The Big Fat Track Car Cooling Thread

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Random observation:

Swapping to the Roush hood vents - without ANY cutting - seems to have made the operating temperatures go up in daily driving in the city.

Im going to have to cut soon, but thought this might be an interesting point, supported by another post I recall where airflow measurements were made.

Seems the stock hood vents actually vent better. This I am sure will change once I cut the backing off the vents and the metal impeding airflow in the hood.

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[Plimmer]

Ok, there is still some work to do here. The current facts are as follows:
1. Lowest point on my car is SW header collectors at just under 3", they scrape sometimes
2. Cooler is just over 3.5", so its low, but don't want it to scrape anything
3. Airflow at the top of the cooler is not great, see video which is roughly a 0 to 80 mph cruise. I'm sure at a track like COTA and 140 mph might be OK.

2nd tuft test:

So here is the plan:
1. Complete electrical hookup, change oil and check it pumps oil and doesn't leak.
2. Build a 2" shroud around front of cooler, to prevent air flow around cooler and scoop a little air
3. Put a curve in the back bracket so if it takes a hit it will bend back a little and hopefully not terminally damage the cooler core.
4. Do my Sep 3-4 track day and see what diff temps I get.

More to follow...........fyi, I've got maybe $500 in this project, and steel braided line is best cut with a fine tooth hack saw. :doh:

 

[Plimmer]

Random observation:

Swapping to the Roush hood vents - without ANY cutting - seems to have made the operating temperatures go up in daily driving in the city.

Im going to have to cut soon, but thought this might be an interesting point, supported by another post I recall where airflow measurements were made.

Seems the stock hood vents actually vent better. This I am sure will change once I cut the backing off the vents and the metal impeding airflow in the hood.

No doubt you will need to cut the hood open to improve airflow. The more I see endurance racers the more I notice they have extractor vents as large as the surface area of the radiator.

Sounds like you got your Stang running good again and you are back in love with it...

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

No doubt you will need to cut the hood open to improve airflow. The more I see endurance racers the more I notice they have extractor vents as large as the surface area of the radiator.

Sounds like you got your Stang running good again and you are back in love with it...

Thanks Plimmer.
BTW impressed with your current project.

I'm still breaking in a 2nd and hopefully correct attempt at MacCloud clutch (phorensicks!)

Soon to reinstall stock intake after thermal insulation (lizardskin), and revert to stock tune.

I will let you know after the 1st of August in Laguna if I am still heartbroken

 

[BTM]

No doubt you will need to cut the hood open to improve airflow. The more I see endurance racers the more I notice they have extractor vents as large as the surface area of the radiator.

Sounds like you got your Stang running good again and you are back in love with it...

Did grille delete last weekend, along with many other things. Feeling good about the increased airflow in from this, and out my gutted Roush heat extractors. Also, the open right portion of the grille is now a straight shot into my CAI

 

[Gatorac]

If (when) your Ebay pump fails, I would go with this one. http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/oilsystems.htm I've used the Mocal/Tilton diaphram oil pump before and it's not the most reliable. I built trans and diff coolers for my C5 Z06. You may find you don't need much air flow through the cooler to keep temps in check. It's not the same heat load as an engine oil cooler would see.

 

[cop on my back]

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Oh no... I know the pain dude, sorry to hear it. How much time did you get on the clutch [MENTION=6797]WOT[/MENTION] ?

 

[cop on my back]

Oh no... I know the pain dude, sorry to hear it. How much time did you get on the clutch [MENTION=6797]WOT[/MENTION] ?

I didn't mean to post that in this thread, sorry for the hijack, it was supposed to be pics of car on track thread. I got 1 1/2 laps on that clutch, 12000 miles were on it. Sucked but it's fixed.

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Glad to hear its fixed. I hope to find the same
Really gingerly broke in the clutch this time..

 

[Plimmer]

Diff cooler update

Worked on the diff cooler a little more this weekend, my garage sauna and family only had me at it for a few hours but here is how it looks for those interested:
1. The temp sensor probe is glued to the diff cover with grey firm silicon. Hope it stays on there, sorry its not very neat, but the temp readings are accurate for the surface its mounted on.
2. I'd like to pimp this little temp controller I got. It was $8 on eBay, reads degrees C, but is great. Has a max of 120 deg C and I have it set to come on at equivalent of above 203 deg F (95 deg C) and off at below 198 deg F (90 deg C). You can set the pump on / off window and it reads out constant live temp. It is also rated to 10 amps, so I'm not running a relay for the pump.
3. The pump moves a lot of oil, probably could use something half the volume or even less, but it is cheap.

But i've only tested with my battery charger.

Anybody know where I can get switched power? Haven't found a good place yet.

So for now it pumps, doesn't seem to leak, and I just need a good source for switched power.

 

[NvrFinished]

You say the pump moves a lot of oil. Will it go through the cooler slow enough to give it time to cool?

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

You say the pump moves a lot of oil. Will it go through the cooler slow enough to give it time to cool?

I'm no expert in fluid dynamics, but I would say this is not a worry... I would suggest that it may be likely that the faster the hot oil exchanges with the cooling apparatus the better..
(?)

 

[Plimmer]

You say the pump moves a lot of oil. Will it go through the cooler slow enough to give it time to cool?

Don't know, this whole thing is an experimental project that allows me to tinker. I'll be able to report back on the diff temp after sessions on track.

Also, it's reading the diff housing temperature as an estimate of the oil temp inside, not sure if the oil inside will be the same temp as the diff cover but can always adjust the temp settings to compensate.

I have a track day Sep 2, so a month away before I can see if it works ok

 

[Nine]

I'm no expert in fluid dynamics, but I would say this is not a worry... I would suggest that it may be likely that the faster the hot oil exchanges with the cooling apparatus the better..
(?)

Nor am I, but I agree. The higher the temperature delta (between the fluid and the air passing through the radiator) the faster it'll lose heat, so pumping hot fluid through at a faster rate won't cool any specific bit of that fluid more than if it were passed through more slowly but it should cool the system as a whole faster.

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