Downside of Front Mount IC

Rich Thomson

Registered User
With the temps hitting 90+ degrees I have found the downside of installing a front mounted IC. My water temp rises to 230 degrees due to the radiator being blocked by the short AC condensor and the IC. Highway driving causes the temp to rise even with a 180 degree thermostat and fan settings set to come on before 200 degrees. Turning the AC on causes the temp to rise too abouve 50mph. I have a Griffin Aluminum rad too :(

Rich
 
Rich Thomson said:
With the temps hitting 90+ degrees I have found the downside of installing a front mounted IC. My water temp rises to 230 degrees due to the radiator being blocked by the short AC condensor and the IC. Highway driving causes the temp to rise even with a 180 degree thermostat and fan settings set to come on before 200 degrees. Turning the AC on causes the temp to rise too abouve 50mph. I have a Griffin Aluminum rad too :(

Rich
I saw the same thing with 2 other members here. We were all cruising to a wedding in 95° + temps; the 2 with the fmic's had to drive without their AC because their cars were overheating, while I was soaking up the AC and running cool because I didn't have a fmic. I was just about ready to jump into a fmic, but have currently reconsidered. I may still do a fmic in the future, but I've decided to spend my money elsewhere for now.
 
Rich,

I'm glad you posted that, because I was seriously considering going to the shorter thicker Aircon condensor to get more air into the radiator. I'm one of those guys that Kurt mentioned, and my car runs nice and cool in any weather, but if I turn on the AC you can see the temp gauge start climbing.

David
 
condensers with one in EACH front fender

Me too, http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64624&highlight=condenser and Porcshe does it http://www.griffiths.com/porsche/ac/ice/mrice6.html
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66008&page=2&pp=15&highlight=condenser

I am in the process of design/installing two (2) 12 x 12 parellel flow condensers with one in EACH front fender well with a 10" fan on each, then remove fog lamp, and maybe add duct.

If this is not enough I will be adding a custom 7" x 25" condenser behind the front air dam.

I have been talking to Bill Barrett of www.uacarts.com concerning this issue and has been very helpful. He also gave me local dealer info.
He said trucks have the same problem with condensers blocking airflow.
He said I could use a VW beetle condenser for the one behind the air dam.

I also wonder if backing off spark advance would reduce temp some/enough?


.
 
Last edited:
How about this approach

I do not have the FMIC but I do have the shorter condenscer and plan on installing it allong with a double IC ... Now since the condenscer is shorter (from left to right as you are looking at the car) could you relocate the condenscer itself ... moving it to the right allowing more air to get to the radiator that way ... you would need to extend the AC coolent lines but that should not be too difficult...

Just a thought I had while looking at this thread
 
Rich Thomson said:
With the temps hitting 90+ degrees I have found the downside of installing a front mounted IC. My water temp rises to 230 degrees due to the radiator being blocked by the short AC condensor and the IC. Highway driving causes the temp to rise even with a 180 degree thermostat and fan settings set to come on before 200 degrees. Turning the AC on causes the temp to rise too abouve 50mph. I have a Griffin Aluminum rad too :(

Rich
Yep. Exactly that. Is it possible to address this with a fan that will move more air? Is there one??

Ira
 
Do you guys have a pusher fan on your FMIC? I helped install the MP FMIC on a club members 95 sc up here in canada, he got the pusher fan on the front also and he cruises with the AC cranked all the time without any problems.
 
This is why I went with a bottom mount IC on my turbo cougar. On my SC I actually have the new Heat exchanger where my old IC used to be. That with the short aircon condenser gives plenty of airflow over the rad ..doesnt block my heat exchanger and looks good too.
 
darkstar_one said:
you know... maybe its the fan that cant pull enough air... ever thought of that?

When I am doing 90-100 mph there is way more wind/air pressure than a fan
could ever transfer to cool the additional heat the engine is making at 90-100mph where:
0.00256 * V**2 were V = 90 mph pressure = 20.7 pounds per square foot
0.00256 * V**2 were V = 100 mph pressure = 25.6 pounds per square foot
(try puting your hand out the window at 100mph & compare to electric fan) :eek:
(I have 2pushers & 1puller fan)
 
Thats why I'm going to go will a water/air laminova intercooler just as soon as Blue Tongue gives the thumbs up.
 
No problems here

I didnt go with a Griffin. But, I did go with a double core aluminum radiator that went from frame rail to frame rail. HI did have to change the hose on the top that comes out of the thermostat housing. But i have been driving mine around in 100 degree temps and it has never ran over 180 to 185 when getting in it. If I am just idling around it is around 170..........
 
I have similar issues too with the AC the car runs hot at 90degrees
I was thinking that the fact that my car is lowered is the reason why the engine bay was traping air. But I think its the tube that crosses the radiator that traps air.
What i was thinking is welding half of the condensors row shut closed. And only having half of the freon going tru it. Wether leaving the half middle section empty or the bottom or just the top of the condenser empty.
It can be done, I just have other problems before I get to that. Think about it. The intake and exit tanks on the condensor go in and out on the same side. And they are individual, so the other rows are not affected. If we can weld some of them closed it might work. Maybe Mike wants to get involved indoing something like this for us.
 
Last edited:
I dunno about you guys, but I had a stock rad, and my frount mount and in 95 deg temps i'd only see 195 deg temps..... Fan settings turn on at 188..... :confused:
 
fastsc92 said:
I dunno about you guys, but I had a stock rad, and my frount mount and in 95 deg temps i'd only see 195 deg temps..... Fan settings turn on at 188..... :confused:

You dont have the MP unit there is probably an air gap in between your intercooler and the condenser thats if you have one. With the MP unit all three units are right on top of each other. The heat from the Condenser will transfer to the intercooler and then the heat from the intercooler will make it to the radiator. there is no gap for at least a little bit of fresh air gettin in between.
 
Last edited:
I'm one of those guys that Kurt mentioned
I would be the other one :) Although I haven't really seen it get as hot as it has until this summer. It was OK last summer so I may have other problems too.
I have a pusher fan also.
 
Back
Top