Getting ready for hot summer?
05-20-2003, 02:12 AM
#1
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Getting ready for hot summer?
Yesterday, drove back from central valley to home in So. LA. Trip is about 315 miles. Temps were in 70's to 80's. WRX performed fine with A/C on the whole time. Temp guage never budged from normal position, but car seemed VERY hot upon arrival.[ie.fan cycling constantly, causing idle to vary. Slight burning smell after shutdown,gone after 5 minutes. Engine so hot I could barely hold the dipstick.] I know these are all signs of my engine compensating for increased heat/workload. My reason for concern is, it's not HOT yet. This is a route I plan to take thru this summer, when temps will be as high as 114. I'll be running a Cobb Stage One soon, adding to my potential heat problems. I,d like to give my engine a break. My plan is, 1] Bigger intercooler 2]Samco I/C tubing 3]STI scoop 4] Larger radiator 5] less antifreeze,more distilled water, with Redlines Water Wetter. I would appreciate any feedback, and suggested improvements. My only mods will be Cobb Stage One with Greddy EVO catback exhaust. Look forward to your input, Collins
05-22-2003, 07:13 AM
#3
Turn off the AC.
Or run a higher water mix in the coolant with redline water wetter.
Get a radiator shroud.
Or get a higher capacity radiator.
Or do them all.
I run a 70% water mix and have a shroud. I've removed MY AC.
k2
Or run a higher water mix in the coolant with redline water wetter.
Get a radiator shroud.
Or get a higher capacity radiator.
Or do them all.
I run a 70% water mix and have a shroud. I've removed MY AC.
k2
05-23-2003, 10:10 AM
#4
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basic stuff would be getting an intake....more cold air, also, i knwo this sounds crazy, but if you are beating on it....turn the heat on....if you do defroster and keep your window open it won't heat the car up very much. also as long as you are driving i wouldn't worry about heat to much, with the intercooler and all it shouldn't be to bad. they make cars expecting high temps. i mean they do sell wrx's in australia. also i have read that most cars temp gauges aren't accurate...they just go up to the allowed running tempature and then stay there unless the car really over heats. i am not sure what the temp. range is but i am sure you could find out. i read this in motortrend and actually it was about the srt cause its temp gauge tells the actual temp. not just a ball park. i know the wrx doesn't do that cause you can definitely tell when the car is hotter than other times but the need always stays just above that second line from the bottom....once again unless you are rallying or something that would be continuous beating i wouldn't worry. for the turbos sake i would get a turbo timer if you do beat on it, that way it has time to cool down!
, It's ghetto but it works.
05-24-2003, 01:50 AM
#6
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Posts: n/a
Getting ready for heat
Thanks to everyone for their input. The concensus seems to lean towards: "this is a high performance engine, and it's normal to run hot". After talking to some independent Suby shops, the best approach seems to be; 1] Water Wetter, more water and less antifreeze, 2] Radiator shroud [lot's of bang for buck]. 3] Performance radiator[ ie. Fluidyne], 4] Oil cooler [surprizingly costly]. One of my original ideas was IC tubing, bigger IC, larger hood scoop. As the experts all mentioned; "this should allow for decreased air charge temps, and potentially increased HP, but NOT decreased engine temps". Same logic with CAI. Don't confuse charge temp with overall engine temp. To reiterate, my concern is for engine longevity in a hot climate. Thanks again for your input. Sincerely, Collins
05-24-2003, 04:19 PM
#7
good ole san francisco weather...always chilly and cloudy.
but ive just bought a tranny cooler for my baby just in case.
id say go for the ic spray along with all the radiator cooling methods . thatll help alot, when i was in hayward i would sprinkle some water into the intercooler before i left, so i wouldnt have much of the lovely heat soak.
but ive just bought a tranny cooler for my baby just in case.
id say go for the ic spray along with all the radiator cooling methods . thatll help alot, when i was in hayward i would sprinkle some water into the intercooler before i left, so i wouldnt have much of the lovely heat soak.
05-25-2003, 03:03 PM
#9
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 349
Along with a larger radiator you could consider a different "cooler" thermostat and higher pressure radiator cap.
The newer Fluidyne radiators are (correct me if I am wrong) 5 layers thick. The MRT or PWR radiators are 3 layers thick. The Fluidyne is of course a more $$$ as compared to the MRT which runs about 400 approx.
240sxer a shroud is just that aluminum top piece that goes on top of the radiator itself and in theory it forces the air from going over the top of the radiator and allows more air to go through the radiator. Its a simple piece that cost as low as 25 bucks or so.
The newer Fluidyne radiators are (correct me if I am wrong) 5 layers thick. The MRT or PWR radiators are 3 layers thick. The Fluidyne is of course a more $$$ as compared to the MRT which runs about 400 approx.
240sxer a shroud is just that aluminum top piece that goes on top of the radiator itself and in theory it forces the air from going over the top of the radiator and allows more air to go through the radiator. Its a simple piece that cost as low as 25 bucks or so.
05-25-2003, 03:15 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: southern california
Posts: 513
Car Info: 98 L w/hybrid ej257 Linked
what would you go with for the most cost efficent.
i dont need the mother of all cooling, just something a lot better then my 93L raditor
which companys should i go with for a better themostat and hi_pressure cap..
i dont need the mother of all cooling, just something a lot better then my 93L raditor
which companys should i go with for a better themostat and hi_pressure cap..
05-25-2003, 05:14 PM
#11
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 349
240sxer
Some folks have experienced radiator problems with the addition of the high pressure radiator caps, ie splitting plastic caps and such. Thats what I have read on at least 6 or 7 posts on the "other" subaru online club. So it might be advisable to get a aluminum radiator first IMO.
I duno if the L radiator has a reputation that the Wrx does with being somewhat weak in construction. If I were you I would try the "water wetter" stuff first.
Thermostats? hmm I have not done that mod yet. but zerosports makes em.
Some folks have experienced radiator problems with the addition of the high pressure radiator caps, ie splitting plastic caps and such. Thats what I have read on at least 6 or 7 posts on the "other" subaru online club. So it might be advisable to get a aluminum radiator first IMO.
I duno if the L radiator has a reputation that the Wrx does with being somewhat weak in construction. If I were you I would try the "water wetter" stuff first.
Thermostats? hmm I have not done that mod yet. but zerosports makes em.
05-25-2003, 09:12 PM
#13
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 349
"Water wetter" is a name brand product (redline I think?)and there are several other coolant types out there that claim to do the same thing. Your local NAPA parts house should have it. There may be a write up on it on some thread somewhere. It makes the coolant/water's molecular structure more adaptable to the pores in the metal. thereby allowing heat to transfer out better or faster. Its a neat theory and product once again I am no metalurgist nor engineer so .... a better explanation could be had.
Regarding the radiator: Some guys might tell you that you dont "need" and aftermarket one. My self I didnt look at it as if I was seeking it as a horsepower performance piece. I bought it cause when the weather here in Sacramento got into the 100's my WRX just seemed too hot and the idea of 40% more cooling capacity appealed to me. I bought and MRT cause it was on sale at the time for 375.00. The PWR radiator is of the same caliber as well. (both Australian made and are almost identical) solid alminum nice craftmanship too.
The Fluidyne radiator may be superior in cooling capacity, however, you might pay upwards to $500.00+ . Fluidyne makes a nice product which are fitted into race vehicles.
Regarding the radiator: Some guys might tell you that you dont "need" and aftermarket one. My self I didnt look at it as if I was seeking it as a horsepower performance piece. I bought it cause when the weather here in Sacramento got into the 100's my WRX just seemed too hot and the idea of 40% more cooling capacity appealed to me. I bought and MRT cause it was on sale at the time for 375.00. The PWR radiator is of the same caliber as well. (both Australian made and are almost identical) solid alminum nice craftmanship too.
The Fluidyne radiator may be superior in cooling capacity, however, you might pay upwards to $500.00+ . Fluidyne makes a nice product which are fitted into race vehicles.
Last edited by BlueGargantua; 05-25-2003 at 09:16 PM.
05-25-2003, 10:30 PM
#14
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: southern california
Posts: 513
Car Info: 98 L w/hybrid ej257 Linked
same here i want for the larger cooling capacity... oh yeah and when ever my fan kicks in my idle becomes really unstable.. it drops all the way to around 2-300 rpm sometimes. and very rarely drops so low it turns my car off.. anyone help me with this..
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