Greddy FMIC overheating

[JoeyGST]

When you say "weather stripping" what do you mean?
Do you place tape down there to block air from escaping between
the radiator and the A/C condenser?

Could you take a picture of your setup to show us?
Pictures are worth a thousand words.

 

[Black95GSX]

Originally posted by JoeyGST
When you say "weather stripping" what do you mean?
Do you place tape down there to block air from escaping between
the radiator and the A/C condenser?

Could you take a picture of your setup to show us?
Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Well, I don't have this on my setup.... my car doesn't run hot
Then again I flush my system once or twice a year to remove all deposits.... and also replace my thermostat and rad. cap yearly. --- I blew my supra by not maintaining the cooling system, when the temp gauge got stuck, I had no idea that I was killing the block. (Now I maintain my eclipse hardcore for cooling system issues)


Anyhow, I did the weatherstripping on a friend's car. We got the stuff at autozone, 2 bags of it, about 20' per bag if I remember correctly. Was about 1/2" to 3/4" thick and just as wide.

We pulled his radiator out, and applied this stuff so that it would have to compress pretty well to seal to the condensor -- there is NO way that air can escape between the 2 -- we sealed off everything.


Oh yeah, another thing that would work, but I woudln't do to my car because I don't like the look -- is to add a hood "vent" from RRE or any other manuf. that makes such a thing (yes, i know carbontrix.com makes them, rre just sells them).

 

[toshi128]

Black95GSX: I have two SPAL fans one is 12" and the other one is 10", They're placed on the stock locations so they're getting air thru the radiator. I have no weather stripping between my radiator and the AC condensor. The highest temp i've seen thru datalogger was about 225 deg. everytime my temp goes up, i turn on my heater to let it cool down. that's why the highest temp i have seen might be low.

 

[Black95GSX]

Originally posted by toshi128
Black95GSX: I have two SPAL fans one is 12" and the other one is 10", They're placed on the stock locations so they're getting air thru the radiator. I have no weather stripping between my radiator and the AC condensor. The highest temp i've seen thru datalogger was about 225 deg. everytime my temp goes up, i turn on my heater to let it cool down. that's why the highest temp i have seen might be low.

Wow... that's kinda small for radiator fans.

you might want to consider 2-3 pusher fans on the front of the radiator to help out -- I guarentee you the 2 fans you have now are NOT going to cool as well as the stock fans can.
Your stock fans pull air from the full size of the radiator (hence why the fan blades are not flush with the radiator, but instead they are back off, allows it to draw air through a larger part of the radiator) --- so your aftermarket fans are not 100% as effective as your stock fans are, as far as cooling area/surface go. -- Pusher fans mounted properly will help you out a lot.

Also try the weatherstripping, it helps out a lot. Most new cars come with it now-adays. -- 225 is getting onto the high side of things, I woudn't be comfortable driving my car for any ammount of time at those temps.


Do you have your fans running all the time w/ignition on? or only when your ecu turns them on? If it's the latter of the two, try turning them on whenever the car is on -- that can help quite a bit.

 

[toshi128]

My fans are on all the time (when the ignition is on. not by the ecu signal). RRE put a rely on it to make it run all the time.

I did consider about putting more fans in front of my radiator, if I keep my FMIC.

As far as the efficiency of fans, you're right. the stock fans cover most of the area of the radiator, compared to the SPAL fans don't cover the whole surface. But, they do flow a lot more air than my stock fans tho.

So, what's this weather stripping?? What is it exactly? what does it look like? do you have a picture? I'm confused about theis WS for my radiator.

 

[Black95GSX]

If you go to autozone or a checker's auto parts store... you'll find weatherstripping -- you may need to ask someone who works there.

It's basically a strip of foam with an adheasive on one side so you can stick it to something.

Just make sure the surface your sticking it to is clean, otherwise it can fall off.


Your fans may flow more air then stock, but your sucking the air through a 10" and 12" hole -- not the whole radiator

 

[candela]

I cant beleive this but now Im having overheating problems and need help soon. I hat driving my car when it heats up like this. I havent hooked up the logger to it when it heats up, but the temp gauge goes just to the right of the little rad symboly so you can see the whole thing, almost touching the mark before the red...thats probably in the 245 range. I have to drive home to phx on sunday and would like to fix it before hand.

Im pissed cause i have a fluidyne, IRC streetcore, new rad. cap, recent flush w/ water wetter and new thermostat and a spal fan thats on all the time. It used to run so cool no matter what, but all of a sudden it started heating up. I cant think of the name of the part, but its right underneath the thermostat housing and has the two plastic vacuum ports on it that the lines hook to and go to the throttle body. Well one of the lines broke of, so i took the one remaining and t-ed into it with the other and plugged the broken one. Im not aware of what this part is, but i have a feeling it might be the cause. I have full coolant, no leaks and an otherwise good cooling system and don't understand what it could be.

The car never overheats completely, just runs really hot regardless if I turn on the heaer or not, it doesn't change. It does this more often on the freeway than in street driving but, it still runs hot on the street as well. Would you guys recommend some pusher fans to go before the radiator? What size should I get, and do i mount it just like the puller I have now except in front of the radiator so it pushies air threw it or what? Thanks for any help in advance...

 

[JoeyGST]

RRE tells me if you overheat with FMIC it's probably due to blown
headgasket.

 

[candela]

Well my head gasket definetly is not blown...

 

[toshi128]

I know that's what RRE told you.. they told me the same thing... except for... they told me that my HG might be warped from the constant heat.

I personally think (haven't tried it yet) a fan in front of a radiator would work. I'll do this when i have a chance to go down to RRE next time.

 

[fast_talon]

On my 90 Talon I also have the Indy Street Core. The FMIC is great, but I do have cooling issues. I am using 13" and 12" SPAL fans. Both fans are wired to turn on at the same time (controlled by the ECU). I kept the AC, and stock radiator. Temperature is normally in the 12 o'clock position. If I run the AC on a warm day the temp. needle climbs quickly.

Is there much benefit to have both fans running all of the time (not controlled by the ecu)?

Since the FMIC is blocking fresh air passing through the stock radiator, I noticed there is no open passage to allow fresh air to the raditor. Any ideas on this? I was thinking of adding a deflector below the radiator to push fresh air up into the radiator?

 

[candela]

My headgasket is done for...

 

[JoeyGST]

Originally posted by candela
My headgasket is done for...

Err...you said a few posts back:
"Well my head gasket definetly is not blown..."

So what happened?
How do you know the HG is done for?

 

[candela]

Well I think my head is actually just warped from overheating. It overheats badly and blows clouds of white smoke smelling like coolant...so I figure

 

[toshi128]

now that more sounds like warped/blown HG, since you're car is blowing white smoke...

 

[candela]

Well thats what I said dude...

 

[toshi128]

so i guess you need a new HG... did you check your oil dip stick? and look at the color of it... if it's the HG, then the color supposed to look like chocolate milk, according to extrememotorsports.

 

[Awdboost]

JoeyGST,
I did read anyone else post. But I think it because you are running too lean.. I bet you if you rich up your top end and low end you will see a big difference in you temps. I was over heating and then I got dsmlink, know my temp don't jump up any more. I don't know if dsmlink is the answer or the fact that I know run O2 at .96 and have a EGT no higher than 820 C in any gear helps. I don't even see temps creep any more. It's great.

 

[GoriLLa]

heh pulled my ac out and i live in south florida, Get some balls people... j/k

 

[toshi128]

what if my car, joey's car over heats without running any A/C???

my car used not have any ac compressor... but wasn't much of a difference.. plus i love the cold air when it's hot as hell

 

[turboedoutlaser]

OMFG, a fan shroud keeps the air in and sends a strem line current wind effect into the engine bay. This is why your car is overheating, that big ass FMIC is trick and all but know what your doing before you delve into the vas glory of auto machanics, i dont know what that means really, i just hear it some where, im out!!!!

 

[toshi128]

so, as we have been discussing, the solution should be to have a fan in front of the radiator to send the air from the front of it.

 

[Black95GSX]

I still don't get why people are having problems... I have a FMIC bigger then the greddy big core, I have a "nice sized" turbo, AC on full blast (it's AZ..... 100+ sux in a black car), no extra fans, no special radiator or thermostat or radiator cap -- and I have NO problems with overheating.

The only aftermarket thing I have done is a "Arizona Performance" radiator which is a year old -- my stocker took a crap so I picked this one up, brass end tanks and a copper core -- not the most efficent metal out there, but it works.

Other then that, my fans are wired to stay on all the time, and the car has NEVER over-heated (knock on wood).





I've said it before in this thread, and I'll say it again -- do not blame the FMIC for your problems, all it is doing is pointing out that you have a WEAK cooling system. Either your radiator has a few row's clogged, your useing aftermarket fans which cannot cool as well as stock, or you have other mechanical problems -- all a FMIC does to your cooling system.... is put a higher load (demand) on it's capabilities....

 

[fast_talon]

More then likely I am going with a Fluidyne radiator next year.. It isnt a huge investment and I think my '90 radiator could use a break.