Acceptable racing temperature
 

Running on gas....heat is always the enemy. I know methanol solves this problem but my budget won't allow the conversion right now. I know with my last car it was not uncommon to hit 235 and I never seemed to have any problems.

So what is an acceptable maximum water temperature? At what point should I shut it down?

How hot does your motor run?

Thanks for your replies.

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

cw

With 50/50 antifreez/ water it will start blowing out at about 260 degrees F. depending on your cap. A lot of times removing the thermostat will make them run hotter because the coolant get to moving so fast that it wont transfer any heat. The quickest fix is a small $60.00 electric fan from your local parts store. You can get carried away and buy a thermostatic controller for it also, but if you are still running the gen. it isn't required. We like to take a small plastic bottle (old oil can) and zip tie it to a front upright frame brace at the radiator and run the overflow tube into it all the way to the bottom then when it does blow out coolant >and it will> when the engine starts to cools down like during caution laps the expelled coolant will be drawn back into the radiator.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

Your engine may not need charge system, but when we tried it, we lost enough current that it does affect engine performance...even with super duper gel cell battery. All the electonics call for all current possible...learned this on the big trucks too

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

260? Sounds pretty high. Can a motor last at that temp? At what point should shutting it off to save it from detonation?

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

cw

We always had more power than we needed,:D the fans are cheaper than the motor, up until the coolant boils it is doing it's job, they make 24 psi caps but that seems a bit much we run about 190-200 racing. when the stuff starts boiling is when the internal temps spike because steam can't carry away the heat and you start doing damage. That being said we have come in dry a couple of times let it cool off put coolant back in and went out and raced again with no problems.:)

When we raced with total loss battery system we would run into one of them 15 lap caution periods and idle around just fine, they would drop the green flag and the dumb thing used to snart fart and fall on its face while leading the race with only a few laps to go:5: that really makes you feel bad,

Methanol fixes all of that stuff.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

I've got a brand new AFCO radiator with a fan on it. Gonna build a shroud to force the air through it. Would love to go methanol route someday when the funds allow. I saved the bladder tail tank for that reason. Just don't have the 2 grand laying around to purchase right now.

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

We have run 260. Usually a fuel mix problem. Use a 32 # cap and some water wetter. Usually racing on gas you will need more gas. In the carb. Cars, had to oversize the jets to get more gas..on injection, try more fuel pressure, or you might try to add auto tune..it will give a 10% adjustment up or down automatically as needed. I have one for the yamaha r1 if you want to try it

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

I have been trying to run my vintage chevy II midget on gas. Always runs super hot and I shut it off at 240. I have the fans, shrouds, overflows, water wetter etc. Nothing really made that much difference. Switching to Methanol this season. I was already running mechanical injection so switch over is not that much $$. Good Luck

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

cw

Like Ron said bump up the fuel pres. Best I can remember we ran 55 to 60 psi with stock injectors on gas. Sounds like you already got the cooling problem under control.

To convert over to methanol the injectors should run you about $60.00 each (with shipping $250.00 a set). The fuel rail is about $20.00 and all you would need is somebody with a Bridgeport Mill and a couple of hours to whittle out the rail to match. (requires a 7/16" end mill.)
When you are poor you got to learn how to improvise, that has to be the most fun in racing for me.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Acceptable racing temperature
 

The best cooling fix we ever found was changing the line from the motor to the radiator (hot side) to 1" from 3/4". Got rid of fans and back to a 20lb cap on gas with no problems unless you get a motor lean or plug an injector, either will make it hot. 50/50 with water wetter or some such additive helps.