"Rice Over Greyforest" bumper mod for cooling...and great results!

[blcknspo0ln]

I like it

p.s., I always wanted to do this, but never had the balls to, being fearful of it looking stupid and irreversable.

 

[staticbrainwash]

I'd try to throw a thermo back in man. They're there for a reason, and you will actually run A LOT different without one. That was the basics of our engine cooling class. Unless you're a race only car, be sure to run a thermo. Our prof ran circle track, and ALWAYS ran a thermo.

Just pick up a true mitsu 180. Because honestly, these cars are designed to be run in a specific heat range. Too cold and you lose efficency.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I like it

p.s., I always wanted to do this, but never had the balls to, being fearful of it looking stupid and irreversable.

Thanks, yeah it's apparently a love/hate thing. I'm looking at your talon bumper and I'm not sure how I'd do it with that. Really tricky, those talon 2Gb front bumpers. I had a small emblem so it was easy to work around. Maybe open the bumper some for the fmic up top?

I'd try to throw a thermo back in man. They're there for a reason, and you will actually run A LOT different without one. That was the basics of our engine cooling class. Unless you're a race only car, be sure to run a thermo. Our prof ran circle track, and ALWAYS ran a thermo.

Just pick up a true mitsu 180. Because honestly, these cars are designed to be run in a specific heat range. Too cold and you lose efficency.

I tried a couple thermostats and they just make me run 200F+ because they only start to open at their rated temp. So far my mileage hasn't really varied from 18 mpg/city like it's been for a few years now. Car pulls much stonger without the knock and pulled timing and idles like stock. The only downside I've seen so far is warm ups take more than twice as long. When my fan controller goes in my fans will be set to activate at 190F and turn off at 180F. On a 2G the ecu begins adjusting fuel trims at 180F so I believe that to be the low end of the efficiency range. I was running my car with fans on and posting the extreme cooling results to show you how effective my cooling mods are. I'm looking to operate between 180-190F in the worst FL heat. I would only always run a thermostat in colder climates.

 

[thegchild04]

I dont like it, it looks horrible but i give you an A for effort and an A for making the cuts clean and matching.

I second that, its beginning to look ridiculous, it was better before you started cutting more around the intercooler. I like the heat shield but you have short route piping why didn't you just make a cold air intake dropping the filter into the bumper inside fender area?

I'd try to throw a thermo back in man. They're there for a reason, and you will actually run A LOT different without one. That was the basics of our engine cooling class. Unless you're a race only car, be sure to run a thermo. Our prof ran circle track, and ALWAYS ran a thermo.

Just pick up a true mitsu 180. Because honestly, these cars are designed to be run in a specific heat range. Too cold and you lose efficency.

He definitely doesn't need a thermo unless he was driving in the winter or in colder climates.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I second that, its beginning to look ridiculous, it was better before you started cutting more around the intercooler. I like the heat shield but you have short route piping why didn’t you just make a cold air intake dropping the filter into the bumper inside fender area?

I disagree. I think the stock 2Gb turbo wing is boy ricer like the SRT4 and Evo/Sti wings and has no functional advantage over a low profile spoiler, but that's my taste. Appearance is subjective and pointless to argue.

Originally you stated you "don't understand the point of this mod". You're completely missing the objective here: performance gains through better cooling efficiency. From a performance standpoint, installing a fmic only to have large portions of it obstructed reduces its efficiency and defeats the purpose of the upgrade. You'll find that the vast majority of people with fmics have this problem. Better fmic efficiency means lower intake temps and less knock.

As for CAI, I don't believe there is anything to gain from routing pipe to the fender area versus a cold air box drawing cold air under the filter. The turbo draws the air in and ramming air towards a filter does not increase that volume. Second, the air I draw from above upper fender over the wheel is the same ambient temperature as the air from the fender. Third, the fender area is going to be occupied by a tranny oil cooler relocation that CAN use ram air. Fourth, there is no risk of soaking a filter by the elements -- which is why you don't move the filter down there, if anything you just run piping there and keep the filter in the cold air box. Fifth and most importantly....um, 30 degree intake temp drop?? What I did works and log after log proves it.

What could possibly be helpful and see more gains is deflecting heat from the main fan on to the intake pipe by wrapping it in Thermo-Tec heat shield as well as wrapping the upper ic pipes with heat shield sleeves. Also, using a DEI turbine housing cover and adding an exhaust manifold blanket over the already heat wrapped manifold. I plan to do these next.

 

[JrCRXHF]

I disagree. I think the stock 2Gb turbo wing is boy ricer like the SRT4 and Evo/Sti wings and has no functional advantage over a low profile spoiler, but that's my taste. Appearance is subjective and pointless to argue.

Originally you stated you "don't understand the point of this mod". You're completely missing the objective here: performance gains through better cooling efficiency. From a performance standpoint, installing a fmic only to have large portions of it obstructed reduces its efficiency and defeats the purpose of the upgrade. You'll find that the vast majority of people with fmics have this problem. Better fmic efficiency means lower intake temps and less knock.

As for CAI, I don't believe there is anything to gain from routing pipe to the fender area versus a cold air box drawing cold air under the filter. The turbo draws the air in and ramming air towards a filter does not increase that volume. Second, the air I draw from above upper fender over the wheel is the same ambient temperature as the air from the fender. Third, the fender area is going to be occupied by a tranny oil cooler relocation that CAN use ram air. Fourth, there is no risk of soaking a filter by the elements -- which is why you don't move the filter down there, if anything you just run piping there and keep the filter in the cold air box. Fifth and most importantly....um, 30 degree intake temp drop?? What I did works and log after log proves it.

What could possibly be helpful and see more gains is deflecting heat from the main fan on to the intake pipe by wrapping it in Thermo-Tec heat shield as well as wrapping the upper ic pipes with heat shield sleeves. Also, using a DEI turbine housing cover and adding an exhaust manifold blanket over the already heat wrapped manifold. I plan to do these next.

I have the EVO and do aero work on the car and the rear wing does help with high speed stability It is not as good as an undertray but yet it does help at high speed and the car need more wing if you add down force to the front of the car.

 

[Cs4g63]

I think its cool that you decided to modify the bumper to make it so there is more air flowing through everything. It does look kind of funky but its a cool idea.

 

[2gAWDTalon]

I like it... I notice most of the ish talkers have slow cars, .
Keep driving your slow car...
For the question about the radiator cap, they hae them at both Autozone and Advanced Auto Parts.

Kevin, I think it looks alot better now that it is no longer a smiley front bumper. Duck the haters (slow guys)

 

[pboglio]

Here's a few pics of my "bumper" cutting experience. You do what you have to if you want airflow to the radiator.

I can say from experience the STi wing is totally functional. The high speed downforce is pretty substantial with its dual plane wing. My GSX wing on the other hand doesn't seem to provide much downforce.

 

[staticbrainwash]

THAT looks awesome Pboglio. I really dig it. Do you have a shot of the center piece though? in between the cut out slots?

 

[pboglio]

THAT looks awesome Pboglio. I really dig it. Do you have a shot of the center piece though? in between the cut out slots?

Thanks. You can see the center piece in the first pic. I left it in place to reinforce the bumper and to hide the hood lock support bracket which blocks the radiator anyway.
I would have cut the entire bumper apart but when you do that on a 97+ bumper it really does look like ass. The pictures don't show it but when you stand in front of the car the cutouts are almost invisible.

Rice Over Wheat, nice job, very clean looking. Your car looks alot like a stock Grand Prix GTP with those cutouts.

 

[thegchild04]

now thats some nice work ^^^

 

[alex99gst]

In your pictures, you can see the intake tubing going from the passenger side opening up to the air filter. I personally have done this on my 1g as well and I would definitely suggest it as a mod to further lower the intake temps. It works wonders.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Thanks. You can see the center piece in the first pic. I left it in place to reinforce the bumper and to hide the hood lock support bracket which blocks the radiator anyway.
I would have cut the entire bumper apart but when you do that on a 97+ bumper it really does look like ass. The pictures don't show it but when you stand in front of the car the cutouts are almost invisible.

Rice Over Wheat, nice job, very clean looking. Your car looks alot like a stock Grand Prix GTP with those cutouts.

Thanks, yours looks good too. You know you can cut the diagonal sections of that upper bumper support and retain its full integrity for holding up the bumper as long as the bottom part where they converge still rests against the center beam. How's your temps?

Arghhhh another points out I have styling cues from pontiac!! Actually I kind of like their GTO.

http://www.pfyc.com/banshee/images/banshee_01.jpg

 

[mavisky]

Welcome to last year

http://gallery.indystars.org/d/81309-2/060906_11162.jpg

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[staticbrainwash]

Yours are my favorite Mav. Thats what i plan on doing with mine once i finally get this fmic on my car.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

But...it's a 1G! This is the new school baby!! j/k Oh I kid the 1G owners. Radiator vents FTW!

 

[mavisky]

Also our systems don't work ideally without some resistance there at the thermostat housing. Take an aluminum plate and drill a couple of large holes in it to let the water through. This will keep the pressure in the block higher and allow it to cool better.

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

I can run 150s to 160s with the fans on and cruising with 90F ambient temps. More cooling isn't what I need right now. I believe my fan controller will allow me to run any temperature range above 160 that I choose, I just have to install it. I'll do this today or tomorrow and post the results. The dakota digital dual fan controller and 0-300F sender plus digital gauge will complete my cooling system. I'm going to install the controller in the cockpit so I can adjust my cooling range on the fly.

 

[arash15]

maybe you should look into the CF hood vents from RRM. They make a cheaper fiberglass one too if you dont want CF. The difference in engine bay temps is NIGHT and DAY.

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[Ludachris]

I wish I was brave enough to pull my steel bumper out like some of you guys...

 

[arash15]

I wish I was brave enough to pull my steel bumper out like some of you guys...

doesnt JM fab have some options for the bumper support for 1g's?

 

[Rice Over Wheat]

Also our systems don't work ideally without some resistance there at the thermostat housing. Take an aluminum plate and drill a couple of large holes in it to let the water through. This will keep the pressure in the block higher and allow it to cool better.

After re-reading that now I get what you're talking about. Get an aluminum disc the same diameter as a thermostat head, except drill some holes in it and place it in the housing to slow the flow some. That's a good idea, I may try that.

 

[drivemusicnow]

After re-reading that now I get what you're talking about. Get an aluminum disc the same diameter as a thermostat head, except drill some holes in it and place it in the housing to slow the flow some. That's a good idea, I may try that.

Well, the "correct" way to do it would be to take one of the thermostats you have lying around, and literally block it open. Force it to be in an always full open mode using some metal clips. This is the preferred method for a couple reasons, one, it provides back pressure in the engine that the water pump pushes against and two, it restricts flow through the rad a little bit. The longer water sits in the rad, the cooler it gets. I'm not saying your way doesn't work, but when we are testing cooling systems on transit buses (probably one of the highest heat rejection applications) we use blocked open thermostats. I think an aluminum plate would work as well, but some trial and error would be needed to find how much suface area to drill.

 

[Ludachris]

doesnt JM fab have some options for the bumper support for 1g's?

Yeah, but that doesn't really offer any protection.