How cold is too cold? Options

[Rand]

Don't ask Amoy what's in his battery.

[r_towle]

Simple.
Have Mcmark put an inline shutoff to the cooler, one you can reach.

I was thinking about something similar. A flap in front of the cooler that is operated by a cable would suffice.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Take a look at an original volvo PV 544.

They have what looks like a window shade mounted in front of the radiator.
(Think about the temps they see in northern Sweden)

Anyways, its really a simple design.
Roller at the bottom, slides on the side.

Pull up the shade to stop all air, or just partway, all depending upon what you want.

Cable runs from the shade, up over the engine, all the way to the dashboard.
The end of the cable is a chain made up of 1/8 inch "ballchain" the kind with one ball connected to the next ball.

The lock is simple...it is shaped like a keyway.
Round and the top, with a slot at the bottom.

Pick up the chain, get it into the round area...pull to adjust.
Slide into the slot and one of the balls locks in place.

Its elegant and simple...

There is a spring in the roller so when you unlock the chain, it wants to roll down.

I was originally thinking of putting a shutoff valve inline, and within reach of the driver for the oil lines.
I think the window shade would be safer.

rich

[Krieger]

What were your oil temps at before you made your hood vent? I may be having a similar issue, but my car is too "new". I am going to check my sender and gauge out. Tape up half your air inlet and see if your temps rise. Cheap and easy test.

[SirAndy]

What were your oil temps at before you made your hood vent?

My sending unit was broken for a while but before that the temps were more in the 200 range on the freeway.
That was without a shroud and only two small holes in the bottom of the front trunk (The stock holes that have the round plugs in them).


It looks like i'm getting much better air flow now with the shroud and the louvered hood exit.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[TravisNeff]

For an SC, the manual states that 194 degrees is fully warm, up from previous years where the mark was 188. So I'd guess somewhere in the same ballpark.

[bulitt]

Did you check to see if your gauge is accurate? Last three oil gauges I hooked up all had different readings...

This is a hotrodders dream- a cool running engine! I could screw this up in no time, pop those heads and shave enough deck to
raise the CR to about 15:1 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[SirAndy]

So yesterday i blocked off 2/3 of my front cooler and only left about 1/3 exposed in the center.

Then i went for a 20 mile drive, mostly freeway. Ambient temp was in the mid '70s.

I was seeing a good 10 to 15 20 to 30 degree rise in temps. When cruising on the freeway in 5th, i got a steady 190F.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[Madswede]

How about trying a different weight oil, something with a lower viscosity should get hotter...

Academic tangent: higher temperature lowers viscosity for oil, but I don't remember the effect of viscosity on temperature being as simple as saying "the lower the viscosity the higher the temperature."

I would say the effects of lower viscosity on temperature are that it would increase the rate at which the fluid heats up and cools down, ultimately resulting in less time needed to reach a thermal equilibrium or at least a steady-state thermal transfer. I think it's more to do with the Reynolds number (i.e. the ratio of inertial and viscous forces) than just viscosity alone.

I, too, think Andy should just run higher comp since he's so worried about cooler engine temps. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[SirAndy]

So yesterday i blocked off 2/3 of my front cooler and only left about 1/3 exposed in the center.

Then i went for a 20 mile drive, mostly freeway. Ambient temp was in the mid '70s.

I was seeing a good 10 to 15 20 to 30 degree rise in temps. When cruising on the freeway in 5th, i got a steady 190F.

Did another test run, this time in ~85 ambient temp. Same 20 mile drive.

With 2/3 blocked off i got up to 200F on the freeway and 210F in slow traffic.
With full cooling going back, i never got over 180F even in city traffic and it ran at about 170F on the freeway.

I really think i need some sort of mechanical block-off for the cooler to get it up to temp on those colder days.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[r_towle]

home depot window shade.

Seriously, look at the Volvo 544 radiator shade...
You will see a pic on goggle if you search it.

I bet you can get a shade from HD and cut it down and fab a bracket to make it work from the cabin.

Venetian blinds might be even easier...a little electric servo to turn the blinds closed or open....

Rich

[76-914]

What would dampen the reed effect?

[SirAndy]

Foggy low 50s CA morning, 25 miles, mostly freeway, 2/3 of the cooler blocked off.

The temp never got over 160. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


It seems i do need a solution to completely block off the cooler for those colder days.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

[r_towle]

Foggy low 50s CA morning, 25 miles, mostly freeway, 2/3 of the cooler blocked off.

The temp never got over 160. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)


It seems i do need a solution to completely block off the cooler for those colder days.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

How about an electronically controlled valve, mounted up near the cooler with a bypass hose.
When it's cold, loop the oil back without going through the cooler....

[SirAndy]

How about an electronically controlled valve, mounted up near the cooler with a bypass hose.
When it's cold, loop the oil back without going through the cooler....

Too complex. I think a manual shutter type solution would be much less of a hassle ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[r_towle]

How about an electronically controlled valve, mounted up near the cooler with a bypass hose.
When it's cold, loop the oil back without going through the cooler....

Too complex. I think a manual shutter type solution would be much less of a hassle ...
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

Coming from a guy who won't take road kill off his windshield for over 20 miles....eewwww

Just looking for a button you push...simple.

Seems wierd you don't have some sort of inline thermostat for the cooler lines...
My race car had a simple setup like that..

[SirAndy]

Seems wierd you don't have some sort of inline thermostat for the cooler lines...

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

Where did i say that? Of course i have a thermostat It's mounted close to the engine on the rear firewall.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[r_towle]

I thought that was the idea,,,,
It still won't heat up?
Or does it heat up, then get cool to fast?

I am lost

[SirAndy]

Or does it heat up, then get cool to fast?

Took you a while old man ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)


The temp i'm seeing when the car is running too cool is right around the temp where the thermostat opens.
So on a freezing cold CA day (low 50s) my temps hover somewhere between 160-170.

Basically, oil gets over 170, thermostat opens, oil goes to the cooler, comes back way too cold, temp falls below 170, thermostat closes.
Rinse and repeat.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[r_towle]

Get a warmer thermostat?

[Elliot Cannon]

Or use Racer's Tape (Duct Tape) and block off part of the airflow to the cooler. Tape can always be pulled off if it's getting to hot.

Some diesel trucks use airflow control vanes on their radiators to make sure they run "hot" enough in cold weather. Some use a canvas flap over the radiator that can be set to allow air flow in thirds of surface area.

Simple --- nicht wahr?

As much as it pains me, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) I have to agree with SLITS here. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif) Keep it simple.