SR20 Overheat = Aluminum Radiator vs Bigger Fan???

[Aeroz]

Long story short, SR20DET is overheating when I drift, only takes 2-3 hard drifts to get it to spike up. So right now I run:

-10" Electric Fan

-NO Clutch Fan

-Big a** FMIC (blocks airflow to rad., ever since I got it in there overheating started)

-Stock SR Radiator

So I needa take care of this so I'm wondering should I get an Aluminum Radiator like the ISIS or Mishimoto, or should I a dual fan setup instead?

I only have the money for one of them, so which is more likely to take care of the overheating.

[sorrowfulkiller]

just get a aluminum rad

cxracing off of ebay makes fantastic ones that are cheap!

[Aeroz]

Appreciate the reply, those cxracing rads are cheap! You run them? Thats definitely the way I'd like to go, anyone had any experience with em?

[josho]

Im having the same problem. I would also like to know how good they work. I dont like buying important parts like that if they are ebay brand.

[tyrodtom]

The stock radiator you've got in there now is aluminum, it's just got plastic top and bottom tanks. Unless there's something wrong with you current radiator and the new raditor is bigger in some way, it's not going to cool any better. If it's bigger in width or height, how will you fit it in ? And getting cool air to it is still going to be blocked by the FMIC.

Have you still got the ac condenser in there ? By the time the air gets thru the FMIC, and the AC condenser, it probably doesn't have much velocity to get thru the radiator. More fans gets my vote.

[MisteenoMike]

The stock radiator you've got in there now is aluminum, it's just got plastic top and bottom tanks. Unless there's something wrong with you current radiator and the new raditor is bigger in some way, it's not going to cool any better. If it's bigger in width or height, how will you fit it in ? And getting cool air to it is still going to be blocked by the FMIC.

Have you still got the ac condenser in there ? By the time the air gets thru the FMIC, and the AC condenser, it probably doesn't have much velocity to get thru the radiator. More fans gets my vote.

The biggest fan in the world is only going to go so far if the radiator can't dissipate the heat effectively. A larger radiator, like thicker brake rotors, can absorb and dissipate more heat before becoming "heat-soaked".

I agree tho, there's NO POINT in switching rads if it isn't a step up from the stock piece.

I also think he should do BOTH, but that's up to him and his budget.

My vote: Radiator.

P.S. On top of the Rad, try running a slightly more Water biased coolant mix (60/40 or 70/30) and a bottle of "Water Wetter".

P.S.S. Is that 2-3 DRIFTS or 2-3 Drift RUNS? If you're overheating after just 2 DRIFTS you've got a problem somewhere other than the radiator! (Perhaps air in the system???)

P.S.S.S. Your fan sounds kinda small. Are you making the common mistake of running no fan shroud? If your shroud doesn't cover the whole radiator your fan isn't being used to it's fullest!
Modified by MisteenoMike at 10:10 AM 8/11/2009

[Aeroz]

Thanks for all the replies. From my understanding the aluminum radiator (Cxracing one), is bigger than just a stock sr rad. As to how I'm going to fit it in, I have a whole lot of space between my rad. fan, and the engine since I don't have a clutch fan anymore.

And yes its 2-3 actual DRIFTS. As in 8-10 second drifts. I drive about 20 mins on the highway around 80-90, and the engine stays rock solid. But the second I get sideways things go bad fast.....

Right now I just happened upon a deal with a bigger rad. plus 2 fans so I might be able to just knock it all out at once.

And no I'm not running a fan shrooooud. -_-

[MisteenoMike]

Hopefully the new fans you're eyeballing have proper shrouds! Can't stress how important shrouds are.

Going straight, air blows through the whole radiator. But going sideways (with no frontal airflow), air is only going through the part of the radiator that the fan covers. And with a 10" non-shrouded fan, that's like only 50-60% of the rads surface area!

[greencar]

I got this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ories

Granted, that's the KA one, the SR has different routing but I am sure you can find the same combo on ebay somewhere. I use that coupled with a DIF fan controller, and it rocks.

edit: SR with same combo: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ories

[rbforsale]

what kind of thermostat you running, i had the same problem for a while..temp gauge would stay right at half way, started boosting then it over heated.cheap thermostat from autozone was the problem.invested in a nismo thermostat and it went away.

[Aeroz]

I'm running a stock T-stat. When you had the same problem what kind of cooling setup were you running? I'd love for it to be an easy fix like a t-stat, just want to see what you were working with when you replaced it.

[rbforsale]

mishimoto aluminu rad with a 14'' fan new water pump and ansr20 de thermostat from auto zone

[rbforsale]

also a fmic, and the fan was a mishimoto.a buddy of mine was telling me alot about griffin rads and how they do some weird twin runner in the fins...also if you go to an electric fan of better quality. a spal 16 inch will blow your mind and not your wallet. they make the fans for formula 1 cars. there rated at 3200 cfm...after the rad!! and they sound cool as hell!

[kingtal0n]

put the stock shroud and mechanical fan back on