I have finally completed my add on of an ATI 2 core intercooler with my Vortech supercharger on my 89 Formula. Pics will be posted soon. My concern is now the engine temp going down the highway runs around 200-205. By the time I got home last night it was 225-230. The car never used to run above 185 in the city on the hottest day. I have a 160 degree t stat and 185 degree thermal fan switch. The fans both come on right at 185 degrees. The intercooler is so cool compared to anything and everything in the engine compartment. So I know it is doing its job.

I am entertaining the idea of larger cooling fans or the custom be cool radiator for my car. The concern I have with the larger radiator is room. There is limited space between the piping for the intercooler and supercharger belt and pulley.

any thoughts would be great.
thanks,
Mark

 

make sure that your air dam is on.

i had the three core and i had to take out the a/c condenser for it to run cool on the highway, but since you have the 2 core i dont think you should be having this problem

 

The air dam is on, I have had experience with other F-bodies that over heat when that dam got ripped off.

Does anyone know what CFM the OEM fans put off?? I have talked with tech support at Be Cool and he recommends a pair of 11" cooling fans that put out 2780 CFM. Since the engine has never run hot in the past, I am almost sure it is air flow that is my problem.

any thoughts,
Mark

 

Could it be more simple than that? How is the radiator? when was the last time you flushed it? how about the water pump? do you have a serp setup? if so do you have the right direction water pump on it. you can lose up to 30% water flow if the wrong pump is on there (possibly the previous owner, put the wrong one on).

when do you have the problem? is it ONLY on the freeway? if so I bet that part of the radiator is plugging up (I just had to replace the one on my TR cause of that) is it all the time, etc.......

just some suggestions.
BW

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Bobalos
aka Bob W.
www.r71camaro.homestead.com
r71chevy@earthlink.net
<><

 

The system was flushed about 9,000 miles ago after engine overhaul. The radiator looks brand new inside. I have the serp. set up and I put a new AC water pump on the car at engine overhaul.

Ever since the install of the intercooler, the car runs much hotter in the city and on the freeway. That is why I think it is an air flow issue. The car never ran over 185 degrees, ever.

thanks for the suggestions,
Mark

 

It does sound like an airflow issue. Try removing the fog lights (if it's a Z28) to get some more airflow. My intercooler covers up the entire radiator, and even road racing it did not get *too* hot. I ran 230 water and 270 oil (I should get an oil cooler, but 270 is still ok...). My setup is a radiator from Tony DeQuick with a low fin density (so more air moves through). The BeCool should be more than enough. I would put on a more powerful fan setup. Mine is two SPAL 13" fans, I believe, and I made a completely enclosed shroud so all the air would get sucked through the radiator. You can feel the air movement when you put your hand infront of the IC core. I am curious about the CFM from the stock fans, though.

 

I dont want to belabor the point, but I am pretty sure that you have quite a bit of air going through it @ 60 mph. if it did not do it on the freeway I would think that this is air, but............. I suppose that this could be an airflow thing, but how many guys are running IC's & not having a problem.

If the radiator was checked out then my guess is water pump. Or something more tricky like a collapsed hoze.

again, just my1.5c's

BW

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Bobalos
aka Bob W.
www.r71camaro.homestead.com
r71chevy@earthlink.net
<><

[This message has been edited by Bobalos (edited June 26, 2001).]

 

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

I put this on an 89 Formula. As we all know, there is no way air can enter the radiator from the front grill area without punching holes in the bumper. Per the kit instructions, I removed the center plastic piece that directs air into the radiator. This allowed for the intercooler to fit in nicely. I did modify the ATI intercooler kit so I could reuse the factory plastic pieces on either side of the intercooler. These are the rigid plastic pieces that connect to fenders and front bumper. These pieces do nothing for channeling air to the radiator. There are clear channels where air can travel to the radiator on either side of the intercooler. I can't imagine how hot it would of run with a 3 core on this particular car. That would of blocked off all air channels into the radiator.

just a few more thoughts,
Mark

 

ok, i'll say this again.

IT IS MOST LIKELY THE INTERCOOLER AND NOT ENOUGH AIRFLOW

It has happened on EVERY ATI install i've done.

 

Shim the intercooler bracket that hooks up to the front of the radiator,so that you push the intercooler down towards the ground.This will help open up the air passage in front of the dam.

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Check out my Hompage,or the beginnings of one.355 dynoed at 400HP at 5800RPM & 410LBFT of TQ,on Motorhttp://www.procharged89z.cz28.com/index.html

 

Thanks for the pointer!
Mark

 

I experienced the same hotter running temps after installing my ATI kit, even in January. Now that it's summer in the desert, the problem is exaggerated. I used to run ~195 (max) with the A/C on. Now I run 195 - 200 with the A/C off. The problem is lack of airflow. Your car (as mine) will never run as cool as it did before the IC install, but we can do a couple of things that will help.

I added two 12-inch pusher fans that run constantly in the summer. This has helped. I also did what Procharged89Z suggested. See below for details.

I did exactly this. Not only is airflow restricted by the IC, but the air that is forced through it is somewhat hot which further decreases the ability to cool the engine.

I fabricated the front side brackets that are two inches longer than the supplied brackets. This allowed me to drop the front edge of the IC two inches. This opened up a gap between the IC and body. Then I fabricated another (smaller) air scoop to direct the air upwards through the gap, bypassing the IC. From the front of the car, you'll see one smaller scoop above and in front of the IC scoop. If you want pics, please e-mail me.

I also noticed that the factory lower radiator deflector no longer served a purpose (it's directly behind the IC air scoop), so I removed it. In it's place, I added two two-pass transmission coolers on custom fabricated brackets (and used two of the existing holes to mount them). This eliminated the aftermarket cooler that typically mounts in front of the condenser, thereby eliminating hot air from the cooler into the condenser/radiator. I also bypassed the transmission cooler in the radiator.

I have also implemented by "Total Fan Control" as outlined in my article found elsewhere on this site. This also includes not using anti-freeze (sorry, you shouldn't do this in Omaha) and adding WaterWetter.

I have done everything I can to increase airflow to the radiator and everything to lower the air temp going into the radiator.

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Willie

Supercharged 1987 305 IROC-Z, Daily-Driver, Emissions-Legal.
Former Paxton (6-psig): 12.57 @ 111 mph.
Former Paxton (6-psig) & former 50-hp nitrous: 12.04 @ 114 mph.
ATI D1SC (5-psig):
12.26 @ 113.55 mph
ATI D1SC (10-psig): Projecting high 11's.
Future ATI D1SC (15-psig): Gotta catch them pesky 26-psig boosted TTA's!!

http://willie.camaro-firebird.org/

1987 "20th Anniversary Commemorative Edition" Z28 Convertible -- Super Chevy Show Class Winner, 1998.

[This message has been edited by Willie (edited June 27, 2001).]

 

Good news! I have made a couple of cooling system mods that have lowered my temp by at least 20*. I purchased the dual 11" paddle fans from Be Cool, part #75007, that flow 2780 CFM and Stewarts stage II water pump. The fans themselves made huge improvements over the stock fans, but it was the pump that created the most improvement. At idle, the car actually cools down to around 160*. Interstate temps pushing the car very hard hit 190-195 tops. This weekends temps were in the 90's with heat index's over 100.

Just some info,
Mark

 

Good to hear you are getting ahold of your cooling problem.On a side note,to Willie.Did you remove all the plastic in your nose and the splash gaurd?Oh I just noticed you have the AC too,I dont I ran supercold without it on the 160 range in the heat of summer never went past this and had to rewire the fans so they wouldnt come on on startup.I know you need ac down in AZ,but up here in the north I can get by with the t tops off or windows down.

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Check out my Hompage,or the beginnings of one.355 dynoed at 400HP at 5800RPM & 410LBFT of TQ,on Motorhttp://www.procharged89z.cz28.com/index.html