Juhatee

I have a maggie on top of my LS1-based engine and I haven't had any coolant issues on track before (with original cooling parts). I was concerned about engine oil temps, which were quite high after just few laps.

Now I updated water pump to meziere high flow model electric pump, BeCool aluminum radiator and front bumper to C6-styled with engine oil cooler behind the mouth of this bumper.

Now I get just one efficient lap before coolant temps point southeast.

I read that this Meziere might not be proper choice for me. Can you people confirm that?

Could I have any problems due to my aluminum radiator being a bit thicker than original?

I use original air dam for radiator. I made a funnel for the oil cooler air to go in from bumper mouth and from there it goes to air dam. I also made 4" openings to both sides of the dam from where my front brake ducts (C6Z + Quantum hub parts) get the cooling air. Could this be the error I made?

6SPEEDZ

Yes the electric water pump is not good really at all. I have seen tests done and they do not flow anywhere near what they are rated. The coolant flow distribution is also horrible, particularly at the rear of the block. The radiator should help you. A couple of things you want to check though are that the shroud is sealed to the radiator. A lot of times the factory foam seals start blowing out or are missing. The other thing you want to check from time to time is for debris. You can get grass and all sorts of other road trash caught in your radiator, AC condenser and heat exchanger.

Juhatee

Yes, I sealed shroud to the radiator with better foam seals already when I made this mod and it's still clean of any debris since this was almost the first time out with this combo.

I understand the electric w/p having less flow but how is the uneven flow distribution possible?

AU N EGL

also your radiator may need to be cleaned out.

Juhatee

It's a new one..

drivinfast

I would go back to the stock water pump and relocate the scoops for your air to cool the brakes like most have them. then close the 4" holes. our cars dont get much air as it is and now you have a lot of it going to the front brakes

ErnieN85

you are letting a lot of air around the radiator with the brake ducts where they are

1leg

Agree, you are robbing air that should be going thru the radiator. I would get your air from somewhere else for the brakes. Electric water pumps are not always the best option for a road race/endurance car. If you are making more than 600 hp and your races last longer than 30 minutes, I would go with a belt driven water pump. Electric water pumps work great for drag racing and daily driver.

Juhatee

What water pump to buy? I'm sure I'll be okay with the stock one but there must be quality difference between brands.. Or is there? Prices vary from 75 to 400 bucks. AC Delco is in the middle.

froggy47

Plus 160 stat and water wetter & no antifreeze (if you can) and prog fans to come on earlier.

whatcop?

A lot of people are against exhaust wraps, but I am all for it. I used the DEI titanium wrap and it helped a lot. Wrap as much of your headers/exhaust manifolds as you can and as far as through the tunnel. It helps a lot. Don't overlap too much. I wrap about half overlap and thats it.

Juhatee

Done that. I have exhaust wrapping and I'm all for it. Earlier I had even plastic melting problems on dyno from battery compartment cover. Now there's no heat issues besides water temps in road racing.

I will relocate those 4" brake cooling ducts to next to the oil cooler. I will close those two 4" holes on air dam. I will change my water pump to belt driven model (which brand?) and I hope I can call it a day.

Juhatee

Update:

I'm shamed to admit but seems I put the thermostat wrong way round in the housing while I had the electric w/p..

But anyway, I changed the setup meanwhile:

I changed w/p to new LS2 pump, blocked brake cooling hose openings from the air dam and made new cooling ducts to brakes which take air directly from bumper and do not rob air from front of the radiator.

I still have issues: I have a 180 F thermostat but while I cruise 60 mph, I have 200 F water temp. If I push it, temps go to 210 F.

Could it be that the oil cooler (which releases the air to the air dam) makes so much heat that it disturbs radiator? I also have Maggie heat exchanger there but that hasn't been a problem earlier even in track use. Only the oil cooler is new setup.

ErnieN85

one thing I found when installing my big radiator was that the temps run about 20 degrees above thermostat specs. (found that in the service manual) so I now run a 160 which holds things about 180

froggy47

Put in the 160 stat & post back.

crimlwC6

210 is a problem?

ErnieN85

no...... however the ECU starts pulling timing when coolant goes over 194 and or intake air goes over 77, that means loss of power

froggy47

Really 77f? That's every day in Socal.

Crap.

You sure?

Dirty Howie

What difference does it make to have a 160 vs stock Tstat on the track??

Both are wide open after a couple of hot laps, right ??


DH

Supercharged111

I once barked up this tree, the advantage on track is your hot laps have cooler temps. If you're running time trials, your fastest lap will be either the first or 2nd that you drop the loud pedal. I checked local times and the fast lap is never any later than the 3rd, with the 1st typically wasted getting cars on track. For endurance racing, there is no advantage.