Idle Cooling

[Guest Gun205]

After going for a blast with the boost turned up, the engine obviously gets very hot, even moreso now we have a bit of warmer weather.

So I'm sat at a junction with the heater turned on, sweating my bollocks off, watching the temp needle rise praying the lights will change to green.

 

As I only have cooling from the front I was thinking I could really do some bonnet louvres/mesh of some kind to dissipate some of the hot air.

 

Any ideas or opinions? Recommendations?

 

To be honest, I'd sooner not have them as they look abit chavy to me!

[omega 82]

have you wrapped your exhaust ?

[rubyna 4 1 Cars]

Have you got a twin fan set up? I fitted a2nd fan on mine to a switch for just such ocassions,havnt had to use it

but its nice to know its there if i need it!!

[nick 3]

What about jacking the rear of the bonnet up? Have you taken the rubber sealing strip off the back of the bonnet?

 

Nick

[tom_m 0]

The radiator fan should be able to handle most things you throw at it, if it's not I'd say you've got a bigger problem in your cooling system. Replace the fan switch for a new one and make sure the connections in the fan loom are good and it has a decent earth and it should be able to keep the temps down.

[Flying205Nutter 4]

Replace the fan switch but they make different temp versions so make sure you get the summer/cooler one, It makes the fan cut in earlier and stops it cooking in traffic. Also how old is your radiator? a new one will be more efficient.

[Guest Gun205]

Have you got a twin fan set up? I fitted a2nd fan on mine to a switch for just such ocassions,havnt had to use it

but its nice to know its there if i need it!!

 

Yes, I've got a twin fan setup.

The intercooler is sat directly infront of the rad which doesn't help things I guess.

 

tom/nick, thanks I will try your ideas.

 

Anyone think the bonnet vent will relieve much heat?

Edited May 25, 2009 by Gun205

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Personally I think looking for extra ventilation (like Tom M said) is hiding the symptom rather then curing the problem. Have you bled the system?

 

Seems like a cooling system fault rather than a system that needs help.

[Rom 0]

To a certain degree...the standard setup should be more than adequate, and if not, could be hiding another problem.

That said, its not a standard engine, and turbos make a lot of heat. Coupled with an intercooler blocking the airflow to the rad...

 

Once your happy there is no other faults, like air in system etc. Id probably wire up a switch for the fan, as its a pretty sure fire way to reduce temps in traffic.

 

My bonnet has 3 vents, which were there when i got it. The centre vent is over the cam cover, and a fair bit of heat comes up from the exhaust. The side vents dont do much.. For air to get in, they would need to be the other way, guess the guy never thought of that :s

 

Raising the rear of the bonnet seems common, seen it on many other cars. Should have a similar effect.

[Death_Machine 0]

i have the same issues ill be checking all these then! i was thinking just get some cossie vents but yh better find the problem first!

[tom_m 0]

The intercooler is sat directly infront of the rad which doesn't help things I guess.

 

sounds like this is the problem with your cooling system then!

 

definitely try a cooler fan switch in this case, you're not going to be drawing clean cool air into the rad because of the intercooler so switching the fans on earlier should help control the temps better.

 

you can get some single point switches as opposed to the OE dual switched that cut earlier, but you'll need to re-wire the fan loom to get them to kick in properly, or there are some adjustable aftermarket switches from revotec that will allow you to choose your own setting. might be worth looking into something like that?

[Guest Gun205]

definitely try a cooler fan switch in this case, you're not going to be drawing clean cool air into the rad because of the intercooler so switching the fans on earlier should help control the temps better.

 

I was thinking maybe I could wire up a switch to the dash so I can use the fan when I can see me needing it. (eg. on he approach to a traffic jam). Now if I was to go with this option, which wires would I need to use on the switch?

I have unpluged the fan switch and crossed the two wires on the connector and the fan works. The three wires which go to the connector are red/blue/white. Which two of those would I need to use?

 

Bear in mind this isn't my daily driver so shouldn't be much of a hassle.

[Ethos 0]

I am also keen to wire up another fan for that exact reason. Even tho I know the 1st fan will do the job, there's always that thought at the back of my mind.

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

You still haven't mentioned whether you've looked at a possible coolant system fault (i.e. an airlock or poorly functioning water pump) rather than just doing the extra work of fan wiring; you know that works.

 

Lots of modified 205s run with just one fan - turbo or N/A.

 

As was said: it's possible there's something causing the temp to rise that you need to look at first instead of getting more fans to blow more often.

 

I'm saying this just because there seems to be more to it.

[rubyna 4 1 Cars]

I was thinking maybe I could wire up a switch to the dash so I can use the fan when I can see me needing it. (eg. on he approach to a traffic jam). Now if I was to go with this option, which wires would I need to use on the switch?

I have unpluged the fan switch and crossed the two wires on the connector and the fan works. The three wires which go to the connector are red/blue/white. Which two of those would I need to use?

 

Bear in mind this isn't my daily driver so shouldn't be much of a hassle.]

 

 

 

 

 

Like i said earlier in this post thats what i done ,run 2nd fan from a switch on dash at full speed,

it does the job, as long as your sure the coolant system hasnt got a fault, being a daily driver

you want it remidied sooner rather than later..

[rubyna 4 1 Cars]

I am also keen to wire up another fan for that exact reason. Even tho I know the 1st fan will do the job, there's always that thought at the back of my mind.

 

Ethos run 2nd fan from a switch on dash at full speed,thats exacly what i done i also had no cooling issues like you said just nice to know

its there if needed. It does the job,but if there is a problem to start with i would want to find out the

cause of it 1st,then when fixed fit the 2nd fan switch..

[Guest Gun205]

You still haven't mentioned whether you've looked at a possible coolant system fault (i.e. an airlock or poorly functioning water pump) rather than just doing the extra work of fan wiring; you know that works.

 

I will bleed the system tomorrow. So take off the bleed cap, when the engine is warm and fluid starts to come through the cap, screw it back on?

[jimistdt 1]

I will bleed the system tomorrow. So take off the bleed cap, when the engine is warm and fluid starts to come through the cap, screw it back on?

 

 

Have a read through this Mr Gun; HERE

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

I'd be careful raising the bonnet if you decided to go that way, first of all it's a fire hazard, secondly someone actually tested it on a Civic and found that it RAISED under bonnet temperatures. I can't remember where I saw that but it was linked on here