Best test for cooling efficiency I have come across--autocrossing at Castle Air Base in mid-summer (air temp--107, track temp oncement more like 115). Hauling butt for one minute, then idle for 5 minutes--terrible conditions.

Most of the major competitors run straight water--and these guys love to try and buy new sh!t. I ran WW in my 92 Vette (trust me--tougher to keep cool than a Cobra) and it worked great. Tried water-only and it worked great.

I just dropped 20 degrees on my Cobra's temp--replaced 185 thermostat with a 160...

Jamo,

I spent some time at Castle, as did U2 as I understand. Really neat is being wrapped up in a nomex flight suit and gloves, sitting in a grossly un-airconditioned metal tube, next to better than 110,000 pounds of JP4, on a 110 degree day, waiting for 6 other aircraft to take off. Less than 10 minutes later its less than freezing outside and I got to go to the back and pass gas.

It was cold back there, but lots of cool little planes came to visit. Every once in awhile a cowboy butter-bar driving a B52 came by wanting a drink, and the show was on. I can scare the crap out of a few folks on this site, especially U2, just by saying 'breakaway'

Yep, I liked Castle. I barfed on that ramp a number of times. Maybe they'll name a corner after me!

Brad

I wonder how many times when I was in trial at the Merced courthouse that it was you in a 10 skrewing me up in the middle of a speech to the judge when thunder came from the sky!

Jamo,

Hey, I was in a 135! Not as luxurious as a 10. I had to lay on an ironing board and fly the boom like a circus trick. KC10 gas-passers kicked back in a Lazy-Boy and played video games!

If you would have let me know, we could have synchronized our routines. Just as you got climatic, we could have flown over with 'the thunder of God'.

Thanks for all your support anyway! Criminals in Merced/Atwater should be punished as hard as those in Reno.

Brad

Turk

If you remember our discussion in Columbus this spring, we said that we would never take anything too seriously, that the other one said. I was just "funnin ya". My gauges are actually VDO and seem to work well. While the engine doesn't over heat (runs 190 to 195) my problem is the electric fan will never go off once it kicks in, even at highway speeds. I have a 180 thermostat and the fan comes on between 185 and 190, the temp will max out at 195 but the fan cannot seem to bring the temp below 190 where the fan should click off. I was hoping that the WW would do the trick, I am now looking at an aluminium rad and/or a better fan.

Brad

No problem re the chemistry. As I said, I am not a chemist but I have worked in the chemical industry all my life so I do have some practical understanding of chemistry. I didn't want anyone to think that antifreeze was some sort of sugar product. By the way, you are correct when you say that animals love the stuff. It is very toxic to dogs, cats, and other domestic pets so no one should leave an open container of antifreeze on the floor where your pet could get at it.

Do you know what water wetter is made with? My understanding is that it helps transfer the heat from the block and heads into the water and vice versa in the rad.

Wayne

Wayne,
I have seen your car, and you working hard at making it work harder.
The unwelcome heat you are experiencing maybe coming from the Lap-Top. Pentium II or III? Change the CPU fan see it that helps.

TURK

Wayne:
from reading your last post here are some ideas:
The fans are running constantly because you have them set to go on at the operating temp of the motor. A 180 deg thermostat has an operating range of 180-190 degrees, and should be fully open in this range to maintain engine temp of 190-210. If your fans are set to go live at 190, they will not shut off because this is the operating temp of the motor. If your net goal is to get the fans to cycle, move the temp on their controller up to the 210-220 range, which is where most oe fans are set to engage now. IMHO, I would let the fans run constantly when KOER (Key On Engine Running). They do not draw any significant amount of amps, and it is a little peace of mind. I would also make sure the circuit goes dead with the ignition...it may save a finger someday!

Wayne,

If it isn't there already, move the fan thermostat switch to the water pump intake side of the radiator. There's no reason to run the fan when the water entering the engine (and exiting the radiator) is 160F.

Turk
I will check that out. ;)

427sharpe
I have thought about doing this. I will give it a try. I also considered changing to a 160 thermostat and leaving the fan setting where it is. Do you consider 210 a normal engine temp? I begin to worry when mine gets up to 195. I think I may be a bit paranoid about the temp. :LOL:

Bob
The fan thermostat probe is in the coolant leaving the engine going to the rad in the top hose. I also have an electric water pump so I can circulate the coolant with the engine turned off. When I shut down the hot engine (about 195) and turn the key back on, both the water pump and fan will run. The fan shuts off somewhere between 180 and 185 and it takes about one minute or so for the temp to drop the 10 degrees.

By the way, this is a really nice side benefit of using an electric water pump. You can cool the engine down relatively quickly by lowering the thermostat on the fan and turning the key to "on".

Wayne

Wayne, 210 is on the high side of normal, but still safe. A 160 thermostat may actually make you run hotter, because it wont let water stay in the radiator long enough to transfer heat. If I were you, I would just bump up the 'on' setting of the fans until you get a good cycle and run a steady, acceptable temperature. As I said earlier, most oe fans now engage at about 210, so maybe 200 would be good for a well run Cobra. If your fan controller is adjustable, just keep inching it up untill you get the fans to cycle and maintain good temp.
As far as being paraniod....as far as overheating goes, better safe than sorry! :p

427sharpe
I had the Cobra out last night and I took a good look at when the fan comes on and goes off. I then increased the setting on the thermostat slightly. I will observe what happens next time out.

Last night I got caught in a major traffic jam (no exit available) and the engine ran at a steady 195 degrees for an hour. The only good news was that it wasn't too hot here at the time. After an hour my left leg was beginning to get tired.

Wayne

427sharpe

It looks like you hit the nail on the head. As I said earlier, I raised the fan thermostat slightly. This weekend I drove the car over 200 miles and the fan never came on while at highway speeds. As a matter of fact, the only time it ever came on was while stopped in some traffic. The temperature wasn't very high, upper 70's low 80's but normally the fan would have been running all the time.

My engine temp was 185 to 190, it never moved while on the highway and climbed slightly when stopped, probably to 195 then the fan came on. It appears that my "problem" was a simple one. I had the fan themostat set too low so that the fan was trying to bring the engine temp down to a point where the engine thermostat would begin to close. My engine actually runs cooler on the highway without the fan running. I have to assume that the fan was limiting the amount of air passing through the rad at highway speeds.

Turk

Maybe that water wetter really does work. :LOL:

Wayne