Chefs NEW Kraftwerks problem
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,244
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From: Northern KY
Originally Posted by The Machine
Oh wow, I thought you had the OEM cooling system as well, I didn't know you had the koyo radiator. Maybe a bigger fan shroud would be the answer to move the air better, but from what I've read on here before the stock cooling system actually does a really good job. I'd hate to spend the money on a new radiator and fan setup for it to do the same thing. Yes, my issue happened all of a sudden. I'm not on the highway much in my car and usually the AC isn't on either, so it could have possibly always been and issue, but the combination of factors never aligned until today. I was doing some stop and go driving before hand, top down, AC off. I got onto the highway and hit some shore traffic and in 90+ heat I was doing less than 30mph for a little while so I put the AC on. I'm not quite sure how quickly the water temp rose up after turning the AC on, but after maybe 5-10 min I looked at the gauge and noticed the bars were up over half of the gauge so I shut the AC. Within a few minutes the water temp dropped back down to normal level. When I drive it this week I'll have to check it out again and see if it happens, though I won't be on he highway, just rural type driving.
I think at most you'll just need to upgrade your radiator fans to something that can pull more air through that big stack of heat exchangers. The one thing I've got on my mind is that the KW intercooler completely closes up the front grille of the bumper, whereas most other systems' intercoolers seem like they may allow some air around them (I've not seen very many in person, so I'm just judging based on pics I see online). I believe the Koyo has a thicker core than OEM as well, which is even more resistance the stock fans have to pull through.
And my final thought - this may be an argument for an atmospheric BOV instead of the recirc valve that KW uses, as you won't be pulling heated air right back through the charger at low speed/light throttle, heating the intake charge and putting more heat into the airstream before it reaches the radiator.
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From: dfw
habitforming is spot on you have thicker cores and stock fans without hood venting you are going to have trouble. when I first went supercharged I put a lower temp t stat fan switch and high pressure cap coolant stayed around 195 in the summer. then the top of the stock rad cracked so I picked up a fullblown. this was the only change and my coolant would not go below 205-218f on my scan tool. so border line overheating and this was highway/traffic no hard driving. I vented the hood and lost 20 f on my coolant added an oil cooler and lost another 10 degrees. currently I have the large aftermarket radiator mishimoto fan shroud with a 12'' mishimoto fan on the driver side and a spal 13'' with relay. my hood vents now have gurney flaps on the front vents. my aftercooler rad is set back to let some air around 15 row oil cooler and my oil temps in 100f weather has yet to see 250degrees in race conditions and 195f on coolant. I do get heat soak on the aftercooler and I will be changing to an air to air v mount style to keep iat's in check I run water/meth but if it runs out the air is too hot so I will sacrifice some power for reliability. hope you get it sorted I will pass on a trick we did at the Honda dealership I worked at we would jack the front of the car up as high at it will go squeeze the radiator hoses and look for air bubbles you can also stuff a cork in the hole to keep coolant spilling out put the cap back on squeeze the radiator hose and crack the bleeder once closed release the pressure on the hose and it will pull coolant out of the overflow do this a few times and you should be good the crx was a bitch to bleed as well 
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Joined: May 2010
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Originally Posted by Habitforming
I have the utmost respect for Bill & his car knowledge, but I cannot make sense of his comment about the water pump not being able to "keep up" with the size of the radiator. Unless there is some kit of manufacturing defect causing a flow restriction inside the radiator, I just can't see how it could be a problem. Lots of guys run the Koyo rads with good results. I think at most you'll just need to upgrade your radiator fans to something that can pull more air through that big stack of heat exchangers. The one thing I've got on my mind is that the KW intercooler completely closes up the front grille of the bumper, whereas most other systems' intercoolers seem like they may allow some air around them (I've not seen very many in person, so I'm just judging based on pics I see online). I believe the Koyo has a thicker core than OEM as well, which is even more resistance the stock fans have to pull through. And my final thought - this may be an argument for an atmospheric BOV instead of the recirc valve that KW uses, as you won't be pulling heated air right back through the charger at low speed/light throttle, heating the intake charge and putting more heat into the airstream before it reaches the radiator.
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Joined: May 2010
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Originally Posted by s2k manic
habitforming is spot on you have thicker cores and stock fans without hood venting you are going to have trouble. when I first went supercharged I put a lower temp t stat fan switch and high pressure cap coolant stayed around 195 in the summer. then the top of the stock rad cracked so I picked up a fullblown. this was the only change and my coolant would not go below 205-218f on my scan tool. so border line overheating and this was highway/traffic no hard driving. I vented the hood and lost 20 f on my coolant added an oil cooler and lost another 10 degrees. currently I have the large aftermarket radiator mishimoto fan shroud with a 12'' mishimoto fan on the driver side and a spal 13'' with relay. my hood vents now have gurney flaps on the front vents. my aftercooler rad is set back to let some air around 15 row oil cooler and my oil temps in 100f weather has yet to see 250degrees in race conditions and 195f on coolant. I do get heat soak on the aftercooler and I will be changing to an air to air v mount style to keep iat's in check I run water/meth but if it runs out the air is too hot so I will sacrifice some power for reliability. hope you get it sorted I will pass on a trick we did at the Honda dealership I worked at we would jack the front of the car up as high at it will go squeeze the radiator hoses and look for air bubbles you can also stuff a cork in the hole to keep coolant spilling out put the cap back on squeeze the radiator hose and crack the bleeder once closed release the pressure on the hose and it will pull coolant out of the overflow do this a few times and you should be good the crx was a bitch to bleed as well <img src=/emot-tip-wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />' />
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,244
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From: Northern KY
Originally Posted by s2k manic
habitforming is spot on you have thicker cores and stock fans without hood venting you are going to have trouble. when I first went supercharged I put a lower temp t stat fan switch and high pressure cap coolant stayed around 195 in the summer. then the top of the stock rad cracked so I picked up a fullblown. this was the only change and my coolant would not go below 205-218f on my scan tool. so border line overheating and this was highway/traffic no hard driving. I vented the hood and lost 20 f on my coolant added an oil cooler and lost another 10 degrees. currently I have the large aftermarket radiator mishimoto fan shroud with a 12'' mishimoto fan on the driver side and a spal 13'' with relay. my hood vents now have gurney flaps on the front vents. my aftercooler rad is set back to let some air around 15 row oil cooler and my oil temps in 100f weather has yet to see 250degrees in race conditions and 195f on coolant. I do get heat soak on the aftercooler and I will be changing to an air to air v mount style to keep iat's in check I run water/meth but if it runs out the air is too hot so I will sacrifice some power for reliability. hope you get it sorted I will pass on a trick we did at the Honda dealership I worked at we would jack the front of the car up as high at it will go squeeze the radiator hoses and look for air bubbles you can also stuff a cork in the hole to keep coolant spilling out put the cap back on squeeze the radiator hose and crack the bleeder once closed release the pressure on the hose and it will pull coolant out of the overflow do this a few times and you should be good the crx was a bitch to bleed as well <img src=/emot-tip-wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />' />
' />' />As to why others aren't having the problem, that's hard to say. I've had my coolant temps get dangerously high when chasing a line of S's across the Dragon, so I know my OEM cooling setup is marginal already. I just don't drive in 90F weather in traffic with the A/C on, or I'd possibly have the same problem.
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Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Kansas City
When you installed your kit, did you keep all of the baffles and make the holes for the charge pipes a tight fit so that all the air goes through the radiator instead of following the path of least resistance and going around it?
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Northern KY
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: ATL, GA
The more powerful fans aren't necessarily bigger, they just are more powerful/spin faster/whatever. Typically I believe they will be slimmer than the stock fan/shroud setup.
As to why others aren't having the problem, that's hard to say. I've had my coolant temps get dangerously high when chasing a line of S's across the Dragon, so I know my OEM cooling setup is marginal already. I just don't drive in 90F weather in traffic with the A/C on, or I'd possibly have the same problem.
As to why others aren't having the problem, that's hard to say. I've had my coolant temps get dangerously high when chasing a line of S's across the Dragon, so I know my OEM cooling setup is marginal already. I just don't drive in 90F weather in traffic with the A/C on, or I'd possibly have the same problem.
What max coolant temps did you see at the Dragon? What is considered dangerous? Just curious... I recently saw 195 to 205 while running nonstop roll race at Import Alliance from 930am to 4pm. I had my AC on between runs and hood closed...nobody else was doing that but I didnt care; it was too hot for me. The max temp outside was 102 that day. All this discussion about temperatures has me worried that I should be monitoring my system more carefully after supercharging.
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,244
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From: Northern KY
Originally Posted by Habitforming' timestamp='1438582645' post='23701639
The more powerful fans aren't necessarily bigger, they just are more powerful/spin faster/whatever. Typically I believe they will be slimmer than the stock fan/shroud setup.
As to why others aren't having the problem, that's hard to say. I've had my coolant temps get dangerously high when chasing a line of S's across the Dragon, so I know my OEM cooling setup is marginal already. I just don't drive in 90F weather in traffic with the A/C on, or I'd possibly have the same problem.
As to why others aren't having the problem, that's hard to say. I've had my coolant temps get dangerously high when chasing a line of S's across the Dragon, so I know my OEM cooling setup is marginal already. I just don't drive in 90F weather in traffic with the A/C on, or I'd possibly have the same problem.
What max coolant temps did you see at the Dragon? What is considered dangerous? Just curious... I recently saw 195 to 205 while running nonstop roll race at Import Alliance from 930am to 4pm. I had my AC on between runs and hood closed...nobody else was doing that but I didnt care; it was too hot for me. The max temp outside was 102 that day. All this discussion about temperatures has me worried that I should be monitoring my system more carefully after supercharging.
I would definitely be keeping an eye on my coolant temps in the situation you described. Anything over 225 and I'd start taking steps to bring it back down. Too high and you can blow a head gasket or cause other damage. I don't know what temp that starts to become a big concern on our car though. I'm going to be adding an AEM serial gauge soon so I can monitor the exact temp, and have also just setup over temp protection on my EMS so it will limit my revs if coolant goes too high (and did the same for oil temp & pressure).
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Joined: May 2010
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Originally Posted by Habitforming
Unfortunately I wasn't logging when my coolant got hot that one time (it was as we were arriving and had the car full of luggage, which probably played a part as well). On my Ap2v1 cluster the coolant was about 4 blocks above normal, but I have no idea what that equates to. Slowing down & increasing the distance to the cars in front of me cleared in up in a matter of a couple minutes. For the rest of the weekend it never went above about 215 as I recall from looking at the few logs I took. I would definitely be keeping an eye on my coolant temps in the situation you described. Anything over 225 and I'd start taking steps to bring it back down. Too high and you can blow a head gasket or cause other damage. I don't know what temp that starts to become a big concern on our car though. I'm going to be adding an AEM serial gauge soon so I can monitor the exact temp, and have also just setup over temp protection on my EMS so it will limit my revs if coolant goes too high (and did the same for oil temp & pressure).