Best Methods to cool down motor? (overheating issues)
07-07-2010, 12:44 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Portales, NM
Posts: 831
Total Cats: 2
Best Methods to cool down motor? (overheating issues)
Last track day (my first one) I had some overheating issues, I have another one coming up and the track is longer so I need to be running cool.
Since I am in Arizona would it help me to run 100% water with water wetter in it? Right now I'm running 50% antifreeze I think.
I have a Koyo Radiator, would modding so that both fans run help?
What else can I do that isn't too difficult?
Thanks!
Since I am in Arizona would it help me to run 100% water with water wetter in it? Right now I'm running 50% antifreeze I think.
I have a Koyo Radiator, would modding so that both fans run help?
What else can I do that isn't too difficult?
Thanks!
Last edited by jbrown7815; 07-07-2010 at 01:32 PM.
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 01:00 PM
#4
on the track, you don't want your fans turning, they will act to block the airflow at track speeds instead of promote airflow. Antifreeze will reduce water's natural 'specific heat' (that is to say: it will reduce waters ability to hold and transfer heat energy) 100% water is better than water/antifreeze mix at transferring that heat from your engine to your radiator any day of the week! (Literally, the ONLY 2 purposes for antifreeze are to A: keep your coolant from freezing, and B: to act as a lubricant which prohibits corrosion) Water wetter will serve to reduce the surface tension of water much like soap does. (Bill nye, the science guy FTMFW!) It is also a corrosion inhibitor. Basically, it will increase the 'speed' at which energy can be transferred from the engine to the water, and then from the water to the radiator.
Your absolute largest gain (if you've got at least average intelligence, then you've done this already) is a coolant reroute.
After that, look for ways of promoting airflow across the heat exchanger. Ducting and Extraction hoods come to mind. Also, you will absolutely want to get rid of any "fan shroud" if you've added one. They're fantastic for the street/autoX, but they prohibit airflow at track speeds. If you've raised the back of your hood (cowl induction?) then put it back down. Mazda put the rubber in there where your hood seals to the rear of your engine bay for a reason. That's a high pressure area and will serve to significantly reduce airflow through your heat exchangers.
Finally; If you've removed the stock miata undertray PUT IT BACK.
That undertray serves to protect the engine and belts from crap coming up from the bottom. In my honest opinion, thats a SIDE EFFECT.
The undertray serves VERY EFFECTIVELY to increase the pressure differential across the heat exchangers. If you don't have the undertray, you've commited thermal suicide.
Your absolute largest gain (if you've got at least average intelligence, then you've done this already) is a coolant reroute.
After that, look for ways of promoting airflow across the heat exchanger. Ducting and Extraction hoods come to mind. Also, you will absolutely want to get rid of any "fan shroud" if you've added one. They're fantastic for the street/autoX, but they prohibit airflow at track speeds. If you've raised the back of your hood (cowl induction?) then put it back down. Mazda put the rubber in there where your hood seals to the rear of your engine bay for a reason. That's a high pressure area and will serve to significantly reduce airflow through your heat exchangers.
Finally; If you've removed the stock miata undertray PUT IT BACK.
That undertray serves to protect the engine and belts from crap coming up from the bottom. In my honest opinion, thats a SIDE EFFECT.
The undertray serves VERY EFFECTIVELY to increase the pressure differential across the heat exchangers. If you don't have the undertray, you've commited thermal suicide.
Reply
1
1
07-07-2010, 01:15 PM
#5
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Portales, NM
Posts: 831
Total Cats: 2
on the track, you don't want your fans turning, they will act to block the airflow at track speeds instead of promote airflow. Antifreeze will reduce water's natural 'specific heat' (that is to say: it will reduce waters ability to hold and transfer heat energy) 100% water is better than water/antifreeze mix at transferring that heat from your engine to your radiator any day of the week! (Literally, the ONLY 2 purposes for antifreeze are to A: keep your coolant from freezing, and B: to act as a lubricant which prohibits corrosion) Water wetter will serve to reduce the surface tension of water much like soap does. (Bill nye, the science guy FTMFW!) It is also a corrosion inhibitor. Basically, it will increase the 'speed' at which energy can be transferred from the engine to the water, and then from the water to the radiator.
Your absolute largest gain (if you've got at least average intelligence, then you've done this already) is a coolant reroute.
After that, look for ways of promoting airflow across the heat exchanger. Ducting and Extraction hoods come to mind. Also, you will absolutely want to get rid of any "fan shroud" if you've added one. They're fantastic for the street/autoX, but they prohibit airflow at track speeds. If you've raised the back of your hood (cowl induction?) then put it back down. Mazda put the rubber in there where your hood seals to the rear of your engine bay for a reason. That's a high pressure area and will serve to significantly reduce airflow through your heat exchangers.
Finally; If you've removed the stock miata undertray PUT IT BACK.
That undertray serves to protect the engine and belts from crap coming up from the bottom. In my honest opinion, thats a SIDE EFFECT.
The undertray serves VERY EFFECTIVELY to increase the pressure differential across the heat exchangers. If you don't have the undertray, you've commited thermal suicide.
Your absolute largest gain (if you've got at least average intelligence, then you've done this already) is a coolant reroute.
After that, look for ways of promoting airflow across the heat exchanger. Ducting and Extraction hoods come to mind. Also, you will absolutely want to get rid of any "fan shroud" if you've added one. They're fantastic for the street/autoX, but they prohibit airflow at track speeds. If you've raised the back of your hood (cowl induction?) then put it back down. Mazda put the rubber in there where your hood seals to the rear of your engine bay for a reason. That's a high pressure area and will serve to significantly reduce airflow through your heat exchangers.
Finally; If you've removed the stock miata undertray PUT IT BACK.
That undertray serves to protect the engine and belts from crap coming up from the bottom. In my honest opinion, thats a SIDE EFFECT.
The undertray serves VERY EFFECTIVELY to increase the pressure differential across the heat exchangers. If you don't have the undertray, you've commited thermal suicide.
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 01:24 PM
#6
Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mount Prospect, IL
Posts: 695
Total Cats: 4
The bigger Koyo is a good solution
Another thing you can do in summer is remove the thermostat completely (it is removed from my track Spec Miata along with the A/C and I never have overheating problems even when in an hour race on a 98 degree day with 100% humidity!)
Another thing you can do in summer is remove the thermostat completely (it is removed from my track Spec Miata along with the A/C and I never have overheating problems even when in an hour race on a 98 degree day with 100% humidity!)
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 01:40 PM
#9
Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mount Prospect, IL
Posts: 695
Total Cats: 4
it opens up to much more free flowing (ever notice how small an amount of fluid is actually allowed through even with a thermostat open?)
in w2w racing, antifreeze isn't even allowed so distilled water and water wetter is how everyone on-track does it (along with no thermostat)
in w2w racing, antifreeze isn't even allowed so distilled water and water wetter is how everyone on-track does it (along with no thermostat)
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 02:07 PM
#12
+1 on the Hood extractor. Do this
https://www.miataturbo.net/showthrea...ght=carbontrix
https://www.miataturbo.net/showthrea...ght=carbontrix
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 03:09 PM
#13
I noticed a difference during freeway driving by adding/removing this alone...
http://tinyurl.com/3xjuabj
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 03:12 PM
#15
Senior Member
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mount Prospect, IL
Posts: 695
Total Cats: 4
When going to refill the system with water, remember it will take several fills and drains to get a good amount of the antifreeze out (I think we did a fill and drain 4x to get it all out of the system)
Reply
0
0
07-07-2010, 04:20 PM
#20
Tour de Franzia
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Republic of Dallas
Posts: 29,085
Total Cats: 375
I already told you what to do in email, and that was to make ducting to force air through the heat exchangers.
http://www.pitstopusa.com/SearchResu...ategoryID=2749
Right now ISC racing has the best water reroute on the market if you can't make your own, like a man. You have to call them though because their website sucks my ***...and feel free to send me their rear swaybar as a service fee. Any reroute you buy from anyone else will have shitty adapters, external thermostat housings, and crappy rubber hose with a spring in it. The ISC one is all metal and all man, and I know you have a thing for men in general. You don't have to deal with 4' of rubber hose to weather and fail in a couple years.
I built my own out of necessity because I demand reliability first and foremost. I bet Abe could make a copy of mine if you're interested. He's about to convert mine to hardpipes.
I thought a shop was going to "move the intercooler" in a failed attempt to make it cool?
http://www.pitstopusa.com/SearchResu...ategoryID=2749
Right now ISC racing has the best water reroute on the market if you can't make your own, like a man. You have to call them though because their website sucks my ***...and feel free to send me their rear swaybar as a service fee. Any reroute you buy from anyone else will have shitty adapters, external thermostat housings, and crappy rubber hose with a spring in it. The ISC one is all metal and all man, and I know you have a thing for men in general. You don't have to deal with 4' of rubber hose to weather and fail in a couple years.
I built my own out of necessity because I demand reliability first and foremost. I bet Abe could make a copy of mine if you're interested. He's about to convert mine to hardpipes.
I thought a shop was going to "move the intercooler" in a failed attempt to make it cool?
Reply
0
0
