that you get the most efficient combustion with temps around 200* F, right? If you are below 180*, then your ECU will revert to warm-up mode and your car will run rich.

[biosehnsucht]

odd tho that your stock gauge reads so high.. normally you need to be well over 200 before it budges from the middle section.

[UMS_CA18DET]

its quite a common thing Bio. The stock gauge wont go to the H until its too late and you've overheated the motor and shat yourself.

The sensors are good just the gauge blows.

Rico screw the altima fans get yourself a beefy Taurus fan. Their cheap usually $25 at the JY and god the amount of air those babies push out is insane.

[c-rad]

The only reason I didn't go with the altima fans, is they don't sit flush against the radiator. The Taurus fan is shrouded and I just used a little adhesive weather stripping to seal off the places that weren't flat against the core. The only downside to the taurus fan is the initial power draw.... your headlights dim for about 10 seconds when it fires up.

[Not_a_sr]

running my car at 165deg, and 185-195deg there was a huge differance in the way it ran, at 165 it was doggish and rich, when i replaced the thermostat with a stock one it would run so much better. as long as you dont go much over 200deg you should be fine.

[capwred]

that might explain why my car was running so rich when i put the 160 degree stat in. i will replace it with a stock unit.

[boost_boy]

My car runs between 146 and 176 degrees and it runs like a mean monster. When it's at 136 or lower, the power is just insane. Possibly because I tune around those temperatures, but then again, that's the beauty of a standalone.

Dee

[c-rad]

My car runs between 146 and 176 degrees and it runs like a mean monster. When it's at 136 or lower, the power is just insane. Possibly because I tune around those temperatures, but then again, that's the beauty of a standalone.

Dee

Has nothing to do with a standalone...or tuning. It has to do with the heat energy being absorbed by the block and not used to force the pistons down.

[Kouks]

C-Rad is right, the stock thermostat is put at 195 degrees because the motor is more efficient there. Efficiency=POWER. definitely nothing wrong with giving up a little of that if you dont want it to overheat, but I think 180 degree thermostat has the best trade-off. I run a new 195 degree thermostat in mine also.

[rico05]

Cool, I was assuming that I was ok since I have a 180* thermostat (and whoever mentioned the higher PSI cap...look in my initial post: I have a Nismo 1.3bar cap already) but the stock gauge freaks me out. I know that the cluster is not 100% accurate since my tach read 300-600RPM off of what my turbo timer reads, and since the tt gets its signal from the ECU, I am thinking that it is more accurate anyway...

BTW I am at 12psi and my CA is all kinds of fast now. The boost controller really helps the boost build quick, and the extra psi sure makes my car fly. My buddy with a LT1 Z28 (chip, shift kit, de-cat) wants to run...so he can finally lose to an import
Modified by rico05 at 10:20 AM 6/23/2006

[boost_boy]

Has nothing to do with a standalone...or tuning. It has to do with the heat energy being absorbed by the block and not used to force the pistons down.

Who said the operating temperatures of my engine had to do with a standalone and tuning. You guys read too much/too fast and seem to always miss the point. If you really paid attention to what I wrote, you guys would understand the point. I'll make it a bit simpler, I tune around the temperatures my car tend to reach which are between 136 and 176 degrees respectfully. I didn't say I tune my car with a standalone so it can run the temperatures I posted before.

There would be a few less CA18DET owners having problems if they'd slow down and read entire contents (hoping that they comprehend) instead trying to take short cuts and rely upon keywords. Not busting any balls, just stating the facts. And Chris, thanks for the 101 on energy and physics. I really needed that.................

Dee

[c-rad]

Who said the operating temperatures of my engine had to do with a standalone and tuning. You guys read too much/too fast and seem to always miss the point. If you really paid attention to what I read, you guys would understand the point. I'll make it a bit simpler, I tune around the temperatures my car tend to reach which are between 136 and 176 degrees respectfully. I didn't say I tune my car with a standalone so it can run the temperatures I posted before.

There would be a few less CA18DET owners having problems if they'd slow down and read entire contents (hoping that they comprehend) instead trying to take short cuts and rely upon keywords. Not busting any balls, just stating the facts. And Chris, thanks for the 101 on energy and physics. I really needed that.................

Dee

I DID read it and all I was getting at is that if your car was running 190-200*F than it would make more use of the heat energy being created. I wasn't trying to give a lesson, but the way you made it seem is as if temps that low were a good thing (provided you have the use of a standalone ems).

[knightrider]

thank you boost. ive said the same thing in other threads and ppl just started whining about how this forums is getting angry. im sorry if i wasnt as calm as boost boy, but it gets on my nerves when ppl dont read the whole thread, then blame thier idiot post because they just skimmed the thread.

[boost_boy]

I DID read it and all I was getting at is that if your car was running 190-200*F than it would make more use of the heat energy being created. I wasn't trying to give a lesson, but the way you made it seem is as if temps that low were a good thing (provided you have the use of a standalone ems).

I think over the course of time and dealing with me and the way I come across on certain topics, you of allpeople should know that I wouldn't preach about something that isn't good for my car because it sure as hell wouldn't be good for anyone else's. If I was preaching about how good a standalone is at helping with temperatures, I would probably say that if my car was to sit at 136 degrees, and I wanted my car to perform at an optimum level, I can trim the fuel parameters for that particular temperature and the same goes for air temperature and fuel adjustability for that parameter. I was actually being sarcastic about the 101 thing, but as knightrider says, some of this crap can be idiot-proofed if people read carefully and not fly through everything trying to seek the first word that corresponds to their issues. And believe it or not, I enjoy the cool running temperatures of my car. You RWD guys don't have the issues that my FWD car encounters. Because of the size of the turbo and placement of the radiator fans, the turbo's rear housing sits less than an inch from the 10inch cooling fan; almost always resulting in the death of the fan motor due to excessive heat. So with the turbo being that close to my radiator, I've experienced the overheating crap in the past years. Fortunately for me, those problems are a thing of the past, except for the radiator fan being under so much heat.

Dee

[Kouks]

BOOST_Boy-So would you agree that for people with RWD CA's, 180-200 degrees is the optimum level at which to build around?

I can understand your point in that, you break less stuff in your particular set up with keeping the motor that cold, but the answer to overheating for most people isnt to change to the lowest degree thermostat.

To Rico, any ducting you can do to help get air to your radiator would greatly help, and slightly raising your hood for a positive pull which keeps underhood temperatures down while driving, can be very beneficial.

The only other upgrade you can do is to replace those altima fans with something that push more cfm.

[boost_boy]

BOOST_Boy-So would you agree that for people with RWD CA's, 180-200 degrees is the optimum level at which to build around?

I can understand your point in that, you break less stuff in your particular set up with keeping the motor that cold, but the answer to overheating for most people isnt to change to the lowest degree thermostat.

To Rico, any ducting you can do to help get air to your radiator would greatly help, and slightly raising your hood for a positive pull which keeps underhood temperatures down while driving, can be very beneficial.

The only other upgrade you can do is to replace those altima fans with something that push more cfm.

I recommend you RWD guys at least keep normal to mild performance operating engine temperatures around 180-200 degrees (preferably the 180) if possible. I do not recommend people attempting to run their cars at the temperatures I run mine because your car would just be a dog with the way the factory have those chips programmed. Do as I say and not as I do because I don't use a thermostat...................

Dee

[Not_a_sr]

what oil temps are you seeing when running your motor that cool?

[davidricardo86]

Could it be maybe theres still air trap in the cooling system and it has not been purged out? I remember when i did my coolant flush on my current 240SX, my idle went a lil crazy after i did the flush and my temp gauge went all the way to the "hot" area. I went on the highway to try and purge more air out and let the recovery tank do its job. The next day, the car idled fine and the temp gauge read accurately.

[rico05]

Trust me, I am a good enough mechainc that was the 1st thing that I checked.

[rico05]

To Rico, any ducting you can do to help get air to your radiator would greatly help, and slightly raising your hood for a positive pull which keeps underhood temperatures down while driving, can be very beneficial.

The only other upgrade you can do is to replace those altima fans with something that push more cfm.

I have the ducting (as stated in my first post) and I have a pretty sever (2") hood prop at the rear. And I just bought a 2700CFM 16" single Zirgo fan.

[davidricardo86]

Trust me, I am a good enough mechainc that was the 1st thing that I checked.

Oh i dont doubt youre a great mechanic, its just i was just giving a suggestion. Also sometimes we tend to overlook the obvious or the smaller things. Im thinking its going to be electrical because mechanically, there would be no danger with the components you said you were running. Maybe the temp switch is faulty and its giving incorrect readings?

[rico05]

Oh, I totally beleive that now. I beat the hell outta my car on the highway yesterday in the heat of the day (~95*) and the temps stayed rock solid at 180*, even during 12psi runs. I am all good now. Thanks guys!!

[Kouks]

congratulations, and btw, where did you get that Zirgo from? Never heard of them before, sounds like a mean fan.

[rico05]

http://www.ebay.com

$85 shipped for the fan w/o thermostat as I am going to once again wire it to be on full time since I drive in traffic a lot. It would be about $20 more for one with a thermostat and relay. I chose the Zirgo because it has the lowest amp draw (the same size FAL was more than 8 amps more!) and its blade design (curved as opposed to eqavalent FAL fans).

[davidricardo86]

Oh, I totally beleive that now. I beat the hell outta my car on the highway yesterday in the heat of the day (~95*) and the temps stayed rock solid at 180*, even during 12psi runs. I am all good now. Thanks guys!!

Wait a minute... i must be missing something. So what ended up being your problem and fix? The fan?

[rico05]

No, I am 99% sure that either the sender for the cluster or the cluster itself if bad. My tacho is off by 300-500RPM (according to my ECU via my HKS E-01 turbo timer) so it is wholly probable that the temp gauge is off as well. I can boost all day long in the heat and never go above 185* according to my full sweep electric Autometer temp gauge.

[davidricardo86]

No, I am 99% sure that either the sender for the cluster or the cluster itself if bad. My tacho is off by 300-500RPM (according to my ECU via my HKS E-01 turbo timer) so it is wholly probable that the temp gauge is off as well. I can boost all day long in the heat and never go above 185* according to my full sweep electric Autometer temp gauge.

Or could it be the sending unit like i said before? the gauge is just showing you what the sending unit is reading...