Obligatory summer overheat thread

[boostdork]

The symptoms are as follows:

Car sits rock solid at 191 all day every day (even in 111 degree heat) until the A/C is turned on.

When the A/C is turned on the temperature remains at 191 for 5-15 minutes (depending on ambient air temperature) then Skyrockets.

The A/C Bows cold until the overheat causes it to shut down.

Both fans are running - aftermarket slimline fans from Kragen wired to operate together.

The second the A/C is turned off the temperature begins to settle back to a solid 191

Coolant level is stable.

After freeway driving at a stop light white mist/smoke comes out from under the front of the hood. Looks like water vapor but I can not locate an area being stained by its release. This occurs even with the A/C off.

Front has 4 inch FMIC -> A/C Condenser -> Fludyne Radiator

What's been done
Coolant Flush -> Replace 50/50 water Prestone
Hose Replacement (All)
Checked for Coolant leaks (no water marks on head)
Burned 2 inch strip of arm on radiator (sacrifice to car god?)
180 Degree thermostat.
18lb Radiator cap (it is holding pressure)


I need ideas because 110 degree heat and no A/C is making me grumpy.

 

[delta448]

relocate the condensor? add fanage? add ducting?

The condensor is understandably getting extremely hot and affecting the radiator.

 

[evileclipse909]

Well your car is skyrocketing in ct's due to the fact that the a/c is puttion a load on the engine. make sure that your fans are wired to the high speed side of the wireing. And you also may wanna try a bigger set of fans. If you're only running 12"ers then you probly should try to get some 14" fans. Siliconeintakes.com sells great fans at a good price.

 

[viprez586]

Well your car is skyrocketing in ct's due to the fact that the a/c is puttion a load on the engine.

WTF

The A/C system putting a load on the engine will have no direct effect related to the coolant system temperature. All cars are designed to bump up the idle when the A/C system is turned on to compensate for the added load on the engine.



What could be happening is when you turn on your A/C the refrigerant is circulating through the system. As it passes the warm refrigerant and circulates it to the condenser where it goes through a heat exchange and cools the refrigerant but as the air passes through the condenser it removes the heat from the condenser heating the air being passed through. This heated air then passes through your radiator to make another heat exchange and bringing up the temperature of your cooling system.