Overheating?

[davekmoore]

Depends where you are asking.

If you were on a large turbo mx5 only forum, the concensus would be reroute and ducting. Depending which model you have. Now im 99% sure your head gasket has eliminated the need for a reroute, but I would need an MSM expert to confirm that.

Dann

So I sometimes know when I've been dropped a hint ad did the research. The head gasket changes after 2001 may have eliminated the need for the reroute as they solved the issue of the back of the motor getting less coolant with the motor lengthwise in the MX5 instead of side ways in front wheel drive cars?

Does this mean ducting is the next step, and if so, how, what etc?

[timk]

The SE head uses the same head gasket as the late 00+ VVT head. It has a different casting to the NB8A head too, I will have to take a pic of the two as I have both heads and both head gaskets available.

I decided to not re-route my build using an SE head, but would do it for sure on an NB8A head.

The NB8A head teamed with a reroute is probably the pick of the lot...

[NitroDann]

You are saying that as a general base for a performance engine, or as the best performing head cooling setup?

Dann

[NitroDann]

Dave:
The radiator needs a few things, but lets talk about airflow, which the stock setup lacks, you have an intercooler AND an air con condenser in front of it. And behind it there isnt much of a way to release the air.

Firstly have a look into the mouth and make sure that all the front of the radiators ducting is there, so that any air that makes it through the mouth is forced through the radiator, check for gaps underneath, to the sides and on top, near the hood latch.
Block them, use coreflute, sheetmetal, expandafoam, I dont care.

Next we need a way to get air out of the engine bay. The most common way is an extraction vent in the hood just in front of the engine block i n the hood.
This location is a very low pressure zone, caused by the aeroplane wing like curvature of the front profile of the car.
This shape and hence low pressure zone causes lift, this is why the steering gets light at high speeds. An extraction vent here will actually reduce lift, increasing front grip, and it will actively pull air through your intercooler and radiator.

Search mini hood scoop miata. By mini I mean the car made by bmw, their hood scoop is purchased, turned backwards so as to be an extraction vent, and fits the mx5 perfectly in the location I mentioned.

Or use whatever scoop, but it needs to be backwards and used for extraction.

Dann

[davekmoore]

2 Mini bonnet scoops.jpg

Are these the Mini scoops?

If so, do I just want one on the bonnet facing as in the pic?

Or will a second one on the bumper letting air into the top of the rad be even better?

Whichever way, can I please be excused for not planning on using pop rivets?

And where do I get these scoops from?

[NitroDann]

Yes just one in the bonnet, the factory mouth opening as already too big.

Ebay.

Dann

[davekmoore]

Is this the thing - as opposed to the other mega-buck options?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hood-Scoop-M ... 4aaaa81a05

[davekmoore]

Sorry to revitalise such an old thread. At least it's my old thread.

So, getting overheating again at Sandwon today at 36 degrees, so much that I'd keep catching the GT3 and then keep having to watch him disappear down the straight as I had to short shift into 6th to keep the temp needle visible on the gauge.

To recap:

The car was Blackster's. Credit to him for, amongst other bits:

Mazdaspeed AEM air intake
Cooling Pro intercooler (Japanese, not Chinese)
SP Motorsports exhaust system
Denso 440cc injectors
GFB recirculation valve
BEGi TB inlet
Mazdspeed oil cap
Haltech interceptor
Haltech boost solenoid
OG 02 Clamp
170.8rwkw @ 14psi AFR 11.5
Standard pistons and rods so rev limit not increased

Redline Water Wetter has been added since the first overheating symptoms but may have been diluted by inexperienced spannermen since.

Also added since previous posts are:
High pressure rad cap
A reduction in driver inability (through more seat time), so probably working everything a bit harder.
Bonnet vent as recommended by Nitro Dann (throws out heap of heat and has, as predicted, made the front end feel more planted)
Oil cooler and filter re-route which means the car has more oil to be cooled as well as more volume of cooled oil.

Adding soon:
Real gauges to replace the factory random ones and some extra ones such as oil temp.
Sensor to cut power at x degrees of water temp (opinions on value of x appreciated)

Considering:
Bonnet hinge lift spacers (supposed to suck more air out of the back of the engine bay)

What size of radiator should fit in an SE?

What other thoughts please?

[NitroDann]

Do not lift the bonnet. This is the highest pressure zone of. The car after the radiator entrance. This is the area we normally use to force air into a cowl intake.

can we please have. bunch of pictures of everything? Do we know how hot its actually getting?

Dann

[davekmoore]

Ok Dann. Bonnet stays as is.

Hard to tell the temps cos only have the factory Mickey Mouse gauge at the moment. At the top of that gauge though and there was bubbling in the system as if it was boiling even with the high pressure cap.

Pics tomorrow.

[vrmmmpshhh]

id say you have a pocket of air or your headgasket is going.. are you running both fans on at the track

[NitroDann]

What's the point of running family so when the car is moving though?

Dann

[vrmmmpshhh]

i have no aircon so the a/c button just turns the 2nd fan on. this makes a huge difference on my ASI, if i forget to switch it off the car almost never warms up with the needle only going half of what is usually does. i also like to think the added airflow brings in cooler air pushing the hotter air out the back, plus the 2nd fan is on the turbo side too.

[Hjt]

I run a 52mm Koyo radiator in my SP with ridiculous amounts of intercooler piping between my fans and block so I am certain you could fit a giant radiator into the front of the engine bay.

Extraction hood aside, have you sealed the top prior to the radiator and the bottom prior to the bottom of the radiator?

I was concerned prior to the last club day about possible temps, I made some thin sheet metal DIY covers and it has helped keep the temps down.

[davekmoore]

Hey Dann, loving your spell checker turning fans into family. After everything I've read on all the forums I agree there's no noticeable gain to running 1, 2 or 12 fans when the car's moving, and on anything but the coldest day my motor is switched off on the dummy grid anyway.

I asked my local non-specialised spannerman to change the oil and filter and adjust the hanbrake just before Sandown. When I picked the car up the bill also included a line for "radiator additive". So I'm now wondering whether he has indeed introduced an air pocket. The temps would only go up after the first 2 laps though and would drop after a slow half lap and were fine at 110 all the way back to Bendigo (two hours). Is all of that compatible with an air pocket and/or a dodgy head gasket?