Just finished installing a SCS (secondary cooling system) on my RS a few days ago and it works great. The car has an aftermarket trans cooler so the H/E (heat exchanger) on the passenger side of the stock radiator was available.

I used a small 35 gph Mr. Gasket fuel pump that I got from Autozone for $45. The cooler is a 16,000 gvw B&M I got for $50. The catch can is a 51135 I got from Jegs for $45.

The SCS is completely seperate from the PCS (primary cooling system) because I didn't want the electric pump to be pressurized. See pic below. The pump and stock radiator fan are hooked up to an adjustable control module I set to about 180. The engine never goes below the 160 theromstat temp and it never goes over 180 because as soon as that pump and fan come on, the temps drop fast.

 

I'm not understanding your diagram. Doesn't even show it plumbed to an engine. Just recirculating through the radiator & cooler.

 

http://www.carnut.com/ramblin/_cool3.html

 

Yes I understand that 160-180 is basically too low of a temp. I just set the module at 180 to see if this system will work on a hot day like today since I just put all of this on. I'll probably set the module to 190-200.

 

Kinda surprised I haven't gotten more questions or comments on this system. I guess I should have made it more clear as to why you would want a SCS. Well if your engine is running hot, about the only thing you can do is get a bigger radiator. I'm sure many 3rd gen owners just want to keep their stock radiator and if you are not using the H/E, then adding a SCS like I did is a great option. Basically, it's the only option if you plan on keeping the stock radiator. Pros: temps drop about 10-20 degrees when the pump is on. Cons: adds about 10-20 pounds to the frontend and adds 2 extra amps when the pump is on.

 

Really? I asked something 2 days ago & you haven't answered that...

 

What he said. How is heat transferred from the engine coolant to your 'SCS'?

 

I see. The heat is transferred from the main radiator tank to the trans cooler end tank and that's the coolant that's cooled by the secondary system. However neat it may be it seems like a lot of work instead of adding a more efficient fan set up. Also, if your engine is running so hot it needs an additional cooling system it suggests an issue with the engine or airflow.

 

Doesn't seem like it'd be efficient enough to be worth the effort, or price.

 

Is there really enough heat transferred this way to be bothered with? Even if so, isn't the rad + secondary system just functionally equivalent to a larger rad in the first place? Still got air flowing thru more core area.

Like said above, you could also achieve the same result by blowing more air thru the same core area.

Having said this though, I do like it, cool idea!

 

Yea, id expect it to be more like a 2nd cooling system for like the heads/intake or .....

a part that could use better/lower cooling temp for performace but keeping the block nice and warm like it wants.

Or even just between runs extra cooling for a said part, like heads n intake.
-------------

off topic but have wanted to build a system like the OP built but for my motorcycle, but real retro looking with copper tubing wrapped around the cylinders, stuck in between the fins. Wouldn't expect much temp wise, more for looks.

 

Well like I said, I didn't want to get a new high-dollar radiator and my stock fan works great so this was the next best thing. I could upgrade the pump and cooler and I'm sure that might give up to a 40-50 degree temp drop. Another benefit is having an extra cooler in front of your radiator means the engine will warm up faster, which is always a good thing.

 

How do you figure that?

 

Anything in front of the radiator reduces flow. So less air will be flowing through the radiator.

 

If that was strictly true your running temperatures would increase with this, not decrease.

Doesn't matter though, warm-up is controlled by the thermostat. No flow through the rad while the thermostat is closed, so airflow through the rad doesn't make any difference.

 

Well most thermostats have a small bypass hole in them so there is always a little bit of coolant going to the radiator.

And yes, if the pump is off, the PCS effeicency will be reduced because there is a cooler in front of the radiator that is blocking airflow.

 

No, they don't. Not unless somebody drilled the bypass holes in them. I have never seen one that comes with bypass holes already in them when you bye it.

Gonna ask a THIRD time now...What's up with your hand drawn "diagram"? We don't understand it. No engine & merely looks like it recirculates water back through the stock radiator over & over.

 

The diagram makes perfect sense. It doesn't circulate engine coolant. It's a separate unpressurized system that uses the transmission cooler in the side tank to exchange heat with the engine coolant.

 

why not just mount the secondary "small" radiator up front, and run a feed hose from the pressurized main radiator tank to the secondary radiator, then have the secondary radiator exit plumbed back into the exit tank of the main radiator? two hoses, one small heat exchanger.

NO pump, no wires, no electronics, and you would have much more extra cooling capacity compared to running the secondary coolant through the transmission cooler lines. Your thermostat would function as the temp controller so you'd still maintain normal engine operating temperatures

 

OK, so it doesn't really cool the engine water. It cools it own independent water that picks up a bit of radiant heat through contact with the metal of the metal of the engine radiator & cools that water.

I thought it was supposed to be a secondary radiator that helped cool engine coolant.

 

That would probably be much more effective.

 

No, it cools its own water that picks up heat from the engine coolant it comes in contact with through the transmission cooler.

 

This setup I used is basically a "radiator cooler".

I didn't want to use the PCS because I don't know if the electric pump can handle 15psi.

That's why this is a completely seperate system. And it works very well.

 

You wouldn't need the pump at all, you've already got a water pump.

 

^ correct, i was just basically saying run a secondary (smaller) radiator in parallel with the stock one. same idea/result but with less work/parts

 

Yes it's a neat project but the basic question is why do you need a secondary cooling system? Unless you have some extreme application or climate the standard set up should be more than sufficient. You could have ten radiators and the thermostat is still going to maintain the same engine temp. ???

 

You say you dont want a "pricey" new rad, but you spent atleast $140,
(not including shipping, wiring, or hoses) on a system that is barely doing anything. for another $100, you could of had a brand new, way better "pricey" direct fit radiator that would cool twice as good as your stock one with your SCS mod.

 

i fel silly but im realy confused. i have a 86 z28 with a a 350 sb, 202 camelback heads a 350 turbo transmission. i have never have an automatic car so please bear with me. i am having a major over heating issue and am interested in scs but im confused about the pump part of the whole deal. and i think the radiator i have is stock for that camaro what are the extra holes for? am i suppossed to runs the tranny lines thru the main radiator and then thru the tranny cooler. and would the tranny running hot cause my water temp to go yo220.

 

The above will not be the solution. Post your issue in a new thread and you should get some help.

BTW I'm betting that baby fuel pump craps out soon enough with water running through it. It won't last long.

 

Sorry but imo its a waste of $$. A for effort.
Now move that setup to the rear of the car for a rear diff. cooler for a auto x car and you have something.

 

i agree. using those parts you could probably make a decent water cooler for something that normally isnt water cooled. but useless make a heat exchanger inside a radiator. if youre to the point you need a seperate heat exchanger on your radiator, something is horribly wrong in your cooling system.

 

I like that idea of a rear diff cooler, but I question the strength of a pump to move the thicker rear diff gear oil. Then there is the difficulty of placing a cooler in a good air stream to provide cooling, unless it was plumbed all the way to the front, then to the back. Which again means stress on the pump moving the thicker fluid all the way to the front of the car then back again. Could mount a fan to it which makes plumbing easier, but increases cost & still have to get access to cool air & an exit on the other side for it to go somewhere. Be easy on a track-only car.

 

im sure theres a pump out there that could move the diff oil somewhere

 

make your own for ALOT less... but you get the idea
http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums...available.html

http://z1auto.com/prodmore.asp?model...ne&prodid=4264