Matatk wrote:
Are you referring to the accumulator/drier?

Matatk wrote:
Why not just run the upgraded radiator, it will be more than sufficient. I would not want to worry about moving the accumulator/drier and custom a/c lines.

DrDyno wrote:
Quote:

Matatk wrote:
Why not just run the upgraded radiator, it will be more than sufficient. I would not want to worry about moving the accumulator/drier and custom a/c lines.

Two reasons, actually. The first is I'm REALLY tired of watching my digital temp climb here in Florida and am willing to spring for the upgraded fans.

Secondly, I may want to supercharge it, someday, and I'll have no choice then but to move the can.

Matatk wrote:
1) In your previous post about mods you said with a flushed system your car rarely sees 205*.

There are much more highly modified cars than yours that do not require spal fans and an upgraded radiator. I'm sure the radiator is overkill for your application, but still a quality piece.

2) If you supercharge it, address the fans and a/c adaptation at that time.

DrDyno wrote:

Well, as it turned cooler here in central Florida, I added a gallon of Dex-Cool just to be safe. So, now I'm protected down to +5° but my engine temps are back up about 4° and 205° is a normal occurrence. Being "old school," my mind has a hard time with anything over 199°! I know the LT1's were designed to run warmer than my old SBC's but, my mind still has a hard time with it and I constantly run my A/C to keep my fans on. (I'll have the fan temps lowered when I finally get a digital tune.)

TommyT-Bone wrote:

Guess it depends how you plan to mount your supercharger.

BillH wrote:

John, I build SBC's and I had the same thoughts when I first got my 92. So much so that I put in a manual switch to turn on one fan and used it.

...If it bothers you, you can put in a switch for $4 and run the fans. In traffic, it will take a few minutes for the temps to start dropping.

Spal fans won't help this at all at this point. A larger radiator MAY drop temps but only to 195 (that's what your thermostat opens at). Going to a lower temp than that may do nothing but build up crud in your engine.

DrDyno wrote:

Based upon the work of PCOLT94 (an electrical engineer) on corvetteforum, I installed a manual fan switch on my '96. It worked fine but threw a DTC and illuminated the Check Engine light. I was more uncomfortable with the illuminated light than the engine temp and removed the switch.

Interesting, on 92-93 (and probably 94-95) and the switch is throw a code for Quad Driver 3 which only monitor voltages in that circuit, it does not throw a check engine, so you don't see anything and the code means nothing. I haven't played with the newer ECM/PCM on the 96's though.


I don't understand why you would say increased air flow through the radiator [at low speeds or idling in traffic] would have no effect on engine temp. Isn't increased airflow the very reason the fans cycle off above 40 MPH?

I just don't think the extra airflow will do very much and it's not worth the $$$ to change, just my opinion.

Relative to "building up crud in the engine," do you mean within the cooling system or the fuel intake system? If I run an 80 - 100% water mixture with the No-Rosion products, there's very little to cause crud in the cooling system. Intake system crud should be handled with proper A/F mixtures, No?

The higher temps burn off the contaminates in the oil better.

With only 56K miles on my car and everything working flawlessly, I think you guys see ME as the problem, not my engine temps. You're probably right!

DrDyno wrote:
Quote:

Matatk wrote:
Are you referring to the accumulator/drier?

Yup! I always called them "Receiver/Dryers." DeWitt's website calls them "Evaporators."

bogus wrote:
Now, as for the radiator... I am a huge fan of the DeWitt unit...

bogus wrote:
Another aspect of the temps... the insides of modern engines are a mishmash of alloys... iron, aluminum, copper, you name it.

Each metal heats and cools at different rates, and the temps established are perfectly safe because they are optimized to work with the different metals and keep emissions happy.

This is not a 1966 something with 12:1 compression, points and an appetite for 101 octane gas... this is a modern engine, with computer controls, and 10.5:1 compression with a much lower appetite for 93 octane.

In short, this is not a problem... this is normal.

Now, as for the radiator... I am a huge fan of the DeWitt unit... but keep the factory fans. They are super durable and easy to get parts for if one was to fail. If the DeWitt fan fails, you are boned until you can get the right Spall replacement part.

Which leads to thought number 2... Dave McClellen, former Corvette Chief Engineer, told me that his #1 mantra to Mosler (the guy in FL that builds a mid-engined thing with Corvette power), is to use as much OEM parts as you can. They are severely tested over long periods of time to maintain durability standards... most aftermarket places don't...

So those OEM fans you have are good for 100k or more miles. What durability tests do the Spall fans go through?

As for Dewitt rads? They are used in Corvette Racing, and, well, they are not a moving part. Good materials, good welding, should be a-ok. And in this case, to the best of my knowledge, not a single DeWitt rad has ever failed Corvette Racing, including the 24 hours of Daytona, the 12 hours of Sebring or the 24 Hours of LeMans.

Oh, and I have a Dewitt in my 92. I just got tired of buying cheap rads that died in 30k miles...

joeld wrote:
DeWitt sale is on!
Ends Jan 26th
Promo code Jan 26th

I'm needing one also.

Joel

joeld wrote:
I've been checking for the last several weeks also, noticed tonight on that "other" forum they had the announcement.

Wasn't trying to bust into your thread, just wanted to let you know before I forgot.

Joel

tjpreul wrote:
I relocated mine to the front of the frame by the opti. This is where Procharger has you relocate it. It sits low so the hose in and out rest on the frame.

tjpreul wrote:
I relocated mine to the front of the frame by the opti. This is where Procharger has you relocate it. It sits low so the hose in and out rest on the frame.

DrDyno wrote:

Thanks, Joel!

Found their Ad...

Once a year and only once a year do we have a forum sale. This is it.

1. You must order from our website, no phone orders.
2. You must use promo code Jan2015
3. Discount of 15% off anything in your shopping cart.
4. Sale ends January 26th, 2015
5. Allow 2-3 weeks after placing order before expediting

Any odd stuff, not on our website can be emailed to john@dewitts.com

CentralCoaster wrote:
Did you guys have any issues with the Dewitt rubber pads? Mine is not completely isolated from the shroud, parts still come in contact. The radiator could've probably a 1/4" in height.

CentralCoaster wrote:
I wired up a manual fan override switch on mine. It is a 2 pole switch that grounds out both fan relays. When the switch is off, they operate normally. A 2 pole switch is necessary to keep the electrical circuits separate.

I mostly use it after a run session, when the car is insanely hot, leave it idling and force both fans on to cool it down faster. The last thing you want to do in that situation is shut the car off right away, because the coolant still in the engine may sit there and absorb more heat until it boils. The fan will stay on but would only cool what's in the radiator.

Why would you need a separate relay? It would surprise me if there was feedback to the ECM to tell it the fan is running when it shouldn't be. I honestly don't know how the fans are controlled on yours though.

As for your radiator, it's probably cooling better, but your thermostat is just closing more to compensate. You're operating at the bottom end of the operating range, and the only way it's going to be less than that, is with a lower temp stat. I'm assuming you have the 180 now. The stat and the sensor are pretty far part in the chain of events that is your cooling system.