New FD, Fixing and rebuilding

[wickedrx7]

Also, fans are only suppose to lower temps at very low speed/idle. If your cooling system can't cool your car down at speed, you need to improve your cooling system.

[digitalsolo]

Ducting should help some but honestly, you need a better radiator. Just a single pass is not going to cool that thing off. Do you have an oil cooler? If not, that would help too.

Que?   I have a single pass 3" core (dual row, single pass) from eBay and with a Taurus fan and good ducting I run <200* pretty much all the time, and generally sit in the 176-185* range.    That's with a big ass (12x24x3) intercooler stuff in front of it too.

I'd argue that ducting and a good fan is MORE important than the radiator.     Now, no argument that a dual pass would help, but it really shouldn't be necessary unless doing heavy road racing.    Now, if I missed a road race goal for this car, I fully retract my statement, and would add venting, oil coolers, yada yada.   

Also, fans are only suppose to lower temps at very low speed/idle. If your cooling system can't cool your car down at speed, you need to improve your cooling system.

If your fan CAN keep it cool at low speed/idle, and you overheat at speed, it's really ducting that is the problem, since the radiator appears to have enough capacity at idle.

FWIW, I'm not disagreeing, just noting that good ducting is CRITICAL for a well functioning cooling system.

[wickedrx7]

I 100% agree that good ducting is key. I use to always harp on that when people would complain about temps. Making sure that all the air that enters the front of the car goes through the radiator is key.

All that being said, it just seems that for a turbo application with a large intercooler in front, a dual pass would be needed. But I could be wrong as I have never built a turbo v8.

[digitalsolo]

I've built 4-5 now; about half were dual pass.   None had temperature problems (that I'm aware of) but ducting and cooling fans were very, very critical.

[Tictakman]

I agree with wicked rx7.  Ive ducted mine and it helped a lot though... Id also suggest and air to water setup as well as a little thicker sheeting and use rivets.

[stbrn19]

I agree with everything said, I already ordered a aluminum eBay radiator that while it may not be the best should be a nice upgrade over the stock one I have.  I wish I would have used thicker ducting. Problem being I couldn't easily find large sheets of it. Most likely I will have to redo this setup I reinforced the ducting with some aluminum angle and extra material which really helped to increase it structurally but ideally I would have started with better suited sheet metal.  This was an impulse project from two nights ago. I decided i was going to make it and wanted to start it right then (hence the lack of better supplies)

[onefastrx7turbo]

Phoenix!!!

[stbrn19]

In other news my circuit breaker that is in the car is shitting the bed. Go to crank and it flips off...  Thought it was a battery issue, after I drove it home from my work I parked it and the next morning it would not start.  Charged it and still doing it. Going to eliminate it. Thoughts on wire protection? Big fuse of what?

[Cornelius]

Phoenix!!!

I've never seen so many users from Phoenix before, had no idea there were so many swapped sevens here.

On topic, the car looks great, glad it's getting redone the right way.

[Covert5150]

Phoenix is ghey.

[stbrn19]

Made some more progress.
Ordered a new all aluminum radiator, was suppose to be a drop in replacement for the current one but I mixed up the measurements... Doh
New radiator:





Its about 1.5" taller than the current setup and when i test fit it stuck up a ton and interfered with closing the hood.  I considered returning it and getting the shorter version but i figured it gave me a reason to use a bigger better radiator.
So i had to remove the old radiator mounts, file and grid down the old welds and crap then figure out where it needed to be for Removing the old mounts:





Test fitting: These pictures are from a few hours worth of griding the bumper mounting area down to let the radiator tilt forward.  This was needed to clear the port on the top passanger side of the radiator.  When i Initially test fit it the port/nipple was being crushed into the turbo inlet coupler.





Making some fan mounts/shroud:






Fitting with the fans:




Need to mail man to bring my degas tank so i can finish getting this thing all buttoned up.

[stbrn19]

update, finished the radiator crap:
got my degas/pressurized over flow in the mail



buttoned up a bunch of little crap and raised the car up a bit, it was scrubbing the rear tires on bumps with the new taller tires.



Picture of the engine bay with everything where it currently sits



Took it to the dyno and NicD our local turner worked his magic for me.  Even though there were a few hiccups and little issues the car DID NOT blow up and it got me home with minor issues.
Wastegate with the boost controller off was only 3 PSI and change, couldn't turn the boost up past about 8 PSI so another day I'll get it sorted and turn up the boost to around 12 PSI.


Car made 484 WHP through the 4l80e with an unlocked converter.  Not the most power but it sure feels good, not to mention the power band is nice and wide.  I'm ready for some runs to see how it does


After the dyno took apart the samberg diff support to drill out a bolt that was broken off and replace it.  I'll try and update when i get some results of some kind or work on it and tweak it some more.

[Spec C]

Car made 484 WHP through the 4l80e with an unlocked converter.  Not the most power but it sure feels good, not to mention the power band is nice and wide.  I'm ready for some runs to see how it does

That is good power on that dyno, in this heat.  That thing probably moves.  You've done a great job of getting it sorted out.

I am bringing my car down to your shop on Wed so you guys can do my MGW shifter.  I am over wrenching in my 120deg garage this summer, and didn't realize it was going to be such a pain in the dick to install that thing from the top.lol

[stbrn19]

That is good power on that dyno, in this heat.  That thing probably moves.  You've done a great job of getting it sorted out.

I am bringing my car down to your shop on Wed so you guys can do my MGW shifter.  I am over wrenching in my 120deg garage this summer, and didn't realize it was going to be such a pain in the dick to install that thing from the top.lol

Thanks man, yeah working in my garage and outside with no cooler is terrible.  The shifters can be a real PITA depending on how yours was modded to accommodate your swap.  Look forward to seeing your car.

[babillaracing]

nice car man, quick question ,do you have more pictures of the tunnel without the tranny on? I am thinking going auto but I don't want to bang up the tunnel a lot