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4
7
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Tampa, FL
Radiator:
I really can’t find a definitive answer on radiator. I plan to duct the radiator once I get the proper radiator. Im just struggling to choose which radiator. Is a single pass sufficient? Is a triple pass even better but provide too much pressure and not worth it for an N/A car? Which one just really works on track and is worth the upgrade from my PP one?

Oil Cooler:
I’m tracking that the Setrab 948 is the go to for oil coolers. I plan to get that unit and would like to install myself. If someone could put together the proper parts list for install that’d be greatly appreciated. Maybe some tips & tricks that a first time installer would find handy!

Thank you!
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Radiator:
I really can’t find a definitive answer on radiator. I plan to duct the radiator once I get the proper radiator. Im just struggling to choose which radiator. Is a single pass sufficient? Is a triple pass even better but provide too much pressure and not worth it for an N/A car? Which one just really works on track and is worth the upgrade from my PP one?

Oil Cooler:
I’m tracking that the Setrab 948 is the go to for oil coolers. I plan to get that unit and would like to install myself. If someone could put together the proper parts list for install that’d be greatly appreciated. Maybe some tips & tricks that a first time installer would find handy!

Thank you!
Most of the aftermarket radiators are pretty good....most.
Folks do have their favorites and I'll let them express thiers in the thread below. I use Fluidyne but there's plenty of good choices out there.
The term 3 pass is often used incorrectly, a radiator with 3 rows of tubes is a 3 row radiator. This is almost every aftermarket radiator out there.
"Three pass" refers to baffling added to the radiator that redirects the flow to travel through the radiator 3 times in an "S" pattern.
I have always modified my own but Kenny Brown is the only retailer that I know of that sells a radiator that is actually "3 pass".
The rest are "3 row" no matter what they say.

Do you need a genuine "3 pass" radiator? Probably not, except for extreme duty use. (Big HP, Forced induction, High RPM, W2W Racing, Towing etc.)
Will it hurt? Nope. See below:


Water travels straight through, leaving cold spots in the corners:

01.jpg



Baffles are added to redirect the flow:

1.jpg


Water now uses the full surface of the radiator and passes through 3 times to cool, re cool and then re cool again:
(If you don't see these welded in baffles, it's not a 3 pass radiator)

2.jpg


IMG_0708.jpg


IMG_0710.jpg


7.jpg


IMG_0717.jpg


IMG_0718.jpg


Again, do you need a true 3 pass radiator? Probably not....but it sure doesn't hurt.
Just wanted to clarify the difference.


And YES on the 948....make sure its well ducted and use -12 oil lines....not -10.
 
Last edited:
4
7
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Tampa, FL
Most of the aftermarket radiators are pretty good....most.
Folks do have their favorites and I'll let them express thiers in the thread below. I use Fluidyne but there's plenty of good choices out there.
The term 3 pass is often used incorrectly, a radiator with 3 rows of tubes is a 3 row radiator. This is almost every aftermarket radiator out there.
"Three pass" refers to baffling added to the radiator that redirects the flow to travel through the radiator 3 times in an "S" pattern.
I have always modified my own but Kenny Brown is the only retailer that I know of that sells a radiator that is actually "3 pass".
The rest are "3 row" no matter what they say.

Do you need a genuine "3 pass" radiator? Probably not, except for extreme duty use. (Big HP, Forced induction, High RPM, W2W Racing, Towing etc.)
Will it hurt? Nope. See below:


Water travels straight through, leaving cold spots in the corners:

View attachment 86454



Baffles are added to redirect the flow:

View attachment 86455


Water now uses the full surface of the radiator and passes through 3 times to cool, re cool and then re cool again:
(If you don't see these welded in baffles, it's not a 3 pass radiator)

View attachment 86456


View attachment 86459


View attachment 86460


View attachment 86458


View attachment 86461


View attachment 86462


Again, do you need a true 3 pass radiator? Probably not....but it sure doesn't hurt.
Just wanted to clarify the difference.


And YES on the 948....make sure its well ducted and use -12 oil lines....not -10.
Thank you so much for the response and clarifying, I’m here to be educated in the areas I am not! If I do go with a 3 pass, would I need to do other cooling support mods such as water pump, coolant tank cap, hoses, etc. to support the increase in pressure? Also, w/ the oil cooler, is mounting in-front of the radiator a bad idea? Or should I mount externally and duct through my fog light while ducting the radiator separately?
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
Thank you so much for the response and clarifying, I’m here to be educated in the areas I am not! If I do go with a 3 pass, would I need to do other cooling support mods such as water pump, coolant tank cap, hoses, etc. to support the increase in pressure? Also, w/ the oil cooler, is mounting in-front of the radiator a bad idea? Or should I mount externally and duct through my fog light while ducting the radiator separately?
Depends on the intended use. The more you ask of the engine the more you have to do to satisfy the cooling system.
My references are w2w racing, 500+whp coyote spinning 8200+ in a heavy s197 that originally came with a 3 valve.
The worst of all demands. So for me an "all the above" solution was in order.

3 row/3 pass radiator w/water wetter and filtered water, electric water pump, e 85 with a really good tune and big injectors, efficient ducting, really efficient hood venting (and of course no A/C condenser) no thermostat and bleed lines everywhere to eliminate air pockets.
16 quart oil system with a really great pan, custom crank scraper, windage tray and pump, 948 oil cooler w/-12 lines and remote filter with no sharp bends in the lines, fittings and internal passages.

In the very hottest 100+ weather, running the absolute snot out of my car on track in w2w racing the oil temp typically runs 210* and the water in the
200-220* neighborhood at most with no fan. Cool enough that I rarely have to check the gauges, only on yellow flags and pulling into the paddock after a race. The more you do, the better the results, the less you do the worse the results will likely be, again, depending on the demands you place on the motor.

Hopefully some of the s550 guys will chime in and share what works for them, I don't know many that abuse an engine the way that I do and even fewer do all the shiznit I do to make it work so you can probably do less. But this absolutely works for me.

 
Last edited:
4
7
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Tampa, FL
Depends on the intended use. The more you ask of the engine the more you have to do to satisfy the cooling system.
My references are w2w racing, 500+whp coyote spinning 8200+ in a heavy s197 that originally came with a 3 valve.
The worst of all demands. So for me an "all the above" was the solution.

3 row/3 pass radiator w/water wetter and filtered water, electric water pump, e 85 with a really good tune and big injectors, efficient ducting, really efficient hood venting (and of course no A/C condenser).
16 quart oil system with a really great pan, custom crank scraper, windage tray and pump, 948 oil cooler w/-12 lines and remote filter with no sharp bends in the lines, fittings and internal passages.

In the very hottest 100+ weather, running the absolute snot out of my car on track in w2w racing the oil temp typically runs 210* and the water in the
200-220* neighborhood at most with no fan. Cool enough that I rarely have to check the gauges, only on yellow flags and pulling into the paddock after a race. The more you do, the better the results, the less you do the worse the results will likely be, again, depending on the demands you place on the motor.

Hopefully some of the s550 guys will chime in and share what works for them, I don't know many that abuse an engine the way that I do and even fewer do all the shiznit I do to make it work so you can probably do less. But this absolutely works for me.

This is exactly what I like to hear! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to educate me. I love to hear experiences good and bad, hopefully some S550 guys chime in even though I doubt the advice can get much better than what you've provided. Maybe differences in the platform is going to cause variations for me. But it seems like you mostly covered all the basis and what you have going on just plain WORKS. Also, I really love the custom fab work you did on that radiator, I'm a certified welder and I love seeing that skill being used in racing! Thank you again!
 
898
544
Use either a Setrab 948 or 960 oil cooler. If you do not duct the cooler, I would probably use the 960.

A three pass radiator will not increase system pressure by any significant degree. The OEM hoses are perfectly fine. After you upgrade the radiator and cooler, ducting is the most important next step.
 

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
The electric pump doesn't change speed with RPM and being a race only car the thermostat is not needed (takes some re routing to make this work)
Currently using a 30 psi cap though I ran one full season with a stock cap and it was fine.
I have the pump and fans on toggles so I warm the motor up with the pump off then flick the pump on when I start to see some heat.
The fans are only ever on in the pits.

If you have waaaay too much time on your hands and are a total glutton for punishment, the whole build thread is here: https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/fabmans-build-how-did-we-get-here.11501/

God have mercy on your soul.
LOL.
 
Last edited:

Fabman

Dances with Racecars
6,519
8,154
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Pleasanton: 1/2 way between Sonoma and Laguna Seca
One last thing....if you are going the remote filter route make sure you get the remote filter adapter for the correct gen block you have.
They are NOT all the same, the sealing surfaces differ.
The Ford Racing one is what I prefer. And use -12 lines....NOT -10.


filter pads.PNG
 

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