[Z06] Radiator Angle
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
Radiator Angle
Anyone ever switch this up? Do something like the c5r with it angled forward and a big-*** vented hood?
I'm having cooling issues, and although I do not have a vented hood yet I am considering attempting this feat. I just don't think that simply venting the hood will help enough without making the air actually flow straight through the radiator and out the hood.
Any pictures or recommendations would be helpful.
I'm having cooling issues, and although I do not have a vented hood yet I am considering attempting this feat. I just don't think that simply venting the hood will help enough without making the air actually flow straight through the radiator and out the hood.
Any pictures or recommendations would be helpful.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 30,897
Likes: 45
From: Picking on the weakest kid in the yard.
That would be cool as hell if it were done right. But you'd need a hood that's ducted for the purpose, not just with holes in it, don't you think? And if it was, I don't think it would open and close with the hinges, it would have to lift off. I read your other thread and understand your fustration, but your not the first guy to RR with your HP levels. And nobody else is forced to go this radical. Why try to reinvent the wheel? If I were you, I'd start by replacing that bent air dam and taking the car to a tuner to make sure there is not something about the tune that is generating a bunch of heat. Just my .02, but good luck with whatever you do.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,506
Likes: 5
From: Milpitas CA
I read the other post too and have a suggestion that would be way easier so it's probably worth a try. Before I got my after market radiator I pinned my air dam forward and added an extension to scoop in more air. It seemed to work pretty well. Nothing fancy, just flat plastic from TAP plastics cut to size and riveted onto the stock air dam. It probably took less than an hour to do including jacking the car, measuring, installation, and clean up. This might be just enough to keep the temps down in combination with your current radiator and oil cooler.
I'm close to you so if you'd like to try it you can email me and we can set up a time to do it. meldog21@yahoo.com
Dog
I'm close to you so if you'd like to try it you can email me and we can set up a time to do it. meldog21@yahoo.com
Dog
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Anyone ever switch this up? Do something like the c5r with it angled forward and a big-*** vented hood?
I'm having cooling issues, and although I do not have a vented hood yet I am considering attempting this feat. I just don't think that simply venting the hood will help enough without making the air actually flow straight through the radiator and out the hood.
Any pictures or recommendations would be helpful.
I'm having cooling issues, and although I do not have a vented hood yet I am considering attempting this feat. I just don't think that simply venting the hood will help enough without making the air actually flow straight through the radiator and out the hood.
Any pictures or recommendations would be helpful.
1- clean your radiator out with an high pressure air hose.
2- add two bottles of Water Wetter.
3- check your air dams under the car to make sure they are angling the air properly
Switching the radiator to lean forward is possible, but very expesive to do.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
That would be cool as hell if it were done right. But you'd need a hood that's ducted for the purpose, not just with holes in it, don't you think? And if it was, I don't think it would open and close with the hinges, it would have to lift off. I read your other thread and understand your fustration, but your not the first guy to RR with your HP levels. And nobody else is forced to go this radical. Why try to reinvent the wheel? If I were you, I'd start by replacing that bent air dam and taking the car to a tuner to make sure there is not something about the tune that is generating a bunch of heat. Just my .02, but good luck with whatever you do.
Car has been re-tuned, and I have fixed the bent air dam... only to go off at the next event and rip it off completely so it is being replaced.
I read the other post too and have a suggestion that would be way easier so it's probably worth a try. Before I got my after market radiator I pinned my air dam forward and added an extension to scoop in more air. It seemed to work pretty well. Nothing fancy, just flat plastic from TAP plastics cut to size and riveted onto the stock air dam. It probably took less than an hour to do including jacking the car, measuring, installation, and clean up. This might be just enough to keep the temps down in combination with your current radiator and oil cooler.
I'm close to you so if you'd like to try it you can email me and we can set up a time to do it. meldog21@yahoo.com
Dog
I'm close to you so if you'd like to try it you can email me and we can set up a time to do it. meldog21@yahoo.com
Dog
If you have cooling issues you have another problem
1- clean your radiator out with an high pressure air hose.
2- add two bottles of Water Wetter.
3- check your air dams under the car to make sure they are angling the air properly
Switching the radiator to lean forward is possible, but very expesive to do.
1- clean your radiator out with an high pressure air hose.
2- add two bottles of Water Wetter.
3- check your air dams under the car to make sure they are angling the air properly
Switching the radiator to lean forward is possible, but very expesive to do.
2- I have 1 bottle of water wetter in right now, you think 2 is necessary?
3- The air dam was bent back to upright. Is there some specific angle the middle one is supposed to be at other than simply vertical?
I understand it would be a decent amount of work to lean the radiator forward, but what makes it expensive?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
the stock radiator can not really be leaned forward. There are a few guys that have done this, leaned a new radiator forward with an extractor hood.
Remember the vett is a bottom breather not a front breather for the most part.
What sort of coolant temps are you getting?
In most cases just a new DeWitts or Ron Davis racing radiator will do the trick, and extractor hood
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 17,103
Likes: 39
From: stop the fun suckers
In my experience the best solution is to replace the radiator with a new one. The reason being is with mileage and age things get stuck in between the fins and reduce airflow.. also the plastic side tanks start to give up the ghost after awhile and dont seem to like to be removed to release the sides. This becomes the issue if you want to go the bit less expensive route (not much savings maybe only 200 bones) - you could remove your current radiator and take it to a radiator shop to have it cleaned (rodded), dipped and the seals replaced.. however to do this the side tanks have to come off (and like i mentioned earlier they dont care for this as much as the brass units used to).
There are plenty of z06's in hot weather that dont over heat and unless you have alot of mods done to the car I suspect the stock cooling is adequate if the system is working right..
Hope whatever you decide gets you back on the road quickly and without any further problems!!
There are plenty of z06's in hot weather that dont over heat and unless you have alot of mods done to the car I suspect the stock cooling is adequate if the system is working right..
Hope whatever you decide gets you back on the road quickly and without any further problems!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
New radiator and fabrication of mounting brackets.
the stock radiator can not really be leaned forward. There are a few guys that have done this, leaned a new radiator forward with an extractor hood.
Remember the vett is a bottom breather not a front breather for the most part.
What sort of coolant temps are you getting?
In most cases just a new DeWitts or Ron Davis racing radiator will do the trick, and extractor hood
the stock radiator can not really be leaned forward. There are a few guys that have done this, leaned a new radiator forward with an extractor hood.
Remember the vett is a bottom breather not a front breather for the most part.
What sort of coolant temps are you getting?
In most cases just a new DeWitts or Ron Davis racing radiator will do the trick, and extractor hood
I know its a bottom breather, so I'm thinking it should just flow right up and through the hood if the angle is right on the radiator.
Temps get to the high 260s; enough that I have seen the warning on my dash.
Car has a DeWitts radiator that has been in for about 3-4k miles.
In my experience the best solution is to replace the radiator with a new one. The reason being is with mileage and age things get stuck in between the fins and reduce airflow.. also the plastic side tanks start to give up the ghost after awhile and dont seem to like to be removed to release the sides. This becomes the issue if you want to go the bit less expensive route (not much savings maybe only 200 bones) - you could remove your current radiator and take it to a radiator shop to have it cleaned (rodded), dipped and the seals replaced.. however to do this the side tanks have to come off (and like i mentioned earlier they dont care for this as much as the brass units used to).
There are plenty of z06's in hot weather that dont over heat and unless you have alot of mods done to the car I suspect the stock cooling is adequate if the system is working right..
Hope whatever you decide gets you back on the road quickly and without any further problems!!
There are plenty of z06's in hot weather that dont over heat and unless you have alot of mods done to the car I suspect the stock cooling is adequate if the system is working right..
Hope whatever you decide gets you back on the road quickly and without any further problems!!
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Do you have any information on the people who have done this? What radiator do they use? I would be doing all the fabrication myself so that wouldn't really be a big cost.
I know its a bottom breather, so I'm thinking it should just flow right up and through the hood if the angle is right on the radiator.
Temps get to the high 260s; enough that I have seen the warning on my dash.
Car has a DeWitts radiator that has been in for about 3-4k miles.
As I said above, the car has a DeWitts radiator that is only about 4k miles old. Motor is a built 416, and the car is a track toy (aka there are plates for it but they are on maybe twice a month) so I don't really care about it as a street car.
I know its a bottom breather, so I'm thinking it should just flow right up and through the hood if the angle is right on the radiator.
Temps get to the high 260s; enough that I have seen the warning on my dash.
Car has a DeWitts radiator that has been in for about 3-4k miles.
As I said above, the car has a DeWitts radiator that is only about 4k miles old. Motor is a built 416, and the car is a track toy (aka there are plates for it but they are on maybe twice a month) so I don't really care about it as a street car.
if your seeing 260 coolant I would look for the real problem
might need a new water pump.
The guys who did this used a special DeWitts radiator. other details they have not shared with me
Drifting
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 1,966
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge LA
For what it is worth, I would remove and really clean the radiator fins first. It is not as much "fun" to do the obvious, but sometimes it works. I fought cooling issues with my older ZR-1 forever, and got repeated advice to clean the radiator. But since I could not see anything, I did not believe it. Then on a Saturday, over just a few hours time, a friend removed, pressure cleaned, and reinstalled the radiator. That was two years ago, and the car has been perfect ever since. I also agree with checking the tune, because that can definitely create too much heat for the cooling system.
I do not have the benefit of reading the other thread referred to, but making sure the radiator (and the rest of the cooling system) is not at fault is obviously the thing to do before proceeding forward. Then, even if you continue with your mod, you have a better baseline to start with.
I do not have the benefit of reading the other thread referred to, but making sure the radiator (and the rest of the cooling system) is not at fault is obviously the thing to do before proceeding forward. Then, even if you continue with your mod, you have a better baseline to start with.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
For what it is worth, I would remove and really clean the radiator fins first. It is not as much "fun" to do the obvious, but sometimes it works. I fought cooling issues with my older ZR-1 forever, and got repeated advice to clean the radiator. But since I could not see anything, I did not believe it. Then on a Saturday, over just a few hours time, a friend removed, pressure cleaned, and reinstalled the radiator. That was two years ago, and the car has been perfect ever since. I also agree with checking the tune, because that can definitely create too much heat for the cooling system.
I do not have the benefit of reading the other thread referred to, but making sure the radiator (and the rest of the cooling system) is not at fault is obviously the thing to do before proceeding forward. Then, even if you continue with your mod, you have a better baseline to start with.
I do not have the benefit of reading the other thread referred to, but making sure the radiator (and the rest of the cooling system) is not at fault is obviously the thing to do before proceeding forward. Then, even if you continue with your mod, you have a better baseline to start with.
Please explain how it is in the tune.... what would be checked for?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,396
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Here is what we did on my ZO6
Tipped the radiator foward to put it in the air flow
For the vented hood
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
For the vented hood
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
Last edited by Jeffyvette; Oct 20, 2008 at 07:50 AM. Reason: more info
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Tipped the radiator foward to put it in the air flow
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
Looks awsome guy.
Do you find or have you found that air temps moving thought the radiator and around the long air intake tube effects performance?
That might be something to wrap with gold foil to keep the heat off the air intake tube
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
Tipped the radiator foward to put it in the air flow
http://www.boomspeed.com/jeffyvette/TTunderhood.jpg
For the vented hood
http://www.boomspeed.com/jeffyvette/TTHood.JPG
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
http://www.boomspeed.com/jeffyvette/TTunderhood.jpg
For the vented hood
http://www.boomspeed.com/jeffyvette/TTHood.JPG
This car has an after market front lip and a air dam that is added for Open Road Racing. So it is a front not under breather. In the picture above all the body panels are off so you are able to see what we did better.
Jeffy'
Is that just a stock replacement radiator that you have tipped forward or is it something special/custom?Also, any pictures of your front breathing setup would be much appreciated. This is exactly what I have been looking for.
Again, what is going to change in the tune. Simply having it retuned isn't going to do **** unless something changes in the tune to cause it to not overheat.... what do you suggest doing to the tune? The tune that is on it was done 2 months ago btw.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
clean the radiator out first.
the tune or just reset the fans turn on point.
However, the radiator cleaning will do more then you can see.
I clean my radiator out before each track weekend. and get so much crap, sand, dirt and who knows what else. Keeps coolant temps down unless the outside temps and humidity are sky high
This is just from one weekend on the track
the tune or just reset the fans turn on point.
However, the radiator cleaning will do more then you can see.
I clean my radiator out before each track weekend. and get so much crap, sand, dirt and who knows what else. Keeps coolant temps down unless the outside temps and humidity are sky high
This is just from one weekend on the track
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Los Altos CA
clean the radiator out first.
the tune or just reset the fans turn on point.
However, the radiator cleaning will do more then you can see.
I clean my radiator out before each track weekend. and get so much crap, sand, dirt and who knows what else. Keeps coolant temps down unless the outside temps and humidity are sky high
This is just from one weekend on the track
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...iator_crud.jpg
the tune or just reset the fans turn on point.
However, the radiator cleaning will do more then you can see.
I clean my radiator out before each track weekend. and get so much crap, sand, dirt and who knows what else. Keeps coolant temps down unless the outside temps and humidity are sky high
This is just from one weekend on the track
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...iator_crud.jpg
What exactly is it with the tune (other than the fan switch temp) that you keep stating though?
Have you figured out the easiest way to spray out the radiator from doing it so often?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,396
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Radiator answers
Crash,
That is a Ron Davis after market radiator. I only had limited usage I had one of my turbos go out just after we did this work. But it appered to make a difference as the speed incressed.
AU N EGL,
The intake tube is wraped in a special heat resitant silver foil to reduce heat into the intake.
Jeffy'
That is a Ron Davis after market radiator. I only had limited usage I had one of my turbos go out just after we did this work. But it appered to make a difference as the speed incressed.
AU N EGL,
The intake tube is wraped in a special heat resitant silver foil to reduce heat into the intake.
Jeffy'
