Engine Temps

[tacker]

nope not standard turbos Roy have the Garret 2860-5 units on now.

Stock radiator would not handle the standard out from the engine had it cleaned etc but still got warm.

I didnt have a problem with the JJ radiator leaking i never lost any coolant until the front of the water pump fell off due to a tight belt i am told.

It has to be air flow, going to be sealing everything up to make sure all air goes through the radiator will put back standard fan and shroud and see what that does, and low temp thermostat on order.

[gtt23]

oil cooler + low temp thermostat

[Abo Bob]

Yesterday i ran the 4 core radiator without any fan in and day around 35deg and the car started to get a bit hot ( 100 )

I don't think 100 is too hot. 130 is too hot.

Also should the thermostat be removed as i have heard 2 different theories on this that it should be removed to allow more flow and it should be left in place as it slows the coolant flow through the radiator and allows the coolant longer in the radiator to cool more.

Keep it in for the reason you have heard. This has been known for decades but I have tested this personally.

I'd go with a twin thermo setup with a shroud. Typically on a rectangular shaped radiator you'll typically cover more surface area, therefor pulling more air through the rad.

A 16" fan will pull more air than two 12" ones and only a little less than two 14" ones (which you wont get to fit in a skyline anyway). This is a fact. Davies Craig used to have a nice table on their website which proved this for me but they have changed things around since I was last there and I can't see it anymore.

I wouldnt run without a thermostat. I would at least get one of the low temp Nismo ones. I have often thought about getting one myself.

Provided you duct that bad boy up right and you are still running std turbos then id say you will be fine. I know of a few people running the Just Jap radiators, but im yet to hear of someone running one in their track car. I also knwo someone who has a race radiator alloy 40mm, really nice piece of kit but his car sitll gets warm. It appears its all in the installation

I don't understand how a low temp thermostat will change anything other than what temp it opens. The maximum temp will be the same no matter what temp the thermostat is set to. The only thing it would do is soften the ramp rate of the temp because the radiator will be brought into the loop earlier.

I use a JJ radiator and I have been on the track with my 270rwkw on mid 30's day with no probs. I know of one race car using one but it's not a Skyline.

I have had troubles with leaking around the cap but for the price who can argue. It's the best cheap thing I ever bought for my car.

I am also wondering what oil cooler you are using because the solution to your problem may well lie there.

[tacker]

Have 2 oil coolers in place and both are HKS units, one is on the LHS in front of the wheel while the other is located on the other side not quite straight up and down but a nice big duct directing plenty of air to it. Oil temps sit around 95 degrees.

And i will try anything to see if i can sort this issue out so i will put a low temp thermostat to see if that helps at all.

And i thought 100 on the engine outlet would be to hot feel much better if it was low 90's it the answer fans or ducted air to the radiator. I can cruise around for 20 minutes and not get hot ( 85 to 87 ) but when i start to push the speeds high than 160 the car starts to get hot. At what air speed do the thermofans and viscous fan stop drawing air into the radiator and forced air flow take over as it cant be possible for a fan to draw air in faster than 160 kms forced air flow surely???

Edited April 22, 2007 by tacker

[Roy]

I don't understand how a low temp thermostat will change anything other than what temp it opens. The maximum temp will be the same no matter what temp the thermostat is set to. The only thing it would do is soften the ramp rate of the temp because the radiator will be brought into the loop earlier.

The only thing? Thats what it will do. By changing the gradient of how quickly it heats up you extend the time it will takes...giving you more laps.

[tacker]

Ok update, last time out

Ambient temp 38 degrees

Track Dubai auto drome national circuit 4.3kms

Radiator JJ aluminium R32

Thermostat standard

Coolant 50/50 mix for alloy engine, Prestone brand

Fan standard

Shroud none

After market temp gauge 96 max

Power FC temp 96 max

Changes made relocated oil cooler from in front of radiator to below radiator mounted horizontal with ducting, sealed

up all possible openings for the forced air to escape.

Made a seal between the top of the alloy radiator and the bonnet to allow the vent to pull more air.

Results Very happy with the improvements in coolant temp, had a slight rise in oil temp to just over 100 so still

ok with that side. Not sure if relocating the oil cooler or the vent pulling more air out or both changes

made the difference.

Questions Is 96 degree coolant and 103 ish oil temp ok?

[blind_elk]

My experience has been that the front end of a Skyline isn't designed to let air pass, unassisted, through the radiator. Air only cools the radiator if it passes through the radiator. And it will only pass through the radiator if the pressure inside the engine bay is lower than the pressure in front of the radiator.

That's where the factory VC fan has it over thermo fans - it supplies a continuous stream of cool air through the radiator.

Use the factory VC fan. If you want to give it some assistance, try a couple of spacers in the bonnet hinges to jack up the trailing edge of the bonnet. That should allow air to escape from the engine bay, thus reducing the air pressure in the engine bay.

[tacker]

I am still using the standard fan just not the shroud as i feel it may not allow enough air through at higher speed. Which seems enough as it doesnt get hot at an idle.

The bonnet i am using has the 3 vents in it. One in the middle just behind the radiator and two further back on the outer edges. Still i sealed between the top of the radiator and the underside of the bonnet it seems to work much better so i think you are correct with your thoughts.

[noone]

If you do remove the thermostat (I wouldn't recommend it) dont remove completely just cut out the valve part out and then put the rest back in as a restrictor as most cars I have done this to wouldn't cool properly without some form of restictor there to keep water from flowing to fast through the radiator, were not track cars though but I think this would still be the case.

Living in darwin am keen to see your results will be fitting an oil cooler and thinking EL ford twin thermos when on break myself as she gets pretty warm on the track definitly going to try to seal round the radiator/intercooler a bit too.

Still waiting on my vented carbon bonnet (custom carbon Qld. jobbie) sounds like similar venting to yours so interested to here about the changes you made to seal that better too, sounds like this may be worthwhile also.

[tacker]

yer i think it made the most difference to the heat issue. Although i do have a direct flow of air into the top half of the radiator. It makes sense that if the bonnet would have a pressure build only going to let as much air in as it lets out. Was a lot of air going over the radiator and straight out the vent which now goes through the radiator.

No chance of me removing the thermostat will go with the longer in the radiator theory... and had enough of removing things when i did the turbos...yep got about a life times worth of removing stuff then!

the bonnet i got is just a copy done in fibre glass so a bit more weight but the guy that did it has just about every type of body kit ever made for these and it was 270$ for the bonnet in a black jell coat which needs to be painted, still had no other option as some wa$%er ( me ) forgot to put the pins in didnt i, folded just nicely back along the roof i found out.

Still question is, is 96 still to hot or a good temp

Edited May 6, 2007 by tacker

[noone]

Bonnet pins damn!! Thats gotta suck! an scarey to me thinks at track speeds?

Got any pics????????????????

Thought the turbo fairys took care of ya turbos for ya

Your post about that scared the hell outa me doing same turbos but with trust dumps,

Should be fun!!!!

96 with 103 ish oil temps on a nearly 40 degree day flat out on slicks think you done pretty damn good myself

[tacker]

Turbo fairies my arse.... they took everything off and vanished when the beer ran out!

was the beer can genie that put the buggers back on bless her little cotten socks.

would you believe i wasnt even in the car when the bonnet came up....was on the trailer and i didnt even notice til i pulled up at the track

Edited May 6, 2007 by tacker

[noone]

Damn that woulda been even worse

You woulda missed a track day

[STATUS]

Ok update, last time out

Ambient temp 38 degrees

Track Dubai auto drome national circuit 4.3kms

Radiator JJ aluminium R32

Thermostat standard

Coolant 50/50 mix for alloy engine, Prestone brand

Fan standard

Shroud none

After market temp gauge 96 max

Power FC temp 96 max

Changes made relocated oil cooler from in front of radiator to below radiator mounted horizontal with ducting, sealed

up all possible openings for the forced air to escape.

Made a seal between the top of the alloy radiator and the bonnet to allow the vent to pull more air.

Results Very happy with the improvements in coolant temp, had a slight rise in oil temp to just over 100 so still

ok with that side. Not sure if relocating the oil cooler or the vent pulling more air out or both changes

made the difference.

Questions Is 96 degree coolant and 103 ish oil temp ok?

We were running one of those cheap radiators (NOT JUST JAP) and i have just swapped it out for a greddy one. The chinese one held just over half the volume of water. The do NOT have the volume of water especially when running water cooled turbos to dissipate the heat in 35 degree and above abients.

[tacker]

Good point i was thinking about having the bottom tank enlarged to hold more coolant, very easy to do have a friend who makes aluminium boats. If i have piece made to extend back towards the engine i think i could get another 2 litres or so in the system. And every little bit helps in these temps we have here at the moment.

[tacker]

Latest update.

Track Dubai auto drome GP circuit 5.39 kms

Ambient temp 42

JJR R32 aluminium radiator

thermostat removed

coolant 50 /50 mix

no fan

no shroud

electric water pump 110 litre/hour due to N1 pump busting in half ....again had to modify to make a donnor as the blanking plate for electric pump

All other mods were the same as last time out.

Big big improvement with the thermostat removed and electric pump installed highest temp was 92 degrees and ambient was 4 degrees hotter than last time out. These electric pumps are the business could not be more happier.

Also ran a temp gauge in radiator outlet and seen about 11 degrees diff between inlet and outlet temps

[blk180]

No fan at all?

[tacker]

nope no fan at all car is only for track use and its either moving or its not. Best part is i can leave the pump running while engine is off and it still cools down. i think a small thermo fan will be put in it was just that i was up until 3 this morning repairing the bloody N1 pump that broke.......second one now to let go. And i didnt have time to buy one to use, i cut the shaft out of the body repaired the dirty great crack and blanked the end off. So no shaft for a normal fan to bolt too.

But i will vouch for these electric pumps they are great the temp difference of the car was unexplainable....the faster i went the better it cooled will take a pic and post it when the old camera charges. And i wont have to replace another pump as its a shit of a job and i am sick and tired of removing cam timing belts and re installing them.

Edited May 11, 2007 by tacker

[R32 GT-R]

Yeh i have been going through these sort of drama's myself in a stock 32 gt-r i have big (prolly to big) 57mm pwr rad (i push the old gal pretty darn hard at tmes) the stock fan shat itself (centre started leaking) and at $540 odd dollars for a grnuine replacement i was keen to give the thermo's a go......... try and fit a decent sized thermo in the engine bay with 57mm rad.... why oh why didn't i just buy the 40mm one lol

[tacker]

Mate just buy one of these electric pumps i promise you they are cheaper than the N1 pumps and they bloody well work as i found out today.

Not sure how long they last but i have been through 3 bloody water pumps in the last 4 months so it cant be any worse for me at least. That and a small thermo fan for trafic but i swaer as soon as i start to move the temp was dropping in seconds.