Are there any folks on here that have an aftermarket turbo and that track their car? I didn't get to make many laps after my upgrades due to my (stock) tranny taking a ****, but my coolant temps after a few laps got very high, 235-240 degrees. I'm fully bolted and was wondering if there is anything I can do to keep the temps in check. I'm not sure that many turbo swapped ppl on here actually go to a road track, but if so what is your experience with temps and keeping them down?

 

Zzp radiator and maybe a turbo blanket?

 

I just have basic bolt ons and my temps normally set at around 200-205ish when I'm at the strip. Really don't get too crazy though. Methanol is going to probably be your best bet to keep temps down.

 

What psi you running anything?over 20 psi is asking for trouble road coursing imho. A lot more heat generated. I'll be Road coursing next year...I'm dropping to 20 psi and using g turbo blanket

 

Was thinking bout the radiator too. Mines is like a Chinese aftermarket brand. I was getting temp like the op but I was smashing from socal to Vegas in 100 degree weather. Going up the hills were awful had to cut the heat on to help cool the car lol. So I think between the radiator. ..no heat shield and running 26 psi my heat is redunk

 

That doesn't sound like a fun trip lol, I'm on a s256 and I noticed an increase in running temp just around town 210-220 ' ish and I never went much over 200 on the k04. I put on a turbo blanket and that helped keep it at bay for a few pulls. I ordered the radiator on black Friday so come spring I'll see if their is a noticeable difference.

 

Running your car at those temps is dangerous, regardless of turbo.

I wouldn't be lapping my car at 240* at all.

 

My Cobalt runs at 199 degrees at normal driving if sit there then will get up about 205 degrees. I really don't like what I am seeing but it's normal. I am planning swap out thermostat to Gates #33943 and see how that goes.

 

With no cooling mods mine sits at 189-195 all year. After a full track pull it will go upto about 205 and come back down

Now putting zzp radiator in it.

 

I would hit 215 if i did multiple autox laps in a row without sufficient time to cool the car in between. this is with the air temp was in the 90's. It would drop really quickly once we finished up and left grid.

On a road course about the same after several laps.

I always felt as though the problem wasn't the radiator but insufficient airflow though the radiator. More to the point no where for the hot air to go after it went through intercooler and radiator. Had I kept my Cobalt I would have created an opening of some sort at the back of the hood, base of the windshield.

 

Oh, sorry - stock K04 - but I still feel that airflow throught he radiator is a problem that could be improved upon regardless of turbo size.

 

Lol yeah..normally I don't smash on a hot day..but I always smash to vegas. I was following a regular caliber. .poor thing lol. Also pissed off a St. Lol. I'll run on this radiator and see what happens

 

Unfortunately I just put in a Mishimoto radiator this fall..I didn't know about the ZZP option at the time. I know the ZZP has a bigger core, but is it really that much more efficient?

Big difference between the drag strip and a road track. Strip is full boost for <13 seconds, one session at the track is 15-20 minutes ~75% of which is at WOT...
I've thought about meth, but wonder how much it will really help. Anyone running CO2 to cool things down? Although I guess that's not really a solution for road track since it won't last (kinda like NOS)

I'm running 26psi. I never had heat issues at 26psi on the stock turbo. My tuner (Term2) says it's due to pushing more fuel => more heat
I'm not familiar with a turbo blanket. What does it do exactly?

I did a slower easy lap whenever temps hit 230. They would come down close to 200 after one slower lap.

 

I've thought about this as well. In fact, I took my grille off at the track that day, but it didn't make much difference at all. I've wondered what taking off the AC condenser would do. Weight savings too when taking off the vacuum pump as well. I'd be willing to do without AC if it would make a significant difference. Don't run it that often anyways and I'm trying not to use the balt so much as my DD...

 

What do you have fans set at?

If you own HPT I would change the tune for 100% fans all the time.

Also if your racing around with windows open then blast the heat.

My 2.2 spiked 248* at the track.

 

The problem is getting air out, not in. Don't think removing the grille helped you at all to be honest.

 

That's a great point. I do have HPT and could easily make a "track only" tune with fans on high all the time
Blasting the heat is OK during winter but in summer I would die in my helmet ;-)

Yeah I mainly did it to humor someone that took the trouble to come out and see me. Didn't really expect much difference but it was an easy thing to try...

 

its basically a heat shield that wraps around the turbo....help keeps your engine bay cool from the hot ass turbo

this the one I am getting....
EFR Turbo Blankets - Full-Race.com

The more psi the more compression heating...so I am going to run 20 psi..its similar to gms1 was did well on the track but shouldnt be as hot since its flows more air at that psi....and is more effiecient

 

Thanks, did some research myself in the meantime, blanket seems to make sense...
Lowering the boost pressure is probably the sensible thing to do and is probably what I'll end up doing eventually, but for now I'm still high on the power @26psi lol I mean there's just something about pulling away from a Porsche GT3 on the straight, even if you have to come in the next lap to cool things down ;-)

 

Coming from someone who has an s256et and has tracked it many times on a road course - you are running way way way way too much boost. Those kinda boost pressures are for drag racing tunes or street pulls. Your car will not last and you will pop the motor it is only a matter of time. You are building way too much heat. I have found 22psi is the max you can run with it not being reliable unless you are running race gas. When you are right behind someone and you get no air running into the intercooler you risk detonation. 20psi and something stupid low like 10 degrees of timing would suffice for a road course. You are completely ******* nuts running that much boost on a road course. I don't want to make fun of you but this is complete fail. Your coolant temps are telling you something ya think??? Does term2 know you are running this much boost on a road course? Term2 is one of the best tuners. SSKev and I would never have anything to do with anyone who ran a road course on a ***** out tune like that. PS how do you take a corner, you must have to brake a mile down the track no? On 20psi my s256et is a missile around the track you are just looking to kill yourself. And I have every Powell mod and big 9.5 wide NT01s so don't try to pull one on me either lol.

 

This is the track, and I think they normally run the long track so a 1.83mile straight away is what he's talking about or if its the short its still 1.28mile. He also has every powell part (minus UCRs) not sure what size NT01s he runs, but he likes to push his car and stopped at 230 temps, obliviously if the only solution is to drop the boost level he'll do that i'm sure, but admit if you could run higher boost levels with a long straight away you would.

http://www.highplainsraceway.com/ima...map-large4.gif

Also pretty sure he's got some videos up of before he ZFR swapped

 

I don't touch the tune files I get from Term2 at all, so yes he knows I'm running 26psi ***** to the wall on a road course. I'm not saying you're wrong, in fact this is why I started this thread, to see what other folks with bigger turbos are doing on the track.
And as far as braking is concerned, I brake at the second marker on the straight @ ~140mph. I'm running stock size (225/40-118) NT01's, SS brake lines, race pads and race brake fluid. Brakes do get pretty hot, obviously, after all it's a pretty technical track with some slow turns. As you know, setting a fast lap time is a delicate balance of power, suspension and braking. And of course, speed has nothing to do with killing yourself on a track. Like my racing instructor told me 25 years ago: "Go as fast as you CAN, not as fast as your DARE " lol
Thanks for the input though, I'll definitely think about running a little less boost.

 

Wrap your turbo manifold and get a vented hood

 

Great point on the hood. I would like to see what a hood like this one does. I'm not a big fan of the look at all but it has to make a difference in getting some circulation going especially with both fans running on high permanently on the track tune. Such a shame people are not willing to ship these things...

 

Unless you are racing for money, the difference between a solid 20 psi tune and a 26 psi tune is less than 10%. Does that make a difference on a long straight, sure, but do you really want to ruin your engine and turbo at 240 degrees in a couple more lapping days or run at 210 for years of enjoyment.

And raver, a s256 will not kill you on the track. YOU will kill you on the track. It's never the cars fault. Everything else you said was spot on.