makowski6767

ok i read in the stickies that overheating threads happen on the daily but i searched and read stuff i just have a question. what are all my options to cool my motor. i just boosted it and obviously its hot. the temp gauge goes almost to the top sometimes...i have an ls swapped eg with a full size integra radiator no ac or ps. everything else stock

if im missing something let me know because tomorrow im doing all of these so i can drive.

find a way to run my slim fan at all times
cut bottom of bumper a little more to fully expose my intercooler
new spark plugs (what should i get for my ls?) and yes i searched this but the thread was from 2002 so i figured things have changed.
cut vents in hood...yes i did say that but nothing gaudy and ricey
hood risers
stuff (i forgot the name) to put in my radiator to cool it


thats all i can think of...any advice or ideas? thanks

Garcia-Racing

I dealt with this problem on a customers car for a while. It ended up being that he was using a 10" slim line fan with no shroud. not enough to cool, try putting your stock fan setup back on.

SilverEk3dr

stock fans are the best unless you got $$$ for some good aftermarket ones.

90sedan

Upgrade your fan to a quality piece with a shroud. Also make sure that the fan is pushing/pulling in the correct position. So if the fan is mounted on the engine bay side of the radiator it needs to be "pulling" the air through it.

HiProfile

First off, going all the way to the red make on a full rad means something's REALLY wrong. Even an old corroded single core half rad doesn't require any of the mods you listed. Make sure you don't have air in your system, it's more common than you think, and sometimes takes a while to clear out.

Most slim fans are junk, despite claiming 1800cfm or something crazy. Not only do they not flow as rated, any restriction (i.e. a radiator in the way) makes for a huge reduction in it's cfm's. SPAL is about all I'd recommend. It also helps cool 3x if it has a shroud covering most or all of the radiator surface, and I'm not exagerating with that number. If any part of the rad isn't coverd by the fan or shroud, it's only dropping the coolant temp a few degrees, rather than a couple dozen degrees.

The other thing is the heat from the turbo. The full rad is probably working against you. The radiator is soaking up every bit of heat from the turbo and manifold. It's not heat from convection, it's radiant heat. The only way to stop radiant heat is to wrap your exhaust parts, or put up a heat shield.

slowboost93

you said you just boosted it did you get it tuned because if you didnt get it tuned or even a base map you maybe running the cylinders lean causing it to over heat just a though

makowski6767

yea good ideas. im gunna fab up a heat shield, build some type of shroud and if nothing else get a half size. dumb question but could a blown headgasket cause this too? i know it does but that extreme?

kreatekustomz

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yes a blown HG will cause it to over heat, sometimes you get a blown HG from an overheating issue itself. The first time you seen it over heat you should have tracked down the problem. If you car lost coolant out of the over flow due to "over heating" then you have put the motor to its extreme and you need to verify all components are in working order before continuing. Meaning do a leak down test and listen/look for signs of blown HG, check you coolant for milky looking antifreeze, verify your tune is correct.

From there I would start trying to figure out your cooling problem. Depending on when it overheated last (what you was doing IE: driving down the interstate or sitting at a red light) will help determine where the issue may be coming from...

Mrbustanut

Definitely want to follow up and check and see if you have milky coolant, if you have a blown head gasket any suggestion we make for cooling will have no effect...definitely don't want you to start cutting holes in your hood.

Now if it is not a HG some things that may help:
1.Half size aluminum radiator
2.Use full size fan with shroud
3.If you use a slim fan use SPAL brand, highest CFM you can
4.Put on a turbo blanket (can really lower underhood temps)
5.Ceramic coat the down pipe
6.Flush your coolant system and put in new antifreeze
7.Put in a new thermostat

DC2_117

iTrader: (2)

Had similar issues in the past with my old setup's. Red Line waterwetter works wonders. You can get it a you're local auto parts store.

-Shane

makowski6767

yea well i was thinking its a blown hg but before i boosted it the temp gauge did not move at all. it was like a half inch below middle always never above i actually thought it was broken and now it heats up so fast so it has to do with the turbo. the temp falls extremely fast when i am above 2000 rpm. if im in 5th and cruising it heats but if i drop 4th and cruise at 2500 the heat drops. would it be a bad idea to just put sheet metal on the back of the turbo as a radiator heat shield if you will? or would puting it over the turbo cause the turbo to heat up to much from containing the heat? and with the radiator heat shield idea it be like putting a piece of metal inbetween the turbo and radiator but enclosing the radiator?