Engine Heat with AC On Options

[HardHead93]

It got a little warm today in southern New Mexico so today was the first day I drove the 3sgte swapped Celica in stop and go traffic with the AC on. Normally without the AC on, the engine temps bounce between 189 and 199 degrees F. When I turned the AC on it climbed to 209 degrees in the course of 5 minutes before I turned the AC off. Once I turned the AC off the temp quickly dropped back into the normal range in about another 2-3 minutes. I am reading the temps off an aftermarket water temp gauge with the sensor on the upper radiator hose. Below is a picture of the type of gauge I am using. It is a Glowshift MaxTow water temp gauge.


When that gauge reads 215 degrees the stock dummy temp gauge in the car starts moving towards the H. I am running an Ebay 2-row radiator with aftermarket fans and I have a FMIC. Should I keep the aftermarket fans or go back to a stock radiator with stock fans? Also, the Ebay radiator is pretty dirty from constantly taking it in and out of the car during the build process, could that be the culprit? Is there something else I should check on that may be causing the engine temps to climb with he AC on? Below is a picture of the 2 different radiators.


Is there really an advantage to running a 2 row radiator with a 3sgte?

This post has been edited by HardHead93: Mar 17, 2017 - 7:33 PM

[Bitter]

I think you need to keep the crash bar, it's super important should there be an impact.

I would ditch the fog lights and move the oil cooler to one side in the fog light opening, should get enough airflow and small fan on a thermostatic switch could be attached if needed.
Then the next step would be to get the stock fans mounted to the 2 core radiator and open the area above the crash bar in the bumper so airflow can bypass the FMIC to the radiator.




You could also look into water spray systems to mist water through the FMIC or onto the radiator to add cooling on a demand basis, like maybe trigger it off the radiator fans so when they turn on you get a mist of water sprayed over the radiator for additional cooling. Evaporating water off the IC and radiator can dump a bunch of extra heat, but it would need to be a pulsed spray, like 1 second on, several seconds off. They make systems for that, but it's been years since I read about them.

This post has been edited by Bitter: Mar 19, 2017 - 12:57 PM

[HardHead93]

I think you need to keep the crash bar, it's super important should there be an impact.

I would ditch the fog lights and move the oil cooler to one side in the fog light opening, should get enough airflow and small fan on a thermostatic switch could be attached if needed.

Sorry, the picture with the bumper off is old. The oil cooler was removed when I went from a 5sfte to a 3sgte. I will look to widen that vent I cut in the bumper and potentially install another. I agree, the crash bar is very important, I will keep it. Ideally I would like to get this bumper.


It has extra vents in it and would solve my air flow issues. The problem is I am not too sure about the Duraflex brand's quality and I hear a lot of those bumpers tend to crack really easy.

This post has been edited by HardHead93: Mar 19, 2017 - 3:13 PM