1G Overheating - Have tried a lot of stuff.

[1990bcgsx]

1990 GSX (http://puu.sh/xPq5n/d6ae9700a6.jpg)
ECMLink
HX35
Huge FMIC (http://puu.sh/xPq3l/018447470d.jpg)
FIC 1650's
Stock Radiator (http://puu.sh/xPq9t/97500021e8.jpg)

Car is a new build, so this issue started as soon as I got it running.

Motor came out of another car that sometimes had cooling issues, but didn't really drive around a ton anyhow.

So, car can drive around a while, and then starts overheating (215+).... if it is cool outside, the car can drive for hundreds of miles on the freeway, but if you are in slow traffic, or if it is hot out, car will overheat quickly.

Here's what I have checked..

• Thermostat (New, 180 degree)
• Radiator Cap (New)
• Put 2 big fans on it, and wired them to stay on all the time. (confirmed they are pulling in right direction)
• Put 2 more big fans on it in pusher configuration. (confirmed pushing in right direction)
• Checked Radiator to see if plugged (it isn't)
• Coolant Test to check if exhaust gasses were making it into coolant (they weren't)
• Pulled head to check head gasket (HG looks OK, piston #2 has detonation - see pic (http://puu.sh/xPpLp/315ff34969.jpg))

I'm not sure that that piston can cause the thing to overheat like this.... so I'm looking for advice of what to go after next... I'm figuring I'll check the water pump while I'm fixing the piston... but.... any other ideas?


Driving me nuts...


Thanks!

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Here is a 2g install in case anyone needs to see it....

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[Murdertalon]

This is sometimes overlooked, but this fixed my overheating issue and one of my good friends. Add a small gasket to the radiator cap. Make sure you clean the mating surface really well. You can look at the radiator cap mod I did on my profile, I also added a radiator cap cover because the set screws go right into the fins that hold it on.. if the 1g is like the 2g this can help. If you are not holding proper pressure anywhere on the loop you will see issues, but only once its working real hard.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/coolant-cap-seal-hack.510206/#post-153633394

I also changed my thermostat to an evo 9 one by cutting it to fit because the inner flow diameter is much better.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Get rid of those fans.

Here are mine. Overheating fixed.

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[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Money Bags.........

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[gsxeclipse102]

This is the fan i run. Sounds like a hurricane when it comes on.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Is it very thick? The bigger we all get with our turbos, the less room there is for something nice sized that will pull good.

 

[iceguru1114]

Fun fact about cooling fans: depending on the fan, which is almost universally true for automotive fans, beyond a certain vehicle speed having them turned on actually impedes airflow across a heat exchanger (or multiple heat exchangers). Even when they are off, they are still a flow restriction for a vehicle at speed compared to having no fan there at all; except for very unique applications, cooling fans exist to appease heat rejection requirements when inadequate ambient airflow is available. Also, having fans arranged in series (such as using a push fan to feed a pull fan) does not double your mass airflow; you will be limited by whatever the flowrate of the lower flowrate fan is because fans are volumetric flow devices, not compressors. The only way to increase flowrate with multiple fans across heat exchangers is by arranging them in parallel. Ducting is also very important to fan performance (and heat exchanger performance in general). This kinda makes me think that having 4 fans AND an overheating problem might mean that they are part of the problem and that you need better ambient airflow to the heat exchanger that is having the heat rejection problem.

Hope some of that info helps. Good luck solving your problem.

 

[kmetiuk]

This is sometimes overlooked, but this fixed my overheating issue and one of my good friends. Add a small gasket to the radiator cap. Make sure you clean the mating surface really well. . If you are not holding proper pressure anywhere on the loop you will see issues, but only once its working real hard.

I agree with this. Double up on the rad cap o-ring/gasket. Major increase in clamping force makes sure its sealed.


@1990bcgsx Your pushers are setup wrong. You can't just reverse the wires and spin the fan opposite direction. The fan blades are designed to only spin one way.

On my Maradyne fans you flip the fan blades to switch from push to pull and leave the motor spinning the same way for both setups.

It seriously just does not work at all to flip the wires. Totally fuuucks up the fluid dynamics of the fan blade.

How do i know your pusher's are setup wrong? B/c if you look at the blade you can see which way they need to spin to push air....and they are facing the wrong way....which means you(or someone else) flipped the wire to make them push instead of pull.


Also I agree with this as well:

My experience with pushers AND pullers was that it was splaying air that the pushers were trying to do.

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Its likely that the pushers are messing up the flow of the air too bad for the pullers to "grab" at it if you will. B/c the fan blades on the pushers are totally spinning the wrong way they are REALLY messing the air flow up.


Also: DUCTING. Check my build log towards the end for differences. I was having major issues with cooling and tried a lot of things. Checked everything over....and it was sealed up tight. Good pump, different rads/setups, tons of heat wrap and turbo/manifold blankets, quality fans...they all helped alittle but still to hot.

The game changer for me was ducting. It's night and day. +20*C drop in temps. Went from 105-112*C crusiing on the HWY struggling to keep it cool to 80-95*C bagging the shiiit outta my Holset in 1-2nd gear around town for hours on end.

Ducting. Ducting. Ducting.

There is no short cut, if you want better cooling you need to get that cool outside air in the front and into the rad. Adding more fans wont do fuuuck all if they can't breathe anyways.

 

[1990bcgsx]

ok, so I ordered this:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/spu-ix-30102044

I'll run this one exclusively on the passenger side, and one of the existing on the driver side.. and remove the "pusher" fans....

and add ducting.

We'll see how that works.

 

[boostdawd]

That looks like a solid fan! Make sure to wrap your manifold and downpipe if you haven't done so. Makes a big difference in underhood temps. I like using DEI titanium exhaust wrap.

 

[kmetiuk]

That looks like a solid fan! Make sure to wrap your manifold and downpipe if you haven't done so. Makes a big difference in underhood temps. I like using DEI titanium exhaust wrap.

2nd this. Heat wrap and blankets took a good bite outta the heat soak. You can bag on it a loooot longer if its all insulated.

 

[1990bcgsx]

2nd this. Heat wrap and blankets took a good bite outta the heat soak. You can bag on it a loooot longer if its all insulated.

Right now I'm just trying to make it drive without overheating... without boosting! haha....

 

[SasaniFab]

Ive accepted the fact that I cant take my car out when its really really hot. My car doesnt overheat but if I take the car out for a spirited drive in 80+ my car heatsoaks and the temps hover around 214-215. You take a car, block the radiator with a huge aluminum intercooler, remove all ducting. Change the exhaust manifold design which moves it and the turbo closer to the radiator which forces you to install slim fans ....you catch my drift. Imo if someone plans on daily driving these cars and still wants to rip id suggest keeping the manifold stock ie fp manifold with a
Heatshield. Good aluminum radiator , mishimoto xline is a good start with some spal slim fans. Im sure some guys have managed to figure it out....

 

[iceguru1114]

Another option, depending on your heat rejection requirements, is a liquid to air aftercooler with a remote, out-of-the-way, liquid heat exchanger. It's more complicated to pull off and it has some limitations, but it also keeps your radiator clear and decreases charge air system volume which is good for tip-in response.

 

[iceguru1114]

Decent example:

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