Spuds' Vroom Machine

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

1.The right solution is probably to wrap the already ceramic coated headers... or get new fully welded headers and wrap those lol. But that would mean taking the headers off again and I don't wanna.
2. Find an STX legal way to vent heat out the top. Too bad I can't do hood vents...
3. I wonder if removing the under-hood insulation would help. That is, if there isn't any other detrimental effect like killing my paint with heat.
4. Reflective tape everywhere I want to keep cool
5. Mess with fan settings in tune/better fans

I think wrapping is probably your quickest and easiest option. I don't notice much difference with reflective tape. It would be nice if there was another way to force the fans on manually outside of building a dedicated fan setup or using the GJP box which has features on it you don't need. Forcing fans on brings my temps down quick.

[villainous_frx]

AC to max cold + max fan gets the rad fans going pretty quickly. AC clutch disengages when you go WOT.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by villainous_frx

AC to max cold + max fan gets the rad fans going pretty quickly. AC clutch disengages when you go WOT.

Yeah, that's what I've been doing at AX for now, but it's still not ideal. Doesn't work if I turn the car off for example. Feels kind of silly having to open my hood like I'm at a car show if I go get groceries.

Ok, I don't actually do that but I cringe when I think of the fender and hood temperatures getting to burn my hand levels while I shop.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I think wrapping is probably your quickest and easiest option. I don't notice much difference with reflective tape. It would be nice if there was another way to force the fans on manually outside of building a dedicated fan setup or using the GJP box which has features on it you don't need. Forcing fans on brings my temps down quick.

I think there's a way in the tune to adjust what (coolant?) temperature the fans come on at. Not sure if I really want that all the time, but might help a bit.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Feels kind of silly having to open my hood like I'm at a car show if I go get groceries.

Do most people not do that in your AutoX group? Super common here at track days, probably 80% pop them between sessions.

Originally Posted by Spuds

I think there's a way in the tune to adjust what (coolant?) temperature the fans come on at. Not sure if I really want that all the time, but might help a bit.

I haven't messed with any of that since Steve did my FF tune. I just like being able to force them on and let the car idle for a bit after a session. Just shutting the car off with high oil temps makes my eye twitch a bit even though it is probably okay.

I don't have AC to turn on

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

Do most people not do that in your AutoX group? Super common here at track days, probably 80% pop them between sessions.



I haven't messed with any of that since Steve did my FF tune. I just like being able to force them on and let the car idle for a bit after a session. Just shutting the car off with high oil temps makes my eye twitch a bit even though it is probably okay.

I don't have AC to turn on

Yeah, hood is popped between runs, but I feel silly popping it when I show up in the morning lol. Plus UV light is probably not great for all the soft bits in the engine bay.

[Ultramaroon]

Is it really that hot under the hood? I've always thought the primary cat is the greatest heat source. If the stock heat shielding is that effective, it's a pretty strong argument for keeping, and tuning around the stock header. Replace the primary cat with a straight pipe and reinstall the shielding.


I'm a cat lover, tho.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Is it really that hot under the hood? I've always thought the primary cat is the greatest heat source. If the stock heat shielding is that effective, it's a pretty strong argument for keeping, and tuning around the stock header. Replace the primary cat with a straight pipe and reinstall the shielding.


I'm a cat lover, tho.

Yeah it's really strange. Can't touch the hood or fenders on a hot day 10 minutes after turning it off. It's hot but touchable immediately after driving though, because airflow vents the engine bay. I don't recall reading about it being that bad for anyone else.

My guess is that because I have a header with (old) double slip fittings, some exhaust gasses are vented straight into the engine bay, especially when there's no flow to the back of the car. Which is bad, of course.

It could also be the increased surface area of the header, but that by itself seems like not enough to cause this issue.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

especially when there's no flow to the back of the car. Which is bad, of course.

You raise a point that I've always considered with respect to hood vents. The aero underneath is designed to direct airflow underneath and around the transmission into the tunnel. Hood vents defeat that. Hmmm... o.0

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You raise a point that I've always considered with respect to hood vents. The aero underneath is designed to direct airflow underneath and around the transmission into the tunnel. Hood vents defeat that. Hmmm... o.0

I think "defeat" is a strong word for what happens to that flow. I remember reading through the Velox/Verus hood vents development and there wasn't a strong pressure drop over the hood from their cfd. This was backed up by their initial testing when the vents with the louvers alone were not pulling much air at speed. They had to add a spoiler flap in front of the vents to get decent airflow iirc. This indicates to me that the pressure in the tunnel is much lower than that over the hood at speed, or at least that there is a lot more cross section for greater mass flow rate.

At one point I was considering recreating my junior year project, a small telemetry pod with a bunch of inputs for pressure sensors. Would be interesting to get real data from various points on/in/under the car. But that's a lot of work, and I bet you can buy something for less money nowadays.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I think "defeat" is a strong word for what happens to that flow.

Oh yes! Poor choice of words. I was trying to describe the possible detrimental effect of hood vents in diverting airflow away from the tunnel. How much? Hell if I know

Cheap thermocouple placed strategically would do the trick. Could make use of the noise hole in the passenger foot well. That's as far as I've thought about it.

[Spuds]

Ordered 2"x100' DEI titanium wrap and a bunch of ss ties. Probably more than I need, but I'd rather have too much than too little.

Debating on whether to do an experiment. Wrap the headers except for the slip fittings to see if that has any noticable effect. If it does, then the fittings weren't my problem. If my hood and fenders still burn my hand then I need to fix the fittings somehow, then wrap the fittings.

Or I could just wrap the whole thing and pray...

[Ultramaroon]

I might try some jb weld around the slip joints during or after assembly. It can be worked for quite a while. I've even used it to make fiberglass patches. Maybe wrap each joint with a strip of jb weld-impregnated fiberglass. Experiment would last at least long enough to determine whether or not leaky slip joints are the heat source.

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I might try some jb weld around the slip joints during or after assembly. It can be worked for quite a while. I've even used it to make fiberglass patches. Maybe wrap each joint with a strip of jb weld-impregnated fiberglass. Experiment would last at least long enough to determine whether or not leaky slip joints are the heat source.

Hmmm, would jb weld be better than the basalt already in the wrap?