The Big Fat Track Car Cooling Thread

[sigintel]

https://nasaspeed.news/tech/aero/installing-miata-hood-vents/

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[shogun32]

https://nasaspeed.news/tech/aero/installing-miata-hood-vents/

nice thing about those Miata vents is you can just grab them at Home Depot. They are in the floor vent isle.

 

[sigintel]

nice thing about those Miata vents is you can just grab them at Home Depot. They are in the floor vent isle.

The metal strip for making a gurney flap is also from Home Depot.
Best part is being able to return to stock without cutting up hood.

 

[EFI]

Had my first track day yesterday with the A10 GT and suprisingly the trans stayed pretty cool (topping out around 208-210) but the engine temps were a bit higher than I expected. Not sure if this had more do to with the track being rather slow and lacking high speed straights or maybe my expectations were a bit higher for this setup.

I am running a Mishimoto radiator and CHTs were in the high 230s all day even in 60-70 ambient temps. When I ran my other car with the PP radiator and a grill delete it stayed in the 220s even on a hot day.

Is there anything else I can do without major cutting (eg. hood vents) to help? Would removing the active grill shutters keep the engine cooler or are those nor really a restriction? Or should I not worry about 240* CHTs and hope that a faster track is going to keep things cooler next time?

 

[Plimmer]

Had my first track day yesterday with the A10 GT and suprisingly the trans stayed pretty cool (topping out around 208-210) but the engine temps were a bit higher than I expected. Not sure if this had more do to with the track being rather slow and lacking high speed straights or maybe my expectations were a bit higher for this setup.

I am running a Mishimoto radiator and CHTs were in the high 230s all day even in 60-70 ambient temps. When I ran my other car with the PP radiator and a grill delete it stayed in the 220s even on a hot day.

Is there anything else I can do without major cutting (eg. hood vents) to help? Would removing the active grill shutters keep the engine cooler or are those nor really a restriction? Or should I not worry about 240* CHTs and hope that a faster track is going to keep things cooler next time?

See post 594, 595 and 598 for what you need to do.

 

[GT_Roadcourse_Newb]

Best engine cooling mod is boxing your radiator but not many people want to spend a whole weekend doing it.

Sorry for the stupid question, but what is 'boxing your radiator?' Guessing, maybe keeping cold (as possible) air hitting the radiator using low thermal conductivity parts to channel the available airflow?

 

[shogun32]

Sorry for the stupid question, but what is 'boxing your radiator?' Guessing, maybe keeping cold (as possible) air hitting the radiator using low thermal conductivity parts to channel the available airflow?

air spills over the sides of a radiator because the radiator can only pass about 30mph worth of air. All the turbulence causes air to stall at the radiator inlet to boot. By boxing you trap the air and move the 'curtain' of turbulence a couple inches in front of the radiator so the inlet air is somewhat more organized. I plan to put motorcross bike style blades in mine to further hinder the turbulence.

 

[SVO MkII]

OK, after seeing/reading more stuff in this thread, I've made a few changes. First, I swapped out the massive intercooler for a more reasonably sized one (Mishi clone). Second, I relocated the oil cooler from in front of the radiator to its own location alongside the intercooler opening, cut the lower valence open to provide airflow to it. Third, boxed everything in, hopefully forcing more air through the rad, intercooler, and oil cooler. I have some track time tonight, fingers crossed!

 

[Scootsmcgreggor]

Nice! Should help a ton.

 

[SVO MkII]

Nice! Should help a ton.

I think it helped. Coolant temps stayed right around 220 and oil never exceeded 260. Ambient temps in upper 70s. That's about a 20 deg improvement for both. We'll see how it goes as the ambient temps rise over the summer.

 

[Flyhalf]

Boxing and ducting is the most effecting mod for cooling. 20 25f is what ive seen too.

 

[Flyhalf]

Passing from a 925 setrab trans cooler to a 938. 3" longer.
We will see if is better

 

[1 old racer]

let me know if you want to sell those 925's

Passing from a 925 setrab trans cooler to a 938. 3" longer.
We will see if is better

 

[Flyhalf]

let me know if you want to sell those 925's

Do you guys think that orientation ofnthe cooler is not important? What if i mount them vertical vs orizontal (so longer side running vertical )?

 

[1 old racer]

Do you guys think that orientation ofnthe cooler is not important? What if i mount them vertical vs orizontal (so longer side running vertical )?

I would not think so. I figure which ever way catches the most efficient air flow. But I have been known to be wrong a time or two in my life.

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