Track day overheating
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Track day overheating
My '04 350 overheated while on track today. When the temp needle rose to the last hash mark, the rev limiter (at least it felt like the rev limiter) began to cut in at around 5k revs. As soon as the engine cooled off a bit after a lap or so of more casual pace, the car ran fine. Until it heated up again, then the same thing happened.
Yes, I should have been more observant of the temp. No doubt about it. I am now. I wasn't then, so enough on that.
My question is: did the engine management kick in the rev limiter to protect the engine when the temp got high enough?
Yes, I should have been more observant of the temp. No doubt about it. I am now. I wasn't then, so enough on that.
My question is: did the engine management kick in the rev limiter to protect the engine when the temp got high enough?
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We use Red Line water wetter in our radiator. There is also a larger radiator available but we haven't put one in yet. We also use Red Line synthetic oil, maybe some heat is taken off in that way too.
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Looks like Davidv answered your question....
What cooling mods do you have?
Aftermarket radiator, oil coolers, oils..etc.??
The Redline water wetter is a great suggestion, i have used that stuff before and it helps!
-J
What cooling mods do you have?
Aftermarket radiator, oil coolers, oils..etc.??
The Redline water wetter is a great suggestion, i have used that stuff before and it helps!
-J
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Stillen aluminum radiator, Stillen oil cooler, Stillen power steering cooler. The motor is stage 2 Stillen supercharged.
Last edited by Stillen Z; 09-26-2009 at 09:49 AM.
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#8
The M45 and MP62 units are notorious for heat soak. Keeping it cool on a road course is going to very hard.
Does the unit have an intercooler? If not the intake heat will heat up the rest of the system.
Does the unit have an intercooler? If not the intake heat will heat up the rest of the system.
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Yes, it's intercooled.
Just prior to the track day problem, I had the coolant changed by a shop I trust. I therefore assumed the cooling system was filled to capacity. Nothing was leaking at the track, so I dismissed low coolant as the problem. But, now that things are cool and I could easily check the coolant level, I found the radiator took 1/2 gallon of water.
Is the system being down 1/2 gallon enough to cause the overheating? Also, there doesn't appear to be an overflow tank. Does that make any sense or am I just missing it despite having looked fairly carefully?
Just prior to the track day problem, I had the coolant changed by a shop I trust. I therefore assumed the cooling system was filled to capacity. Nothing was leaking at the track, so I dismissed low coolant as the problem. But, now that things are cool and I could easily check the coolant level, I found the radiator took 1/2 gallon of water.
Is the system being down 1/2 gallon enough to cause the overheating? Also, there doesn't appear to be an overflow tank. Does that make any sense or am I just missing it despite having looked fairly carefully?
Last edited by Stillen Z; 09-26-2009 at 11:47 AM.
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you might want to invest few bucks in a REAL water and oil temperature gauge... keep running until the ecu kicks in isn't a brilliant idea if you want your engine to survive for a while. at least you can diagnose the issue and understand what needs better cooling.
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Now how about we figure why it overheated, starting with whether being down a 1/2 gallon on coolant will do it.
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I never lost 1/2 gallon.. but 1/4 yes, during the summer, than I changed the "mix" using 80% water, 2 bottle of water wetter and rest regolar coolant and 1.3 bar nismo radiator cap... and almost no water loss.
I forgot.. I also added a 19 row setrab oil cooler and I haven't disconnected the stock oil to water heater/cooler.
Last edited by Ataru074; 09-27-2009 at 02:53 AM.
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if you have the stock radiator cap it opens at 0.9 bar... that could be a reason.. for what I have seen the stock needle doesn't move a hair at boiling point... so your fluid was boiling and generating pressure big time.
I never lost 1/2 gallon.. but 1/4 yes, during the summer, than I changed the "mix" using 80% water, 2 bottle of water wetter and rest regolar coolant and 1.3 bar nismo radiator cap... and almost no water loss.
I forgot.. I also added a 19 row setrab oil cooler and I haven't disconnected the stock oil to water heater/cooler.
I never lost 1/2 gallon.. but 1/4 yes, during the summer, than I changed the "mix" using 80% water, 2 bottle of water wetter and rest regolar coolant and 1.3 bar nismo radiator cap... and almost no water loss.
I forgot.. I also added a 19 row setrab oil cooler and I haven't disconnected the stock oil to water heater/cooler.
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I have a 1 bar cap. It's not the 1.3 that was suggested, but it's better than the .9 OE cap. I'll try the water wetter, as well, before I start on more expensive stuff. What a pain in the neck it's going to be trying something, then going to the track to see if it works. If it didn't work, then try something else and wait for the next event to see if it worked, etc.
Last edited by Stillen Z; 09-27-2009 at 02:57 PM.
#16
I ran a couple more sessions today. Topping up the radiator helped, but it still overheated so the problem is something more complex. Dang.
I have a 1 bar cap. It's not the 1.3 that was suggested, but it's better than the .9 OE cap. I'll try the water wetter, as well, before I start on more expensive stuff. What a pain in the neck it's going to be trying something, then going to the track to see if it works. If it didn't work, then try something else and wait for the next event to see if it worked, etc.
I have a 1 bar cap. It's not the 1.3 that was suggested, but it's better than the .9 OE cap. I'll try the water wetter, as well, before I start on more expensive stuff. What a pain in the neck it's going to be trying something, then going to the track to see if it works. If it didn't work, then try something else and wait for the next event to see if it worked, etc.
#17
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There is your problem. I see VERY few FI'd 350Zs on the tracks that can manage the heat. I don't have any special solution that hasn't been mentioned (or you don't already have), but you are in good company. Ask Steve, since you seem to have a good repertoire with them.
Last edited by scotts300; 09-28-2009 at 10:30 AM.
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