Limiting HEAT w High HP

[HUBBSTER]

So I was at PBIR racetrack yesterday w my Katech Z06. As I drove into pits I did a double take as I saw a white GT w blue stripes which got me thinking "Who took my GT out of the garage ?" :lol

I was talking to the owner & he was telling me he was making near 700hp but heat was limiting him to only a few hot laps.

Another guy there mentioned that the intercooled whipple supercharger could possibly help keep the heat down

What are your fixes to keep the heat down ?

I noticed that the intake on the left side doesnt really lead to anywhere, maybe I'll install another oil cooler there

 

[427Aggie]

I guess they don't realize that the whipple and the stock GT use the same intercooler....

Probably one of the best things I've seen anyone do was Fubar and his shiney gold head shields...I know they weren't cheap but I seem to remember a significant reduction in heat. Also wrap your exhaust and did he have the stock muffler on the car....those things heat soak like crazy.

 

[nota4re]

Another guy there mentioned that the intercooled whipple supercharger could possibly help keep the heat down

In ALL cases, a Whippple'd car is going to run hotter than an OEM SC. Both set-ups use the OEM intercooler in the valley of the cyliner heads.

If it is a 2005 GT with the screen at the nose of the car, there are improvements that can be made in converting this to the later set-up with no screen. Many have reported that the large black "screen" visible through the top hood openings can be removed to improve cooling during track conditions. Also, a transaxle cooler will also have a modest effect.

 

[HUBBSTER]

I'm definately going to wrap the intake box or if I can construct a heat shield between muffler & intake box & have the headers jet hot coated when I have them installed

So the stock intercooler is already intercooled ? Is there a way to add a bigger intercooler or you just have to get a new SC ?

 

[Fracman]

My $.02

Depends on what is overheating... intake air, jacket water, engine oil, trans. oil?

For the first 3, I would:
1. Get with Torrie and load a tune to turn on the cooling fans at a lower temperature.
2. Remove the front screen if you have an 05.
3. Make sure there isn't any air in the cooling system (others with more GT cooling system experience can provide far better advice in addressing this area)

For #1 (intake air):
1. I believe some on the forum were experimenting with lager reservoirs for the intercooler circuit.
2. Under hood temp reductions to minimize chances of heat soak prior to combustion, this could include exhaust shielding or coating, free-flowing exhaust, cat delete, etc. (my underhood temps are noticeably lower with the cat delete, borla, and coating... I wish I had taken some before and after measurements)
3. Is the intercooler fouled? Worth checking if you are chasing an unusual intake temp problem.

For #4 (trans oil), I would install a Cooltech or Ford trans cooler.

Aside from a radically different intake (turbos) or in-line cooling between turbos and the supercharger, I am not aware of any other intercooler configurations from stock.

 

[2112]

Has anyone tried the "Racing Radiatior" Offered by the GT guys?

 

[Black GT]

Or get a Viper ACR or comp coupe.

 

[2112]

yuk

 

[jcthorne]

I would be interested in real world feedback on the racing radiator as well. Anyone have one?

back to the original poster, we would need to know what was over heating? Engine temps, down on HP due to heat soak? Tranny temps?

 

[HUBBSTER]

Was the other guy's GT. I think he had engine temp & heat soak issues.

I have a trans cooler on my car

Will add a race rad & drop the temp on cooling fans + heat shield for air filter box

 

[tmcphail]

As Fracman pointed out previously put the engine coolant system under vacuum with an air lift and make sure that air is completely out off the system. You can also do this on the intercooler side as well.

If you need ECU calibration I can assist with this as well. I use a pretty aggressive fan strategy in my GT calibrations that works well to keep ECT down.

 

[jcthorne]

On the subject of coolant system air removal. Is it necessary to drain all the coolant before pulling the vacuume? Or will the coolant not boil off under the vaccume conditions allowing just the air to be removed?

I know when changing the fluid, you pull a hard vaccume on the empty system and allow the vaccume to 'suck' the coolant in through the air lift device, but what about a partially or mostly filled system? The instructions with the air lift unit are sparse on the subject.

 

[tmcphail]

I was always able to do this by emptying out the reservoir then applying vac.

 

[FENZO]

Water wetter, lower revs.

 

[daytrayd]

I have tracked in 100*+ Texas summers, sometimes all day. I have never overheated, but gotten close. I typically drive a short track and stay in 2nd gear most of the time which doesnt help. If I ever got very close to overheating I'd throw her in 3rd for a couple laps. Not ideal, but an immediate work around in a pinch. This was before I had Torrie have my fans turn on earlier with a tune and before I did water wetter. I cant remember exactly when I installed my exhaust but I remember that dropping engine temps quite a bit as well. Since then I typically stay around 220-230 max on the track. BTW, I have an 05 with the screen intact.

I would drive it hard, and see then if you have any overheating issues. If you do, I'd start with having any trapped air in your coolant system bled as others have suggested. If that doesnt work, try the water wetter, etc. Good luck, dont be afraid to take her out on the track and stretch its legs.

 

[Howard]

I would guess that bleeding a (mostly) full coolant system with vacuum is no different than starting with an empty system, since both conditions end up with a partially full system sucking new fluid in.

Howard

 

[Fubar]

I guess they don't realize that the whipple and the stock GT use the same intercooler....

Probably one of the best things I've seen anyone do was Fubar and his shiney gold head shields...I know they weren't cheap but I seem to remember a significant reduction in heat. Also wrap your exhaust and did he have the stock muffler on the car....those things heat soak like crazy.

I’m not sure about the gold foil but I did put Inconel around the full exhaust system and it dropped engine bay temps by 100*. This does NOT solve an engine temp problem. I am currently attempting to address a few areas where I think engine temperature can be reduced but it will be some time before I have results I consider ‘definitive’ or even data that is ready to be presented here. Additionally the modifications I am working on are not “quick fixes” but fairly major adjustments to the cooling system structure.

Water wetter, lower revs.

IMHO, this is the best advice you will get. The GT motor produces more torque than most track car and that tends to make up for the loss of rpms. I run most tracks in 3rd… but it takes some getting used too. High RPMs are the #1 cause of overheating. If you can keeping the motor in a lower range, you will see dramatic results.

I have tracked in 100*+ Texas summers, sometimes all day. I have never overheated, but gotten close. I typically drive a short track and stay in 2nd gear most of the time which doesnt help. If I ever got very close to overheating I'd throw her in 3rd for a couple laps. Not ideal, but an immediate work around in a pinch. This was before I had Torrie have my fans turn on earlier with a tune and before I did water wetter. I cant remember exactly when I installed my exhaust but I remember that dropping engine temps quite a bit as well. Since then I typically stay around 220-230 max on the track. BTW, I have an 05 with the screen intact.

I would drive it hard, and see then if you have any overheating issues. If you do, I'd start with having any trapped air in your coolant system bled as others have suggested. If that doesnt work, try the water wetter, etc. Good luck, dont be afraid to take her out on the track and stretch its legs.

I just can’t imagine how to keep a GT with an extra 100hp, <240* on any track in Texas without changing the normal track driving mentality (redline-shift, redline-shift, redline-shift).

Turning off the AC makes a big difference too.

 

[jcthorne]

Do most of you guys using water wetter use it in combination with yellow anti-freeze or straight with distilled water? I used straight water and water wetter on several vehicles for years, including my previous GT500 and for 15 yrs in a 65 Mustang without problem but wanted to know what the collective wisdom was for the GT. Same for both intercooler loop and engine cooling? Anyone use a lower temp thermostat? Is stock 195 on these like most Fords?

Might as well run what has been found to work best in high temps as long as it makes sense.

 

[tmcphail]

Its a 180.

I use water / water wetter in both systems

 

[RALPHIE]

...I use water / water wetter in both systems

You obviously don't live in a climate where winter temperatures drop below freezing. I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone who stores their cars in cold winter conditions.