Possible low profile radiator?
- Thread starter ydeardorff
- Start date
Jay Laifman
Member
Sebring or Sterling? The pictures of my Sebring and the yellow Sebring I believe pretty much show it. Is there something specific you are trying to figure out?
Brett Proctor
Well-known member
Just for the record I made a few calls about the Scirocco style drag racing radiator and was told by everyone its just for drag racing. It wont keep the coolant of a street driven cars temperatures at bay. It's made for short burst runs only.
As for Yaughn he no longer posts on this site due to conflicts in his way of thinking and the flack he has to take for ideas. Since this post was made he has gone with a different radiator setup that shows more promise than what was posted here.
He does visit the site once in a while so maybe he will comment but don't hold your breath on it.
As for Yaughn he no longer posts on this site due to conflicts in his way of thinking and the flack he has to take for ideas. Since this post was made he has gone with a different radiator setup that shows more promise than what was posted here.
He does visit the site once in a while so maybe he will comment but don't hold your breath on it.
sector
Active member
Based on my research the best fitting radiator for our cars is the one for Jeep Wrangler V8 GM conversion such as Champion CC8102 which can be purchased for around $200 or Chinese ebay version for around $100. Since it's made for GM V8 LS1 engine this will be more than sufficient for all engine options for our cars including my WRX turbo engine.
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Brett Proctor
Well-known member
I have not done my home work on this so excuse me if I have it wrong but doesn't the cooling system on the WRX Turbo motor also have to cool the turbo and the oil??
Depending on the year of the LS1 I think the WRX turbo puts out about the same hp.
So with that thought process you might want to go with as much cooling as possible for a WRX turbo motor.
Plus the radiator in a jeep is sticking right out in front of the car getting more air to it than one would in our cars.
I could have it wrong though
sector
Active member
Cooling for the turbo is taken care by the intercooler mounted on top of the engine so radiator is strictly for the engine cooling.
I've checked coolant capacity of the stock WRX radiator and it is significantly less then this radiator due to it being 3 core. Also this same form factor radiator is also available in 4 core for those boosted LS1's pushing in access of 600hp.
You are correct, properly sized air intake and exhaust for the radiator is a must, but in my case this is not an issue since my front end is pretty open and unobstructed. Also due to angled position of the radiator in our cars, most of the air will be pulled from under the car.
I've checked coolant capacity of the stock WRX radiator and it is significantly less then this radiator due to it being 3 core. Also this same form factor radiator is also available in 4 core for those boosted LS1's pushing in access of 600hp.
You are correct, properly sized air intake and exhaust for the radiator is a must, but in my case this is not an issue since my front end is pretty open and unobstructed. Also due to angled position of the radiator in our cars, most of the air will be pulled from under the car.
Brett Proctor
Well-known member
A intercooler cools the intake charge not the turbo, but I guess the information that I was given on the setup of the system was wrong. I was under the impression that the turbo had a cooling system. Next time I better do my home work first.*laugh* and I keep forgetting you have a Cimbria SS not a Sterling*nothing to see*
Brett Proctor
Well-known member
Yes it does but then the oil goes back into the engine and if Sector has an OEM oil cooler it uses the cooling system to remove the heat from the oil so that taxes the cooling system even more. you can't go by just hp on something like that to figure out radiator size because the turbo is adding a lot more heat to the system.
My kid had a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo that was turbo charged and it had a safety feature on it that when you shut the car off the engine kept running for about a minute at idle to allow the turbo to spool down and cool off. This would keep anyone from ruining the bearings to the turbo
Jay Laifman
Member
I can't emphasize enough that it is not just unobstructed openness and flow under, you have to be sure air can't find other paths under, over or around the radiator. All openings and paths need to be blocked. And the area in front needs to be a tube, channeling the air to the radiator.
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Brett Proctor
Well-known member
There is a reason why Yaughn is looking or was looking at low profile radiators for his application.
With low profile radiators he doesn't need to lay the radiator down at an angle. By doing this he reduces the chances of getting air trapped in the system and he keeps the face area of the radiator the same so he's getting the full cooling capacity of the radiator and he is aware of this and took this into consideration when designing the cooling system for his car.
Think about it.
So what if you have a radiator that's rated for "X" amount of hp or that you have 30% more capacity than a oem radiator. When you lay it down at an angle you now have reduced the face area of the radiator that's getting air by over 50% so your loosing the cooling efficiency of the radiator
People that live in cooler climates might be able to get way with laying the radiator down like this but in stop and go traffic in a place where it gets into the 100's in the summer(pavement temps are over 140*easy) I don't have the luxury of just taking any old radiator and stick it in the car and hope that it works. At least I don't have a turbo to worry about and the additional heat it generates. I think I'd be screwed then for keeping the engine cool in the summer*laugh*
With low profile radiators he doesn't need to lay the radiator down at an angle. By doing this he reduces the chances of getting air trapped in the system and he keeps the face area of the radiator the same so he's getting the full cooling capacity of the radiator and he is aware of this and took this into consideration when designing the cooling system for his car.
Think about it.
So what if you have a radiator that's rated for "X" amount of hp or that you have 30% more capacity than a oem radiator. When you lay it down at an angle you now have reduced the face area of the radiator that's getting air by over 50% so your loosing the cooling efficiency of the radiator
People that live in cooler climates might be able to get way with laying the radiator down like this but in stop and go traffic in a place where it gets into the 100's in the summer(pavement temps are over 140*easy) I don't have the luxury of just taking any old radiator and stick it in the car and hope that it works. At least I don't have a turbo to worry about and the additional heat it generates. I think I'd be screwed then for keeping the engine cool in the summer*laugh*
sector
Active member
No need to worry. Direction of the radiator is irrelevant when fan turns on. Vehicle will never overheat as long as radiator intake and exhaust are unobstructed and fan channels all the air through the radiator. And in hot weather traffic the fan will turn on anyway.
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Jay Laifman
Member
+1. Again, as long as the air has no where else to go, it has to go through the radiator. The incoming air gets pushed in and the air flowing under the car sucks it through. Your sketch shows only half of what is going on - and the angle is backwards.
Besides, I think there are quite a few exotic Italian cars that would beg to differ too!
As far as air bubbles trapped in the radiator, at least with my angled installation, the cap is still at the top and I bleed the system when I fill it.
Here is a picture that shows the flow (the orange is supposed to be the body, ha!).
Besides, I think there are quite a few exotic Italian cars that would beg to differ too!
As far as air bubbles trapped in the radiator, at least with my angled installation, the cap is still at the top and I bleed the system when I fill it.
Here is a picture that shows the flow (the orange is supposed to be the body, ha!).
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Brett Proctor
Well-known member
It shows what I wanted it to show. A radiator that is angled back(or forward)looses face area, and the angle is right for my application. The exiting air will be going out an extractor vent in the hood.
Well its obvious that you guys know it all so I'm going to tap out on this one. We don't seem to be making any headway here.
Oh by the way after 30-35mph the cooling fan looses its effectiveness at pulling air through the radiator and it is possible to get back pressure in the fan shroud area which is why you see little trap doors sometimes in the fan shrouds.
Hope everyone has a great Christmas or what ever you celebrate this time of year.
