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Cooling System Woes.....What am I doing wrong?

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Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
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I ran a 3 hour endurance race with the AC on full blast for the whole thing.... Its now out, but dreading the next long hot race. Its not going to be the cause of the problem anyways.. Changing the water pump and sensors sounds like a good idea. Always like logging the car to help out on diagnostics.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
I can't comment on if it's crappy or not, but I am worried about if it is intended for a drag application....ie more efficient at low RPM idling in the pits. I actually like the design.....with ships at least, a prop with more blades (ie the oem water pump) will be better at low RPM, but excessively cavitate at high RPM and increase drag. The edelbrock pump has the least "intrusive" design from what I can tell.
Maybe think of how a propeller is different from an impeller.

I’d bet it uses a lot less HP in the upper RPM range…because it’s doing a lot less work than a stock one.

Looking forward to the results when you swap it out.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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I can't comment on if it's crappy or not, but I am worried about if it is intended for a drag application....ie more efficient at low RPM idling in the pits. I actually like the design.....with ships at least, a prop with more blades (ie the oem water pump) will be better at low RPM, but excessively cavitate at high RPM and increase drag. The edelbrock pump has the least "intrusive" design from what I can tell.
I guess it depends on what they're definition of "efficient" is....
Efficient at flowing water or efficient as in less parasitic HP loss.
 
6,361
8,182
all of those designs, suck..

 
303
371
CA
all of those designs, suck..

WONDERFUL! Awesome, awesome info. Thank you. I'll be installing the motorcraft pump this weekend, will report back. I'll be at the track on the 26th.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
EMP Stewart "HP" water pump
1623099061103.png

all of those designs, suck..

The above one doesn’t seem bad to me.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Anybody have any tips for bleeding the coolant system on an 08' 3v? I can only find guides on 05-7....they did a change to the coolant system for model year 2008
I welded a bung in the water neck and put a petcock for a radiator drain in it to burp air periodically.
Now I have a bleed hose that's routed back into the degas bottle so it auto bleeds.
I posted pics of this somewhere....
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Anybody have any tips for bleeding the coolant system on an 08' 3v? I can only find guides on 05-7....they did a change to the coolant system for model year 2008
The later 3valves have the improved coolant flow path. Any track mustang before 2007 or 2008 should be re routed to the later setup. @Albino500 will know the exact years but I think it’s 2008 and later.
 
152
167
I use the EMP Stewart water pumps. 2005/06 3 valves have the thermostat in the hose 2007 and later have the thermostat in the coolant cross over tube assembly (which I use the Gates Racing 180 degree unit). As far as where to have the temp gauge sensor I put them in the upper radiator hose and burp the system there. JS
 
898
544
I would get rid of the under drive pulleys and install a Motorcraft water pump. Cavitation really isn’t an issue you should be concerned with using the OEM pumps.
 
I would get rid of the under drive pulleys and install a Motorcraft water pump. Cavitation really isn’t an issue you should be concerned with using the OEM pumps.
I've had cooling issues for years on my 2012 GT. It has cavitated before, and we burp it (vac system). I have the FP SVT fan, and front end is well damned up directing air flow. Have had two FP radiators. Last year changed radiator to Fluidyne TRIPLE PASS (that's important), and it's made a lot of difference. Easy to notice because the recovery (cool down) from say 225 (hard driving) to 195 (breathing on it a bit) is very quick. Hasn't got over 226 so far. One of those old FP radiators had blockage evident, when taken out. Certainly could have been the reason for cavitation and over heating. The Triple Pass radiators are available form Fluidyne and Kenny Brown. Also, if your tune is too lean at the top end revs, that will create problems.

Good luck.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Sometimes the advertisements mix up 3 row and 3 pass....they are not the same thing.

A radiator that is 3 rows thick is a 3 row.
Water travels across the core once and out the bottom.
Much of the flow is in through center and the corners are less efficient.

01.jpg

A 3 Pass is a 3 row radiator where the tank has been modified with baffles so that the water goes across the top 3rd of the tubes, makes a 180* turn and goes back across the middle 3rd of the radiator, makes another 180* turn and exits through the bottom 3rd.

1.jpg2.jpg

I have seen radiators advertised as 3 pass when they actually 3 row.
I purchased my fluidyne radiator as a "3 Pass" and it turned out to be a "3 row."
Disappointed, I eventually did the 3 pass mod myself as I have done for years on stock cars.
It's really not that hard for a qualified welder.

IMG_0708.jpg5.jpg7.jpg

Good ducting, hood vents, no A/C condenser, electric water pump, a good oil cooler and e85.
My water temp/oil temp runs 190* @ 8000 rpm in competition.
I just verified that re watching my in car videos....never touched 200* from green flag to checkers.
I would highly recommend the Kenny Brown real 3 pass radiator or buy a good quality 3 row and have the 3 pass mod done by a qualified welder. As far as I know, the KB is the only real 3 pass on the market regardless of what the ads say.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Fluidyne is a quality radiator, but it's NOT 3 pass regardless of what the ad says.
Look for the welds in the tank.....there are none.

 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Here is a Fluidyne 2 pass as used in stock cars:


See the weld in the tank?
The inlet and outlet are on the same side with a baffle between them.
A 3 pass has 2 baffles, one in each tank.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
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Here you go, this is a real 3 pass radiator. See the welds in the tanks?

 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
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I currently run the Capaldi radiator. I don't believe its a 3 pass radiator.

The KB unit looks nice.

If I was a metal artist/fabricator I could likely mod mine. Like that's going to happen. LOL.

I may need to look at the KB radiator along with a Chicane 23 hood.

Thanks Sal!!
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,518
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
I currently run the Capaldi radiator. I don't believe its a 3 pass radiator.

The KB unit looks nice.

If I was a metal artist/fabricator I could likely mod mine. Like that's going to happen. LOL.

I may need to look at the KB radiator along with a Chicane 23 hood.

Thanks Sal!!
If you were closer I'd do it for you.
 

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