Daleo

Ahem...

Gold coins eh mateys? He be pulling some kind of pirate shenanigans! Shenanigans!!!!!

Purezx; they should go much lower than that; mine are at 355mm with plenty more thread to go. I reckon I could get another inch easily. Hell, look at Jays; Have you got some pics of the spring and adjustable perch mounted in position? Not saying you've done it wrong; but something might not be quite right and a photo might show us. Have you loosened all of your arm to chassis mounting bolts (pivot points on the subframe) to ensure they aren't bound up? You need to get it on some ramps, so the car is loading the suspension then loosen; maybe even pry open slightly, then retighten all of the lower mounts. Edit; lol Jase; great minds and all that...

It's not entirely off the table yet; most likely just rub back & re-apply the clear, if I decide to go that way. But have I then made it even more of a target?

Yeah; so the gauge defintitely does provide some feedback, if you pay attention. The one I've been looking at has the rad cap in the right spot. I think you're right Alex, most aftermarket cores use much thicker wall, larger bore tube; mainly because it's cheaper, and easier to work with; which also has the effect of leaving a lot of laminar flow in the tubes. The laminar flow is basically dead water in contact with the radiator tubes that doesn't really move, while a moving column of water runs down the middle. This minimises the cooling efficiency of the effectively larger core because most of the water isn't coming into contact with the wall; shedding its heat. The thinner tubes in OEM radiators promote turbulent flow; the water effectively tumbles along the tube getting the maximum amount of contact with the wall of the tube; which maximises any cooling effect. Also, using thinner tubes allows you to fit more tube surface area into a thinner core, which flows more air.

That's sort of my point; but if the gauge didn't move, and then spontaneously overheated, I'd reckon there would be a few calls too. There will always be an "acceptable range" we are likely to be operating within it; but making judgements based on cars we've owned prior. I'd still like to see the car going nothing over 100deg; regardless of ambient, as Scotty said. Koyo do a 36mm dual core version of their plastic end tanked V35 radiator; I think this will be a viable option; but I'm not sure if it has the heat exchanger in the bottom tank (not that it bothers me). Inlet, outlet and Rad cap are in the oem positions. I'd imagine there will be some trimming required; but virtually everything except direct replacement will. I'd like to do that rather than go to the "Full Race" spec 52mm cores; I think they can end up actually restricting airflow through the core. You see this particularly in the R32-R34's (particularly GTR's) with generic 52mm all alloy aftermarket rads. Go back to an OEM; all good. The 36mm Koyo is readily available in the US; I haven't looked locally, but a Koyorad distributor should be able to get it.

Went and saw my painter to get a quote to repair the vandalism on my car; I think he was more pissed off about it than I was! Looks like it will be around $600 to repair; he's confident he can mask around the rear glass, and this will mean we can do the whole rear quarter/cant rail area, rather than "blowing in" the top of the C pillar. The quote also includes repairing the additional foot long scratch on the DS front quarter that I didn't notice initially. Considering doing the other rear quarter/cant rail to correct a mark from the previous owner, and possibly the tailgate while he's there. See what happens in the new year.

Ok, thanks for the feedback guys; sounds like I'm in the "normal range" then, thought I might have needed a new rad sooner than later. Gives me time to first try a lower temp Nismo thermostat, and look into a slightly thicker core, there are some good options around that shouldn't break the bank, so I can do that when it suits. It is interesting, my GSXR1000 runs around 86deg, but will go to 107deg before the thermo even switches on, and at the track it; routinely sees 104deg on the in lap after a session. This is very similar to my last bike (CBR929) I rode it with a pillion, for 5 hours, in 46deg heat with the gauge on 106deg the whole time and I had no issues on the day, or in the 5 years I owned it. If you're seeing the same kind of temps with the big mutha rad in yours Scotty, in addition to an oil cooler; Perhaps our prevailing attitudes on cooling systems need a bit of a rethink? Because for all the variation in temp, the needle barely moves; like not even half a graduation! This makes me wonder if these kind of temps are to be considered normal; at least from a manufacturers point of view. I mean if 104deg was a disaster; I'd expect the gauge to give a little warning? Sustained high temp are a no, no for sure; but maybe we need to revise our understanding of the "normal" range? I think I'm going to reset my Informeter warning alarm at 104 which is my current high point. Perhaps ignorance truly is bliss...

What you said about the water temp reading lower once there's no water in the system is correct; it's a water temp gauge, not an air temp gauge. This is semantics. The thing is; the object of pressurising the cooling system is to avoid boiling the water. But there cannot be any air trapped in the system for this to occur. Running your car at 100deg with a cooling system full of boiling water is an undesirable condition, as the expanding air (steam) forces water out of the cooling system when it boils. Water turning to steam can expand to 1000 times its original volume. Eventually the expanding steam will force virtually all of the water out of the system. The water pump cannot pump air. Once there is no water in the system you have no ability to transfer heat out of the engine in any measurably useful amount. This is BAD. Having water at 110deg with no expanding air bubbles (also forcing the water pump to cavitate) ensures all the water stays in the cooling system. This is where you want it. In addition, the coolant in the cooling system pushes the boiling point of the pressurised water up to around 120 deg. Pressurising the system and adding coolant are just ways of providing extra headroom to the system. It works.

I've been looking at all of these single core replacements, has anyone seen a 2 core replacement in Aus? Also a little off topic; what kind of temperatures are people seeing on OEM style radiators? I mean actual temps; not just where the needle sits. Possibly a question for Informeter users. I'm seeing low to mid 90s with the air con on with 30 deg ambient temp. But if I give it a hiding; I can push it over 100 deg. It does recover, but I'd like to see it lower; maybe peaking in the low 90's, as I can see it struggling once we get some hotter weather. I had my Informeter in last summer and I remember hitting 104 once, on an extremely hot day; but I'm talking low 40's.

Got one sitting in my shed right now. It's undamaged, Black, and I'm in the Lower Mountains. PM me if you like. Cheers, Dale

If I were to guess ETCS2 is Electronic Toll Collection, and STERW is the optional Subwoofer.

Hey Scotty, It should go on the low pressure side of the system; so in the return line to the reservoir.

Yeah mate! Congrats, and welcome.

Hey Ryan; sorry about that, I realised a few days later, my brain has the dumb...

+1. It's a user installed product; the user takes the risk. Just like any part you fit to your own car. I wonder what the liability on sour grapes is?

Not a damn thing wrong with that BOZ22N; she looks a good 'un.

Spotted Theo at Glenbrook yesterday arvo, (Hey mate!) and a Burgundy AR-X with 19's on Parramatta rd; the passenger in the AR-X was pretty excited when she saw ours!

I'm liking that. Very nice.

I don't think you lose power as such; because the converter is open, it'll actually build boost quicker because it flares a little. The only issues I can see are the obvious necessity of a $250 pump & attendant lines, and a cooler; that's before you factor in modifying the sump with internal pick up and returns at opposite ends, to ensure you're cooling effectively, not just re-cooling the oil that just came out of the return. Also, it's added complication when a decent sized cooler and a thermostat will probably do the job 90% of the time.

Of course you can* *Note; This option will make you susceptible to police attention; and likely to make comments like "Why don't the coppers leave me alone? I wasn't doin' nuffin!"

+1. Mid 90's Magnas have a PS cooler that is a perfect size; with beaut isolastic mounts, and they're a bargain!

Doesn't that unlock the converter too? I'd just like to be able to run the cooler when in manual mode with the converter locked. I'm pretty sure the unlock mod is pretty devastating for fuel economy too...

Could the left side rear trailing arm be binding in its travel? Have you fitted aftermarket bushes to the rear arms? If you are using OEM bushes; they could be preloaded. Reverse the car up on some ramps. Loosen the mounting bolts (don't remove) and pry open the mounts to release any tension on the bushes. These need to be tensioned at the cars driving ride height, so tension them on the ramps; not with the suspension unloaded Jack both rear wheels off the ground (at the same time); measure any difference in droop from one side to the other. If there's no difference you may be sorted. If there is a difference; disconnect the rear shocks from the lower mounts, measure shock overall length looking for variation.

Jeez; getting serious!