a/c and front mount intercooler

[gsx4357]

hey i was just wondering...does anyone here in phx have a front mount intercooler and is still able to run the a/c with out the car heating up?? if so how?
i have a ets short route street intercooler which still allows air to the radiator and a/c lines but still over heats after some time...it didnt last summer. was just wondering if theres a way. thnx

 

[1fastcolt]

a nice alum rad and 2 new high flow fans should cure the problem

 

[bvass]

Once the temperature goes over 105 there is very little you can do. Fans and a new radiator will not help since the problem you have is airflow at speed (where the fans are useless). Unless you cut big openings in the bumper, preferably on the top so clean air can go to the condenser and radiator without hitting the IC you are out of luck. You can try sealing the IC to the condenser and condenser to radiator, trim the opening in the bumper where the intercooler sits, get a hood vent, and an air dam for the bottom of the bumper all of which will help a little but not enough, especially if your car is modified and pushing more power than stock.

There are a lot of threads on this issue with tons of good info. Look around.

 

[gsx4357]

ok sounds good...and by the way...i already have a aluminum radiator and high speed fans

 

[donniekak]

ok sounds good...and by the way...i already have a aluminum radiator and high speed fans

That doesn't help much. What ends up happening is you get a low volume of very hot air going to the radiator. The fmic restricts air no matter how well set up it is, hence the lower volume of air. Now the fun part. When it's around 110* out, the air 1-2 feet off the road is at least 130*. Now take some of that 130* air and run it over a hot a/c condenser. now you have a small amount of 150*ish air to try to cool the radiator. It's a battle, and sometimes it works out, others it doesn't.

As far as fans, i've yet to see any slim fan that flows as much as the stockers. They just have more fin area to work with.

 

[gsx4357]

yeah that is true...i just wish there was a way...i think they should of designed the front bumper on the eclipses like they did on the evos. one opening on top for the radiator and one on bottom for the intercooler.

 

[bvass]

As far as fans, i've yet to see any slim fan that flows as much as the stockers. They just have more fin area to work with.

I have the FAL 325 and they move more air than stock. I was sceptical at first having tried other fans but these are really good

yeah that is true...i just wish there was a way...i think they should of designed the front bumper on the eclipses like they did on the evos. one opening on top for the radiator and one on bottom for the intercooler.

They learned their lessons on DSMs.

 

[AG 305]

As far as fans, i've yet to see any slim fan that flows as much as the stockers. They just have more fin area to work with.

1G fans are freakin airplane propellers!

They learned their lessons on DSMs.

nailed it

 

[Gostlrs]

I installed a fan inbetween the FMIC & Condenser on my old Eclipse that had over heating problems in the summer. Fixed it. Picked up a universal pusher fan from checkers & ran it off a switch that I could turn on & off myself.

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

Check out this thread - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/turbo-system-tech/409483-duct-not-duct-fmic-pix-2.html

On the last page It shows how I have ducted on both sides and the bottom of the innercooler also used foam strips to seal everything, New OEM water pump, new OEM thermostat, New Head and gasket, 80/20 water/AF with red line water wetter, Heat wrapped 2G manifold/turbo/O2/downpipe/water pipe, stock heat shields and custome O2 heat shield, 3 Fans: one stock puller, one be cool 9" puller and one cheap pusher on AC condensor (ON all the time with DSMlink), Aluminum radiator and cut holes in the hood.

I've done everything except cut the bumper and it still gets hot after about 15 mins of driving. Worse if I'm on the freeway.

Now I only have problems when the outside temp gets above about 100F and only with the AC on.

If I remove the bumber it is enough airflow to keep it cool.

I just can't bring myself to cut the bumper

 

[phunny]

The spal fans move way more air than the stock fans...

 

[Gavin24]

Im in Vegas and Im running 100% water since it has a higher boiling point than coolant. It will not get close to mid mark if a/c is off and half way with it on.

 

[phunny]

Im in Vegas and Im running 100% water since it has a higher boiling point than coolant. It will not get close to mid mark if a/c is off and half way with it on.

Ummm water does not have a higher boiling point than coolant... And straight water will damage your car

 

[bvass]

Check out this thread - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/turbo-system-tech/409483-duct-not-duct-fmic-pix-2.html

On the last page It shows how I have ducted on both sides and the bottom of the innercooler also used foam strips to seal everything, New OEM water pump, new OEM thermostat, New Head and gasket, 80/20 water/AF with red line water wetter, Heat wrapped 2G manifold/turbo/O2/downpipe/water pipe, stock heat shields and custome O2 heat shield, 3 Fans: one stock puller, one be cool 9" puller and one cheap pusher on AC condensor (ON all the time with DSMlink), Aluminum radiator and cut holes in the hood.

I've done everything except cut the bumper and it still gets hot after about 15 mins of driving. Worse if I'm on the freeway.

Now I only have problems when the outside temp gets above about 100F and only with the AC on.

If I remove the bumber it is enough airflow to keep it cool.

I just can't bring myself to cut the bumper

Where did you cut the holes in the hood? Did it make any difference?

 

[donniekak]

Ummm water does not have a higher boiling point than coolant... And straight water will damage your car

Nothing but water here. It has a lower boiling point, but better thermal conductivity than antifreeze.

Also, try putting some antifreeze down on a track and see how they look at you.

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

The holes did help some. When the fans are on there is a strong stream of hot air blowing out the holes from the fans. It has to help to get that hot air out of there.

 

[bvass]

Nothing but water here. It has a lower boiling point, but better thermal conductivity than antifreeze.

Also, try putting some antifreeze down on a track and see how they look at you.

Unless you like changing the water pump often you need to run a bit of antifreeze because it lubricates the pump. Not to mention that straight water is a lot more corrosive to everything in the cooling system.

I do run 30/70 mix on track every time I race.

 

[donniekak]

Unless you like changing the water pump often you need to run a bit of antifreeze because it lubricates the pump. Not to mention that straight water is a lot more corrosive to everything in the cooling system.

I do run 30/70 mix on track every time I race.

I know all about the water pumps, but i usually do a timing belt every 25k or so anyway. I started noticing my base timing would be off out of nowhere from the t-belt stretching. The last time i did a freshen up on my car i also noticed a 1 year old oem timing belt idler pulley was going bad.

I beat on my car, and it sees extended wot, and 8,000 rpm's every time i drive it. However i have adjusted the maintenence intervals to compensate for this, and have yet to have a mantence item actually fail during use on the car. However i have come to the conclusion through regular inspections, that just about every part made for a dsm, no matter how expensive, isn't going to last long at full tilt boogie.

 

[phunny]

Your cooling system needs the lubrication so saying that you only run water and having new members think it's okay isn't cool.

 

[boostedinaz]

FWIW on my 1G I had a FMIC, A/C, and was heavily modded with no cooling problems. I did have a Fluidyne radiator and real Spal fans. Not the junk 50.00 "slim fans". With all that and some ducting in the dead of summer driving to Tucson, CA, or just driving around my car never went over 200 with the A/C on.

It can be done. Most people won't spend the money or time to do it however.

 

[Gostlrs]

10% Coolant is what I have always been told.....

 

[bvass]

FWIW on my 1G I had a FMIC, A/C, and was heavily modded with no cooling problems. I did have a Fluidyne radiator and real Spal fans. Not the junk 50.00 "slim fans". With all that and some ducting in the dead of summer driving to Tucson, CA, or just driving around my car never went over 200 with the A/C on.

It can be done. Most people won't spend the money or time to do it however.

This is a 1G Mike. The 2Gs have a really crappy design in the front and when you get rid of the stock shroud and put an FMIC there is a strip 2 inches wide on the bottom of the FMIC and radiator that gets no airflow because it is blocked from behind by the frame. The stock shroud takes a lot of air from the bottom of the opening in the bumper and moves it up at at pretty steep angle. That angle in the shroud is critical for moving more air to the radiator and it is located exactly where the FMIC sits, so even if you create a custom shroud you can not re-create the most critical part of the OEM one.

 

[gsx4357]

what did you use to cut the hood? did you use a template? how exactly did you do it?

 

[rkmillerjr]

I have been battling overheating with a/c on for quit some time. Fluidyne rad, upgraded fans, and most recently two openings on either side of the Mitsubishi emblem has helped. Last time out went the outside temp was in the high 90's, running on the 70-80 on the interstate, never got over 205 degrees. That is when I was in clean air! Once I was in heavier traffic, even doing 70-80 mph, the temp creeped up to 215-220. After reading this item, I'll try a few more things. I''m making headway, but I need to do more.

 

[BIGBLAZE79]

what did you use to cut the hood? did you use a template? how exactly did you do it?

First I used cardboard to cut out the template. I then outlined it on the hood, flipping it over for the 2nd hole so the design was semetrical. I also tried to center it with the bracing that is under the hood. I tried to put as much of it in the area that was not suppurted by the under hood bracing. I used a drill to cut a hole big enough to fit a jig saw blade through and went to town with the jig saw.

It scratches the paint pretty bad with the jig saw but my hood paint was jacked up bad so I didn't care. (The car is getting painted right now anyway)
If I was trying not to scratch the paint I would cover the entire area with masking tape first, then draw the template on it, then use a razor blade to cut the taped template, then drill and jig saw.

Here is the front view.