Cooling
08-13-2017, 07:32 PM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Cooling
I have decided that I want my 92 to run cooler. I always ran the climate control to keep the fans running and don't want to do that anymore. Yeah I know, the factory intended for it to run hotter than most cars. I still don't like it. With that being said...
What is a good radiator for the money? I have heard great things about Dewitt and Becool radiators but that price...
Any other options out there?
What is a good radiator for the money? I have heard great things about Dewitt and Becool radiators but that price...
Any other options out there?
Last edited by Mishawaka; 08-13-2017 at 07:32 PM.
08-13-2017, 08:10 PM
#2
Race Director
I'm running a 160° thermostat and fans reprogrammed to come on at 186° and 194°. Can't remember the last time I saw a 200° coolant temperature. This is with the stock 1994 LT1 radiator.
08-14-2017, 02:11 AM
#3
Pro
Thread Starter
Yeah but I want the fans to kick on the least possible. Starting to hate hearing them. Do yours come on very often? Either way, I feel a better radiator is in order.
Last edited by Mishawaka; 08-14-2017 at 02:12 AM.
08-14-2017, 01:05 PM
#5
Melting Slicks
I prefer 180* Robert Shaw thermostat; the fan starts at lower temp. I like hearing the fan: verification the system is working and the engine will not overheat.
Last edited by whalepirot; 08-14-2017 at 01:06 PM.
08-14-2017, 08:08 PM
#6
The physics of the cooling system is really pretty simple... It takes a certain amount of HP to move the car down the road (the amount of power needed varies by speed) - and internal combustion engines are relatively inefficient - only about 30% of the energy you burn ends up pushing the car down the road - most of the rest ends up as heat - either going into the cooling system or going out the exhaust pipes.
Pretty much every car on the road today has enough air flowing over the radiator at 40+ MPH - to cool the engine when it's just working enough to hold speed - so typically at 40+ MPH, no fan is necessary. But at sub 30 MPH speeds - the amount of air flowing over a C4 radiator is probably not enough to keep the coolant from getting too hot.
A larger radiator will be able to "dump" more heat at any given amount of airflow, but at low vehicle speeds - it's not going to make all that much of a difference.
So - my $0.02, put in a 180 thermostat, and reprogram the PCM to kick the fans on sooner - I typically don't hear the first fan too easily - it's when the 2nd fan kicks in that you really hear the noise - so try kicking the first fan on at say 198 and the 2nd one on at say 210.
There are some good rads for C4's (Ron Davis or Dewitts come to mind), but they run $500+, and unless you are making big HP - they really won't help the problems keeping the car cool in traffic.
Pretty much every car on the road today has enough air flowing over the radiator at 40+ MPH - to cool the engine when it's just working enough to hold speed - so typically at 40+ MPH, no fan is necessary. But at sub 30 MPH speeds - the amount of air flowing over a C4 radiator is probably not enough to keep the coolant from getting too hot.
A larger radiator will be able to "dump" more heat at any given amount of airflow, but at low vehicle speeds - it's not going to make all that much of a difference.
So - my $0.02, put in a 180 thermostat, and reprogram the PCM to kick the fans on sooner - I typically don't hear the first fan too easily - it's when the 2nd fan kicks in that you really hear the noise - so try kicking the first fan on at say 198 and the 2nd one on at say 210.
There are some good rads for C4's (Ron Davis or Dewitts come to mind), but they run $500+, and unless you are making big HP - they really won't help the problems keeping the car cool in traffic.
