I have been doing allot of driving during some well deserved time off and I noticed my Z hates heat. I recall this being an issue at the track LAST YEAR even during running it naturally aspirated but that was during 90 degree weather and racing. My plenum (both stock and Crawford) would litterally scald your hand after a few runs and I used to keep a bag of ice on the plenum in between runs for that extra tenth hehe, whatever works...

I didn't think it would be an EXTREME issue with daily driving though until now. Granted here in Sacramento it has been 100 degrees lately but still it's a new car (2003 with 15k miles and all 5 Samco hoses) and has a 2004 engine with wide a open exhaust and the bottom plastic shround underneath the engine bay has even been removed (to allow heat in and because I was dropping bolts, N20 jets in there and got sick of it.

I have not been speeding around or even playing my stereo lately just doing mandatory store runs and every day things at cruise speeds, no WOT's or high speeds at all.

It has raised from the usual 1/4 point of the idiot guage to the halfway point (I assume over 210 degrees or so?) and with it being 100 degrees I needed to run the A/C. This is what concerns me. This raises it to 85% of the guage which is WAY too hot! The outside temp sensor is way off reading 125 degrees and even in the Bay Area reading 90 degrees when it is 60 fegrees and I am on the highway!

I can only assume that my huge 3 core front mount intercooler is the culprit blocking the radiator but I will also check both fans in the morning. Last I checked they were working. If this continues of course I will want an oil cooler to be safe but any other advice?

I know a car that Doug of Crawford Racing was working on that exhibited the exact same symptoms (same blower and even racing converter and exhaust and TS flash as my car) that we had talked to on the phone about but I don't know if he resolved it???

I have not reached the pinging mode or detonation yet because I either turn it off and sweat or get it moving and it cools right down
(moving air being intaked.) At freeway speeds it drops right down rather quickly but I would like to think that I can sit at the light with the air on in a new car if I have too without risking detonation or oil breakdown etc. Ideas, thoughts or comments?

 

Do you have the stock Procharger intercooler Max?

I don't race or even run very hard but I haven't seen this. Your car has a lot more power than mine (more mods) but the only thing I have seen is my outside temp gauge (in the multi-function 3-gauge pod) is way off now. It often reads outside air temp >100 degrees when it is only in the 60's.

 

Yes I do have the stock FMIC. I wonder why mine and the one Crawford is working on (whosdaddys) runs hot (or was at one point) and not yours. Is it hot there and do you run the A/C?

Anyone else?

 

I am here at Crawford right now. They are adding some more fun stuff to my N/A Z. Doug has fixed this issue as I got to be the passenger in whosdady's car as they were seeing if the issue was resolved. They commented that the temp was staying way down compared to what it had been running. Doug is telling me to just have you give him a call and he will tell you what he all did. From what I have gathered it has more to do with the transmission getting hot, which is in turn creating the problem. Not sure if the Edge Converter has anything to do with it, but both you and whosdaddy are both running that converter. Then again, it could just be the 5AT + boost + hot temps.

 

^ What he said.

 

Max,
Just fyi, WOT boost runs back to back in 98 degree temps and no heat issues. Same with boosting with AC on. Just fyi.

 

for the record, removing the engine undercover is detrimental to cooling. you should put it back on.

 

Really? First time I hear of this. Why is that, it doesn't seem to make sense to me...

 

I'll call Doug, thanks everyone.

I'm guessing I need a tranny cooler... More money arghh.

What is it 615- sumpin or other? Guess I'll have to find the number after I am fully awake.

Nevermind found it from Vandy's profile

 

Alright, Doug hooked me up thanks.

 

What did Doug suggest Max ?

 

In most autos were a high stall converter has been installed, the hydraulic fluid temperature will rise (aka like slipping a clutch more will over-heat the clutch). The tranny fluid is cooled via a radiator based heat exhanger (water-fluid) on most OEM vehicles. The addition of a small Air-fluid cooler useually solves the problem. In the past I've found that bypassing the in-radiator cooler alltogether worked best. However; in very cold climates the OEM cooler helps stablize the Tranny fluid temperature thus improveing shift repeatablity and driveablity.

So did Doug recommend bypassing the OEM cooler when athe aux cooler is added?

 

Oh yeh , I think the reason removeing the belly pan is a bad idea for cooling is that the addtional under-hood turbulence created
from under the car reduced the flow thru efficiency air thu the radiator. I assume that a low pressure area is purposedly created with the pan in place to aid in laminar flow thru the radiator and coolers and out the rear of the engine compartment.

 

Ive driven in 110 degree weather with my FMIC and 6MT and never saw the gauge creep up at all.

On the 5AT, I didnt realize the tranny fluid was cooled by the engine coolant....if so...sounds like a likely culprit.

 

Upgrade your radiator.

 

GG , I could be mistaken but every OEM Auto I've ever owned or worked on did use an "in radiator" heat exhanger to cool tranny fluid. Ive never physically been under the hood of an Auto Z.

 

Hey Boog,

Doug suggested soing exact;y as G3Po suggested and has proven it to be a solution for the A5T's running high stall verters.

He gace me a Napa part # 99MPMTJ00.

Peas!

 

Can I be a passenger in whosdady's car

I never saw any issues but Doug told me they were present at some point. He only noticed it when the boost went up to 10 PSI. Obviously since I never saw the heat he fixed it.

Max, I have the JWT oil spacer as well. I'm not sure if that helps but at least the engine oil is reamianing at the stock level.

 

Where and how much Scott? My oil level drops about a half a quart at times. I could use this too.

Thanks!

Your car runs great at 10 PSI BTW , it was a blast!

J/K!

 

Thanks Max I bet it felt quite similar to your car

The spacer can be had directly from JWT or Performance. I got mine from performance. I think those guys are great. I think it was $100.

By the way, I'm not sure if I am hitting 10PSI or not? Last I heard it was 9PSI.