Hey guys I am building a turbo CRX with a b16 and am looking into ways to keep it running cool especially under boost. What do you guys do to help the cooling system out or does it do okay stock?

Heres what I am thinking.

Half size full aluminum civic radiator ( my traction bar allows the use of the taller civic radiator without lean). They make a turbo version (thinner) and a regular version. Not sure which to get. It also is a slightly higher pressure. I think 1.1 bar.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1617072

Low temp thermostat

Higher amount of water in the coolant mix. Maybe a 60% water 40% coolant. (Anyone run straight water? What is the disadvantage? Lower boiling point? Higher freezing point?)

Water wetter added to the coolant. Says it can lower temps by about 20 degrees.

Is this to much? Can the car run to cold? What do you guys think? I think I may just be paranoid. I am having overheating trouble with the stock a6 now but i have a crappy radiator now.

Thanks

 

I have my radiator fan running at all times. I jumped the thermo fan switch.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nerdsports &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have my radiator fan running at all times. I jumped the thermo fan switch.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Only problem with that is it takes longer to get up to temp.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RyanCivic2000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Only problem with that is it takes longer to get up to temp.</TD></TR></TABLE>

doesnt seem like it to me. just about all the cars my friends and i turbocharge have the fan running all the time.

turbo cars get freakin' hot.

 

Get a double core civic radiator. Koyo, Fluidyne, or PWR all come to mind for quality radiators. Make sure you fill it properly and get all the air out the lines. Air pockets sometimes get traped in the cooling system and that will definantly cause overheating.

 

Do not run strait water! You could damage your motor by either freezing or corrosion.

I run my stock ITR radiator and fans. I had to relocate the drivers side to the front and reverse polarity to make it a pusher instead of a puller. I have only had it get warm enough to make me uncomfortable once and that was on a 100 degree day stopped on the interstate with the air on full cold. I put the air conditioner on full hot for a few seconds (to empty the cold coolant from the heater core into the engine) and turned off the air until traffic started moving again. Thats only once in two summers that I have had a problem. I do have a bottle of water wetter but have not used it...

 

Anyone want to post up what water/coolant mix they are running and how it's working out for them?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RyanCivic2000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anyone want to post up what water/coolant mix they are running and how it's working out for them?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm running 60% Distilled Water / 40% Honda Coolant and 1.3 Bar radiator cap. Stock everything else.

No overheating problems thus far. Temps have never gone over 200. Highest I've seen so far has been 195.

You really don't want to use all water. The coolant buffers the water and raises the boiling point. Conversly, you don't want to use all coolant because straight coolant is corrosive and has less heat transfer ability.

I may do a 70 / 30 mix on the next change.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TurboEM1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Heres what I am thinking.

Half size full aluminum civic radiator ( my traction bar allows the use of the taller civic radiator without lean). They make a turbo version (thinner) and a regular version. Not sure which to get. It also is a slightly higher pressure. I think 1.1 bar.

Low temp thermostat

Higher amount of water in the coolant mix. Maybe a 60% water 40% coolant. (Anyone run straight water? What is the disadvantage? Lower boiling point? Higher freezing point?)

Water wetter added to the coolant. Says it can lower temps by about 20 degrees.

Is this to much? Can the car run to cold? What do you guys think? I think I may just be paranoid. I am having overheating trouble with the stock a6 now but i have a crappy radiator now.

Thanks
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like a solid system. Yes, you can run too cold. I remember a thread long ago where a member installed several different parts for increased cooling and did some datalogging. The car cooled so well, it coudn't get up to operating temp. Now, this was on a NA car, so a boosted car may not have yeiled the same results.

You setup sounds fine.

 

Koyo Racing Radiator w/new cap
16" 2400cfm fan for water
14" 2200cfm for AC side.
Stock Thermostat
no heating probpems.

 

ive been randomly gettin to warm recently with my new slim fan.... how do i go about jumping it so that its on all the time... and will this decrease the life of the fan?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 200cs &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Do not run strait water! You could damage your motor by either freezing or corrosion.

I run my stock ITR radiator and fans. I had to relocate the drivers side to the front and reverse polarity to make it a pusher instead of a puller. I have only had it get warm enough to make me uncomfortable once and that was on a 100 degree day stopped on the interstate with the air on full cold. I put the air conditioner on full hot for a few seconds (to empty the cold coolant from the heater core into the engine) and turned off the air until traffic started moving again. Thats only once in two summers that I have had a problem. I do have a bottle of water wetter but have not used it...</TD></TR></TABLE>


Hey I was wondering how you changed your stock fan to a pusher instead of a puller. I plan on doing this. Did you have any problems with space where the intercooelr goes? thanks

 

i cant see a stock fan being able to go in front at all...

my slim fan is tiny and it barely fits in front of my rad

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by oscarmayer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Koyo Racing Radiator w/new cap
16" 2400cfm fan for water
14" 2200cfm for AC side.
Stock Thermostat
no heating probpems.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This should be the standard cooling configuration. I run a 70/30 or even a 80/20 mix and I am good to go. You don't need anything real flashy, just the proper tools and a well maintained cooling system.

 

-C&R 92-95 civic Radiator w/ high press. cap

-Mugen Thermostat w/ swtich

-900cfm SPAL slim fan (used as pusher for space)

-Distilled water

-Prestone super Anti Rust

-Royal purple Purple Ice Additive

80 degrees celcius cruising speed. 85 degrees celius after boosting.

This was in a 91 civic by the way. Car got stolen, but i'll be using this same setup again. Oh and I had a 3.5" intercooler in the bumper that didn't help airflow to the radiator.

 

Civic Hatch H22. Fluidyne radiator, FAL fan (full shroud is important), 100% Evans coolant.
Evans also gives you some extra protection against detonation. It costs over $20 per gallon and you'd need 2 gal. or so. See Evans coolant website. This stuff has been popular with the Mazda rotary crowd for years. Has a much higher boiling point and doesn't need to be in a pressurized environment. Drag racing use has been popular for years as well as being used in many turbo-commercial truck applications.

 

Distilled water + water wetter.

 

since when does water make aluminum corrode?

 

Fluidyne rad
Jackson Racing cold thermostat
Water and water wetter(only in summer months)
Constant fan
12" slim fan
My car runs hot as hell still!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Topdawgg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i cant see a stock fan being able to go in front at all...

my slim fan is tiny and it barely fits in front of my rad</TD></TR></TABLE>

yes it can i did it to my DC when i boosted it.. just relocated it in front of teh radiator.. had no issuse with that car at all....
85mm LS-T

 

thanks for all the replies. Now is it better to have a pusher or a puller? or is the only difference which side its mounted on. Does one cool better?

 

I searched once for this pusher vs. puller debate, and all i can remember is that the puller is more efficient, there was a test someone did. I'm sure if you did a search you could get the info.

 

Im running a dual core alum rad.. (on an angle) w/ducting. A 170deg thermostat... coolant mix is 50/50, slim fan on all the time..

It runs hot.. like if i can keep it under 200 im lucky, it likes to sit around 210...(with the heat on) I also have my sensor for my aftermarket gauge where the stocker used to be.. (side of the head)

Right now im about to try running a 30/70 mix of coolant and water, along with some wetter water, and see if i can get some more air to the rad.. Its quickly getting hot here and im about to try anything.

It runs hot on the highway/city, etc... When i was NA it was perfectly fine..

 

Hate to restate the obvious, but recheck for air in the system. There are numerous factors that can contribute to overheating. A fairly big one is also the intercooler blocking airflow to the radiator. If you can channel air to the radiator more effectively, it can help. I used a hole saw to cut 6 - 2 1/2" holes in my front bumper. It helped solve the overheating issues on my 92 hatch. (looks like the rear bumper on some drag cars) Some people might not like the look. Makes it look kinda 'business' like and could ruin a 'stealth' look.

 

How was this done, how do you change from a puller to a pusher. ?