Before anyone starts flaming, I've searched, but I've seen nothing too definitive. What I want to know is what's better when running an aftermarket h/e (doesn't matter what brand):

(a) running stock h/e and aftermarket together?

(b) running just the aftermarket?

discuss.

 

It's a basic question but the anwer is complex.

in the winter or when it's cold you are not running the AC. When running the AC in summer months the heat from the AC goes into the exchanger. It's quite possible that it's better to run the stock unit w/o the AC and better to run w/o it when you are running AC. Then you have cool down. The stock unit is sandwhiched making cooldowns take longer. This could be bad at the track. We've thought about testing a few variations of the install but we're discussing the best ways to run a test like this. It's harder than it would first appear.

 

hop over on RLF and look for posts from a guy named Doward, he's going ***** deep into almost every aspect of this platform and he recently installed a cobra h/e with an extra coolant resivour and is logging around the same temps as the stock h/e. now imagine this with a bigger h/e. that said, personally i'd run both.

 

question has been askeed many times and its better to run both

 

so i guess run both for now? i think thats what im going to do. maybe even when i get the big h.e still run both?

 

Another variable is fluid capacity and system weight. If running both gave you a 3 deg advantage, you'd still lose out based on the added weight of teh system.

Removing the OEM HE would allow for better engine cooling and possible lower ECTs if you are not staying at 180. All these things must be factored in.

If the upgraded HE is small, it would be better to run both I would imagine but if the new one was large enough, at some point it would be beneficial to remove the OEM unit.

 

Or you could do minor weight reduction to compensate for the added system weight and still benefit from the lower temps. I run both H/E's on my balt. I have also removed weight form my balt.

 

agree. right now i have a cobra one its small so im going to run both but once i get a bigger one mayb like yalls i plan to just run that one and just have the stock h.e not installed.. sounds good?

 

I realize that this has been posted and re-posted several times. I looked through all of them, but between all of them, no one has said anything convincing enough to run either option. I just recently installed the ZZP h/e, and the friend who helped suggested not running both the OEM and zzp's because the coolant would have too many units to pass through, and the coolant would inevitably be warmer than running without the OEM. This guy happens to be a tech for GM (not trying to put him on a pedistle or anything), and he also happens to be very knowledgable with the LSJ platform as he owned one and did all the work on it himself.




You're right...it does sound like there's a lot more factors than just cooling temps. Please keep me up to date, however, on any of the testing that you guys decide to do. I think for now, I'm going to go ahead and just run the aftermarket and remove the OEM, but I'm still interested in comparing results from running both options.

 

I will do some tests using my aeroforces. Keep in mind that I live in Arizona where summer temps get up to 115. I figure that running more coolant even if its hotter is better than not running enough. This is why its hard for me to just run the ZZP H/E only.

 

I live in Texas, temps get pretty similar around here, too. Granted, your high temps peak a little higher, but we have relatively similar avg temps.

 

I think we're going to test this out shortly but a full test can't be done in the winter. here's what we know already:

1. If your new HE was capable of removing all the heat, it would be better to run only that. I don't think this is the case.

2. The stock coolant pump flows ~4.5 GPM with stock endplate and over 6 with dual pass. The optimum coolant capacity will change for short runs vs. 1/4 mile ETs. If you have a 14 sec car, you'll move about 1 gal of water in the pass (stock endplate). The OEM HE only holds 1/4 gal. The ZZP HE holds about double that (more than any HE on the market). I'm not sure how much is held in the hoses and LIM, not much. Therefore measured gains from running the OEM HE may come from the additional fluid capacity more than the cooling.

3. Every test will be changed in regards to the OEM exchanger if the AC is running.

I think we need to define what "better" means in order to establish a test. Does better mean more power in short bursts? Better 1/4 mile passes?

The best way to test is probably to have a temperature probe before and after the OEM HE. Then we could see what it's doing separate from reserve capacity. We could also see how the cars main radiator being fully warmed up or the AC running is affecting things.

 

I can tell you for a fact that when I feel the ZZP H/E after a hard run in the summer its cool to touch. The stock H/E on the other hand will burn you if you touch it. So I know that the coolant flowing to the s/c is cooler for a fact. The only question that remains from the above post is if running only the ZZP H/E is enough coolant. If the ZZP H/E holds twice the capacity of the stock H/E, then in my non scientific opinion, this should be enough.

 

Good point about defining "better". So why don't we define it with the two more common scenarios (obviously the result, like you said, vary with certain conditions): daily driving with occasional pulls (drag or street), and straight 1/4 pulls. Obviously, my driving habits are more from the former than the latter. The second scenario I guess would be for those people that use their rides for nothing but track.

Also, "better" could also mean in terms of making the most reliable power. So which option (stated in OP) is better for each scenario. Does this help Zoomer?

 

well i got my h.e on today . but ill be getting a big one soon. and i want only run that. so ill just take one side and have the pump go to it? and then the other side to the lil top filler like the stock one was or what?

 

Not only the a/c, but it was also brought up that the radiator could possibly be transferring considerable heat to the stock h/e.

Any thoughts on that zooomer?