HELP. Desperation, last resort before scrapping Project 16v.

[HDi--Power]

Your radiator looks sh1te! Temps should not be the same top and bottom

[Magenta Sunset]

cannot see a pic of what's fitted

[Piggy]

Your radiator looks sh1te! Temps should not be the same top and bottom

Yeah...you've spotted the issue. 

Once it gets hot. It's heat soaked. Give it sometime to cool and the radiator has a ''reserve' of cooler water to fire into the engine the first time the stat opens...

So one hard pull and it's fine... But keep repeating and it can't do anything...

The radiator is not the issue... I think air flow is. Look how fast it drops when I'm not moving but got fans on...

Plus... Not sure if you have seen the radiator... But it's not shy.

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Secondary issue...

I can't KEEP pushing ... It's an EGT thing. So when temps are rising at some point, either because traffic/tree/death/EGTs... I have to back off... But the temps are not dropping like they should at high speed, even though it's 'only' at 90... With a rad the size of mine, the difference between top and bottom rad pipe at speed should be, well, massive.

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So...

To test, I'm going to remove the intercooler and try same situations...

[JTaylor2005]

The radiator as I saw when I looked at the car has about a 2" gap in front of it if I remember correctly. If you can put a seal around the edges so that whatever air comes through the intercooler gets forced through the rad as well I am sure that will make a difference. At the moment there is a dead spot of flow between the rad and whatever radiators that are in front of it. That's one of the reasons why they sandwich the rads on modern cars so close together so it keeps the flow rate up through them.

[Magenta Sunset]

is the intercooler the same size as the rad?
would that be stopping the flow reaching the rad?
my I/c on my Combo van is about the size if a 12 W/Bix box.

[HDi--Power]

The radiator may look beefy but it may have poor air flow through the fins or poor coolant flow. If I was you Id swap to a standard rad for testing purposes and go from there. It may also obviously be a case of it not getting enough air.

[Piggy]

Had a standard rad in there before... Keep up

[HDi--Power]

Had a standard rad in there before... Keep up

I drive highly strung turbocharged petrol Geman vehicles nowadays so i'm a bit out of the loop i'm afraid 

[Piggy]

More testing and looking at data... Will make some shrouding to push air into the radiator and test again... It's positive

[Dave]

You are worrying about the temps far too much, there is nothing abnormal about any of those ... also sounds like you've identified an issue with airflow so that can only offer a magnitude of improvement. Your EGT's need to be addressed turbo/control/fuelling side but none of that is to do with cooling the block, but what are the concerns with temp where are the sitting?

[Piggy]

Hmmm... It is better.
Prior to some changes it was trying to cook itself...like 100degrees after one pull....
Think we've identified an issue though. So that's great.
See project thread but EGTs are ok now after consultation and adjustments to maps.

[Poodle]

Are there any cold spots on the rad? Sounds like you've got good flow but the rad isn't up to the job - temp drop across the rad doesn't seem enough to me. Just because it's a spunky over-sized thing doesn't mean its any good. When my fans come on the temperature drops like a stone, usually a ~45 second burst is enough to go from 95 down to normal.

Do you have any cowling on the rad? Might be surprised at how much difference that makes.

Edit: missed the entire second page, my bad.

[FuST]

It all just sounds like a bad airflow problem to me.
While air getting in is very important, it also has to go somewhere. Are you sure there is enough room between the rad and the engine for good airflow?

[Magenta Sunset]

It all just sounds like a bad airflow problem to me.
While air getting in is very important, it also has to go somewhere. Are you sure there is enough room between the rad and the engine for good airflow?

louvre the bonnet?

[Piggy]

No different in spacing to the Racetractor. And that made a lot more heat.
Air flow into the rad I would say is our issue it seems.
Some cowling around it like the Racetractor will be sorted when switching to a smaller intercooler next week once it arrives

[Martin306]

Bonnet raisers! Re-live 1999!

Drawing air out is nearly as good as directing it in I'd say.

[FuST]

Actually, louvring the bonnet might not be such a bad idea. Also, it looks awesome when done right

[Magenta Sunset]

Actually, louvring the bonnet might not be such a bad idea. Also, it looks awesome when done right

key custom trick back a couple of dcades.

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can one of our artistic guys photoshop up a 306 louvered bonnet please?

[Poodle]

Channelling airflow is very important to keep your efficiencies up, a rad with proper ducting will be just as effective as one twice it's size at speed. In fact the more load/faster the air flow the more the shroud makes a difference.

[con67]

A belly pan can help airflow through the rad/ic believe it or not.

[Piggy]

A belly pan can help airflow through the rad/ic believe it or not.

As in, undertray? 

I do have the rare 306 undertray oddly enough

[Magenta Sunset]

here's a pic of a Marina 1.3 engine bay. note the rad shroud.
   

[Piggy]

yes...so shrowding will be added along with a smaller intercooler next week once it arrives.

Been driving it daily(ish) without it cooking itself which is nice. But it does get hot if you stay on it for mile after mile

[Magenta Sunset]

yes...so shrowding will be added along with a smaller intercooler next week once it arrives.

Been driving it daily(ish) without it cooking itself which is nice. But it does get hot if you stay on it for mile after mile

progress!

[JTaylor2005]

Good to hear

[Dave]

What is the status of this, cowling sorted?

[Martin306]

yes...so shrowding will be added along with a smaller intercooler next week once it arrives.

Been driving it daily(ish) without it cooking itself which is nice. But it does get hot if you stay on it for mile after mile

Well I'd be worrying if the engine got cooler and cooler with hard driving 

[madmadmax]

get the cardbord and tape out and try things, try and scoop up as much air as you can. an under tray will help move air through the bay.