Basic questions about temperature
Discussion
Got to think about radiator design.
Aprecitate that most modern cars do not have a scale on their temperature gauge.
Would guess that because the engine is designed to run with catalytic converters that it is designed to run relatively quite hot (compared to my present Rover V8)?
Without cats what is the ideal temperature that the LS2 should run at, for power and economy.
Aprecitate that most modern cars do not have a scale on their temperature gauge.
Would guess that because the engine is designed to run with catalytic converters that it is designed to run relatively quite hot (compared to my present Rover V8)?
Without cats what is the ideal temperature that the LS2 should run at, for power and economy.
Stock LS1 runs at 98*C you can tune fans to hold it at 90*C with a 160F thermo 80*C is possible. Im not sure about LS2, but Id imagine much the same mainly for emissions.
All/most tuners in the US recommend 160* thermo (lingenfelter etc) which will help with optimial timing and colder air charge etc.
Which also means you can run higher compression.
So it depends on how your engine is setup. Personally Id run stock LS2 at 85*C to keep timing nice. Stock ECU will pull timing when intake temps come up, so keeping under hood temps down helps.
All/most tuners in the US recommend 160* thermo (lingenfelter etc) which will help with optimial timing and colder air charge etc.
Which also means you can run higher compression.
So it depends on how your engine is setup. Personally Id run stock LS2 at 85*C to keep timing nice. Stock ECU will pull timing when intake temps come up, so keeping under hood temps down helps.
Ive run mine at 80deg for a while. TBH I wouldnt reccomend it.
Oil doesnt get up to temp, I get condensation in the crankcase, and my heater is crap !! ( although i think thats also a heater matrix related problem )
Id try and keep it around 88-90deg if possible for a road car. I have raced mine when its been at 100degC or slightly more....but in my head ( actual head, not cylinder head ), thats a scary thing to do, even if these engines seem to handle it.
Oil doesnt get up to temp, I get condensation in the crankcase, and my heater is crap !! ( although i think thats also a heater matrix related problem )
Id try and keep it around 88-90deg if possible for a road car. I have raced mine when its been at 100degC or slightly more....but in my head ( actual head, not cylinder head ), thats a scary thing to do, even if these engines seem to handle it.
90 sounds about the figure that I was hoping-for.
Re getting oil up to temperature,
I am intending on using a http://www.thinkauto.com/acatalog/On_line_shop_Lam... on the basis that the water system should warm engine oil quicker from start up and help maintain consistent temperature of both. On smaller engined cars this system seems to work well (apart from putting more strain on water cooling as it being used additional to cool the oil).
Re getting oil up to temperature,
I am intending on using a http://www.thinkauto.com/acatalog/On_line_shop_Lam... on the basis that the water system should warm engine oil quicker from start up and help maintain consistent temperature of both. On smaller engined cars this system seems to work well (apart from putting more strain on water cooling as it being used additional to cool the oil).
All that needs to happen is to change the fan on/off temp in the LS1 and change the fan ramp speed in the LS2+ stuff.
My heater worked fine at 80*C in the Clubsport. Afterall try having a shower at 80*C! Its plenty hot.
As to whether it heats the oil enough, Im not sure. But it wont change the rate the engine heats up initially as it will be closed the same as the normal thermo, which I think is a 190*C one.
Without changing thermostats you can just change fan on/off temps and take it down to 90*C
efilive or similar will do that for you.
BTW mine held 80 on the dyno as well as middle of summer stuck on the M1 at Luton so the radiator is pretty good.
My heater worked fine at 80*C in the Clubsport. Afterall try having a shower at 80*C! Its plenty hot.
As to whether it heats the oil enough, Im not sure. But it wont change the rate the engine heats up initially as it will be closed the same as the normal thermo, which I think is a 190*C one.
Without changing thermostats you can just change fan on/off temps and take it down to 90*C
efilive or similar will do that for you.
BTW mine held 80 on the dyno as well as middle of summer stuck on the M1 at Luton so the radiator is pretty good.
Changing the fan speed is easy and effective but the thermostat will give a better all round solution.
Putting the fan on cools the coolant which makes the thermostat close which makes the fan run more etc but it will work ok.
Changing the thermostat just means that for a given coolan temp the thermostat is open more - this makes the coolant more of an even temperature reducing the potential thermal shock and reduces wear and tear on the fan.
As long as the radiator and airflow is sufficient then there should be no problem dropping the thermostat down. You wouldn't really want to go below 80 degrees as there's no additional benfit and you'll start to get oil issues. My old car was switched from 96 to 80 for performance reasons as you get more power but you do get an increase in emmissions.
An oil/water cooler is something that can benfit pretty much any engine - I did think the LS2 was fitted with one as standard but would need to double check.
Putting the fan on cools the coolant which makes the thermostat close which makes the fan run more etc but it will work ok.
Changing the thermostat just means that for a given coolan temp the thermostat is open more - this makes the coolant more of an even temperature reducing the potential thermal shock and reduces wear and tear on the fan.
As long as the radiator and airflow is sufficient then there should be no problem dropping the thermostat down. You wouldn't really want to go below 80 degrees as there's no additional benfit and you'll start to get oil issues. My old car was switched from 96 to 80 for performance reasons as you get more power but you do get an increase in emmissions.
An oil/water cooler is something that can benfit pretty much any engine - I did think the LS2 was fitted with one as standard but would need to double check.
I have a replacement themostat from 86c to 71c/160f
Radiator (is my achilles heel) will be considerably smaller than a Monaro. 43cm by 52cm
Do not want a heater (unless I find once car is on the road I find the cooling in inadequate, in which case I will have to mount an addition smaller radiator somewhere on the car).
Radiator (is my achilles heel) will be considerably smaller than a Monaro. 43cm by 52cm
Do not want a heater (unless I find once car is on the road I find the cooling in inadequate, in which case I will have to mount an addition smaller radiator somewhere on the car).
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