Hey guys.
I'm planning to do some heavy long-distance driving this upcoming summer to Vancouver and California. Lots of hot, treacherous desert vastlands to be crossed. A few years ago I had a really bad experience with my van overheating in 120+ nevada desert and I'll be darned if I'd let that happen to my Q. So, here's my remedy:
I figured out how to hook up an RV water pump along with some hoses and nozzles from Home Depot to spray a nice cool mist on the radiator to cool down engine temps. I've hooked up the pump to the the old active suspension fluid reservoir which holds up to about a gallon of water. I can activate the pump by way of the old active ride height switch. This thing is totally badass!!! When I turn it on while I'm driving, I can see a stream of mist alongside of the car.
Filled with ice-cold water, I bet this dramatically lowers coolant temp. Maybe not much, but hey, every little bit counts when you're doing triple digits through the new mexico desert. :ylsuper
mist/spray sys. for desert driving
I tell ya, this has been the best $30 I've spent on the Q. Even when the temp was 65 out, I tested it on the freeway. I can actually see the needle go down when the system was activated. I was doing 85 and when I turned the switch, the Q was enveloped by a blanket of mist...It was beautiful.
The little girl in stationwide alongside me pointed with her eyes wide open with astonishment and her mouth forming a little O.
My previous treks out west were miserable and wonderful at the same time (Three times I was driving a van and once in an Isuzu semi). Crossing the desert and the mountains took a lot out of me (but more out of the van), but this I'm going in the Q and I'll be the ripping the Rockies a new valley! :ylsuper
The little girl in stationwide alongside me pointed with her eyes wide open with astonishment and her mouth forming a little O.
My previous treks out west were miserable and wonderful at the same time (Three times I was driving a van and once in an Isuzu semi). Crossing the desert and the mountains took a lot out of me (but more out of the van), but this I'm going in the Q and I'll be the ripping the Rockies a new valley! :ylsuper
Hmmm...that's definitely an interesting idea. Have you considered spraying the water directly into the intake? You would vaporize a higher percentage of water. That, plus you should theoretically get more power out of the engine. Turning a gallon of ice into vapor takes about 30,000 kcal which is, coincidentally, about the same amount of energy liberated from a gallon of gasoline. With engines as inefficient as they are, I'd guess you would have to refill the reservoir every half to full-tank of gas.
AZHitman,
Probably not. I have family (not really) in Chandler that I'd like to avoid. I'll swing through Flagstaff on my way from Vegas but that's about the only town I'll see in AZ. Wish Phoenix wasn't so out of the way, otherwise I'd drop in to check that place out but I might be too tempted to run to Inf. of Scottsdale to pick up some things!!
Probably not. I have family (not really) in Chandler that I'd like to avoid. I'll swing through Flagstaff on my way from Vegas but that's about the only town I'll see in AZ. Wish Phoenix wasn't so out of the way, otherwise I'd drop in to check that place out but I might be too tempted to run to Inf. of Scottsdale to pick up some things!!
Find Your Forum!