Temp after aluminum rad?

[Blackened302]

as JT and Grady mentioned, the t-stat and fan temp controls are what control the temps.

a high-perf Mr. Gasket 180* tstat is only about $10 and will take only a few minutes to swap. it's worth a shot, i think.

 

[gcomfx.com]

You have a stock t-stat and are complaining that an after market radiator didn't lower your temps below the stock t-stat? You do realize you are asking a new part to do something it can't right?

As stated above. You can put a semi truck radiator in the car, but the fluid can't circulate until the t-stat opens up. So you are defeating the purpose in a round about way. The only change you will get with what you have is the "temps came back down quickly" part. :wink:

 

[juiced_94gt]

Damn man i'm sorry totally forgot you were getting your dyno test this morning.

LOL it's ok man, I just got back and i made 314 RWHP and 342 TQ, i was hoping for more but it's a VERY conservative tune, there is more in it but it's better safe than sorry

 

[stprorolla49]

You have a stock t-stat and are complaining that an after market radiator didn't lower your temps below the stock t-stat? You do realize you are asking a new part to do something it can't right?

As stated above. You can put a semi truck radiator in the car, but the fluid can't circulate until the t-stat opens up. So you are defeating the purpose in a round about way. The only change you will get with what you have is the "temps came back down quickly" part. :wink:

Yes, I do realize this. Since the stock stat is 195* (i think...) then i would have assumed it would run at least a few degrees cooler than the 215 is been running lately. I guess a 180* stat is in order

 

[HISSIN50]

Michael, remember that the stock stat often won't completely open till 212ish. Non balanced stats suffer more hysteresis while at higher RPM as well.

If running hot on the highway, the fan has nothing to do with it. Ensure the air dam is present and the t-stat will really help (with the balanced stats, they start opening just before their rated temp and are all the way open just afterwards. My 180 Mr G is open all the way at 185*F for instance).

I am the one who noted an ~8*F difference at idle between a new 180* parts store stat, followed by a 180 Mr G. At speed, the difference would likely get even worse (hysteresis).

Good luck.

 

[gcomfx.com]

Hissin for everyone's benefit when searching.... where did you get the Mr. G stat and what do you look for when ordering the "balanced" version of a stat?

 

[HISSIN50]

Hissin for everyone's benefit when searching.... where did you get the Mr. G stat and what do you look for when ordering the "balanced" version of a stat?

It sounds like you can get the Mr G's at some parts stores (not around here that I know of). I get mine at the local speed shop for 10 bucks. Summit also has them (I toss an extra one in when ordering something else).

The issue with cheapo (non-balanced stats) is that when pressure goes up (you at the track, for instance), the opening point for the stat goes up because of the difference in pressure on both sides of the stat.
The balanced ones have a nice shroud which protects the stat, and it equilizes pressure so this distortion doesnt occur. It also HUGELY reduces the chances of the stat getting stuck.

 

[WHITE94COBRA]

Ok now i'm thinking about replacing mine with a Mr. gasket one... I do not race my car but every little bit helps, especially with my move comming up....

It sounds like you can get the Mr G's at some parts stores (not around here that I know of). I get mine at the local speed shop for 10 bucks. Summit also has them (I toss an extra one in when ordering something else).

The issue with cheapo (non-balanced stats) is that when pressure goes up (you at the track, for instance), the opening point for the stat goes up because of the difference in pressure on both sides of the stat.
The balanced ones have a nice shroud which protects the stat, and it equilizes pressure so this distortion doesnt occur. It also HUGELY reduces the chances of the stat getting stuck.

 

[94-302-vert]

How much coolant do I need to refill my system after the rad & t-stat change?

 

[gcomfx.com]

It sounds like you can get the Mr G's at some parts stores (not around here that I know of). I get mine at the local speed shop for 10 bucks. Summit also has them (I toss an extra one in when ordering something else).

The issue with cheapo (non-balanced stats) is that when pressure goes up (you at the track, for instance), the opening point for the stat goes up because of the difference in pressure on both sides of the stat.
The balanced ones have a nice shroud which protects the stat, and it equilizes pressure so this distortion doesnt occur. It also HUGELY reduces the chances of the stat getting stuck.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=MRG-4364

Added to wishlist. They do look different.

 

[WHITE94COBRA]

Wow they really do look different.... lol

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=MRG-4364

Added to wishlist. They do look different.

 

[stprorolla49]

Well, I installed my 180* stat this afternoon, and took it for a spin. The car ran awesome at around 195* for a good 10 minutes or so and then i smelled coolant, and the temp climbed up to 212ish*. So i came home, popped the hood, and theres a pool of coolant sitting in my water pump that leaked from the stat housing...i can't win Now I have to drive my mom's car to work cause my piece is leaking like a freakin siv.

 

[stprorolla49]

Update: Same ****!!!! I don't understand, i spent an hour cleaning off the stat housing-to-intake surface with a razor blade, sanded it clean with 400 grit sandpaper, wiped it with lacquer thinner, got a new gasket used non-hardening gasket maker on both sides, and tightened it all together, and as soon as the stat opened, it came up to about 250 degrees and there was a pressurized leak from somewhere under the housing...any suggestions?

 

[HISSIN50]

Can you check the mating surfaces with a machinist's edge?

There's no way it should have been a true 250*F. Did that seem possible or do you think there was air in the system, causing an error in the readings?

I normally let the gasketmaker set for as long as I can (overnight if possible, for a couple hours if not). I use the grey water pump and t-stat housing gasket goop.

Not that any of this helps. Other than warpage, I'm not sure why it's leakin for you.

Good luck bud.

 

[Blackened302]

true.. did you burp the system, Michael?

 

[stprorolla49]

Can you check the mating surfaces with a machinist's edge?

There's no way it should have been a true 250*F. Did that seem possible or do you think there was air in the system, causing an error in the readings?

I normally let the gasketmaker set for as long as I can (overnight if possible, for a couple hours if not). I use the grey water pump and t-stat housing gasket goop.

Not that any of this helps. Other than warpage, I'm not sure why it's leakin for you.

Good luck bud.

I do not have a machinists edge, but I spent a long ass time making sure that the 2 surfaces were perfectly smooth, not to mention, even if there WAS the most minuscule scrape in the aluminum, the gasket maker would surely fix that. Now, I did not let the gasket maker set for more than like 10 minutes, so that could also be my problem, and I did not use the water pump and stat housing goo you speak of, ill check that out tomorrow. I rechecked the housing to cracks, and found none, i even bought a new bypass hose before i re-installed it, plus a new gasket. Tomorrow I will go get some of that goo, make sure everything is all cleaned up, and then let it sit overnight.

Also, how do I go about burping the car? When i changed the rad, i put in new coolant and new water....do i still need to burp the system? Right now its about 60% water and 40% coolant. It is certainly possible that the gauge is not reading correctly because of air in the system, because it doesn't seem right that it would climb like 55 degrees in 3 seconds...literally...

 

[HISSIN50]

It is certainly possible that the gauge is not reading correctly because of air in the system, because it doesn't seem right that it would climb like 55 degrees in 3 seconds...literally...

That sure sounds like air.

I put the driver side front so it's the highest point in the system (park the driver front on a little hill or jack the driver front up).
On a cold motor, I remove the cap and let it idle. BE REAL CAREFUL OF ANY COOLANT THAT SPEWS OUT OF THE RADIATOR NECK. Putting a clean rag over the rad neck might not be a bad idea. Then I let it idle for 15 mins or so. Once the stat opens, air has an easier time of escaping.

 

[stprorolla49]

That sure sounds like air.

I put the driver side front so it's the highest point in the system (park the driver front on a little hill or jack the driver front up).
On a cold motor, I remove the cap and let it idle. BE REAL CAREFUL OF ANY COOLANT THAT SPEWS OUT OF THE RADIATOR NECK. Putting a clean rag over the rad neck might not be a bad idea. Then I let it idle for 15 mins or so. Once the stat opens, air has an easier time of escaping.

Thanks a lot man, hopefully this will work. Do you think the problem with the car spitting coolant out of the housing-to-intake mating surface has anything to do with the fact that theres air in the system? I'm going to remount the housing today, let it sit overnight and let the gasket maker fully set, then burp it tomorrow morning. If you have any other info that might help me, that would be awesome, thanks!

 

[final5-0]

I usually don't use anything but the gasket

I've seen many peeps say those chrome housings leak profusely

Grady

 

[stprorolla49]

I usually don't use anything but the gasket

I've seen many peeps say those chrome housings leak profusely

Grady

Well I ended up trying again today with a new gasket, a smaller amount of the gasket maker, and we took it for a ride and it was dry as a bone so that made me happy. The only thing I'm now pissed about is that it never ran below 210*...Now I've got this honkin rad, and a 180* stat, I was hoping it would run even just a smidge under 200*....WTF!