TCJB's overheating problem on track days

[TCJBOLDIE]

Have an overheating problem that only happens at the track when the coolant gets pushed out of the overflow bottle after 2/3 5 lap sessions as there is not a lot of time between them.

I have
1 had a new 3 core radiator installed stock is 2 core.
2 tested the 82 deg thermostat before installation.
3 run cleaner thru the system flushed and filled with distilled water and green fluid.
4 boxed in area below the spoiler opening to help get as much as possible thru intercooler and radiator.
5 have fitted an air diversion panel to the top of the radiator.
6 Deepened the spoiler opening by app 40% for more airflow
7 have burped the cooling system to remove trapped air.
8 new radiator cap.
Have been researching waterless coolants and have had a long discussion with Perer from LIQUID INTELLEGENCE and he suggested I try LI 500.

 

[old-git]

Overheating is a pain in the nether regions.

Do you switch off as soon as you stop? If so, my thnking is that you have heated the engine quickly with the short bursts of intense use so the water hasn't been able to keep up with the engine heat soak. Once stopped this excess heat transfers to the water that isn't circulating, causing localised boiling. Just made this up as a thought.

LI500 sounds similar to Evans. The only issue with these coolants is that tracks (at least over here) don't like them as they are slippery. The fact that there is far less chance of a leak due to little or no system pressure is ignored.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Thanks 4 your thoughts Steve

Always let it idle for a few minutes to help the turbo cool down and both electric fans stay running.
The 500 product is ok for the track.

The waterless coolants do not expand like water as they tell me that opening the cap is like opening a can of Coke just a little pish sound. So hose connections are not under the same pressures with little chance of leaks with correctly fastened hoses.

Hopefully the 500 will solve the problem

Will report findings after the nxt track day in March fingers XX ed

 

[old-git]

Yeah, let us know as I am thinking about using Evans for those very reasons. If it doesn't leak no one is going to know it is in there

 

[HDi fun]

Do the waterless coolants have higher specific heat capacity than water? I know the boiling point is higher.

The only thing that worries me is that the waterless coolants are reported to be very flammable. I could be wrong on this.

 

[T9 man]

Well as far as I know there are no issues of any significance with Evans waterless coolants. @claymore is sponsored by Evans I believe so if he is happy, then when I move over to it then I am sure I will be too.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

The 500 is not waterless as it is distilled water with some special chemicals that raise the boiling point.

My understanding is that when water boils it looses the capacity to remove heat from the motor as it turns to steam at the point of contact with metal.

HDI I will put that specific question to Peter from L Intelligence.

 

[HDi fun]

It does exactly do that - steam has a very low specific heat capacity compared to water. But if the system is pressurised above atmospheric then the boiling point of the water contained therein will be above 100 degrees Celsius.

Road coolant already contains additives which primarily inhibit freezing (more accurately they lower the gel point - the ice point) temperature of the mixture. Additionally these additives also act as corrosion inhibitors. There are many formulations around now, not just the old stock standard ethylene glycol.

Distilled water is possibly amongst the best coolants available, it has the full water specific heat capacity, and it's not likely to vaporise anywhere near as readily in a clean cooling system compared to tap water. I think that if we could 'doctor' the cooling system and get rid of high points - potential hot spots - then we might not need these coolants at all.

There are products out there, Purple Ice & Red Line water wetter which claim to reduce the surface tension of water which will allow such hot spots to be cooled more quickly, thus preventing further heating of hot spots.

The danger is that it's possible to have localized hot spots despite the fact that the coolant temperature gauge doesn't register anything remotely unusual.

Maybe we should port our cooling systems in the way that we might port and flow our manifolds and cylinder heads.

 

[old-git]

Do the waterless coolants have higher specific heat capacity than water? I know the boiling point is higher.

The only thing that worries me is that the waterless coolants are reported to be very flammable. I could be wrong on this.

Yes, it is flammable, but only in a mist. Under what circumstances will you get a mist?

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

My understanding is that after reading all the info on the websites is that the waterless coolants have a tiny bit of expansion when hot so any leaks would be drips and not fine spray mist.

 

[claymore]

I can happily run my car with the header tank cap off with no pressure build up and no overheating issues.

 

[HDi fun]

Pressure can't increase if the cap is off. That's my point. Liquid water cools better than steam

 

[old-git]

Pressure can't increase if the cap is off. That's my point. Liquid water cools better than steam

Correct, but water would simply boil over with the cap off.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

What we are saying is that one can remove the radiator cap on a waterless coolant car that is at operating temps without any boilover safely due to little or no pressure in the cooling system BUT you risk serious burns IF you are silly enough to do the same with a water and glycol mix in the cooling system that is hot due to pressure/expansion of the coolant mix.

 

[old-git]

Correct, no pressure so no spray/mist from a leak so no risk of combustion.