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MP215 track experience - overheating?

Messages
40
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21
Location
Cincinnati
#1
I'm considering the MP215 package from Mountune/Ford, but I'm also planning to do a few track days in the car and I've read many threads about overheating. Most of the cars having issues appear to be tuned with aftermarket tunes (Cobb), but there are a few stock cars that have had issues as well. I found a few youtube videos of people doing track days with the MP215 (mostly in England), with no issues, but temps are probably not very high there.

Anyone have personal experience doing a track day with the MP215 tune? What were the ambient temps, what track, what mods other than the MP215, and how many laps could you do before you had overheating issues? Please reply or send me a PM.

Thanks.
 


Pete

Active member
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Location
San Diego
#2
I just did a track day yesterday with the MP215 tune. I also have a turbo transformer on the car so it took the boost from 22.5 psi to 27 psi. Before I tell you about my experience My grill is opened up with a modified bumper beam to allow full air flow, along with a skid plate which alters the air flow in the engine bay. I did 6 full 20 minutes sessions without over heating (each lap was around 1:34-1:35 in time). Granted the day was cool ranging from 50 degrees to 65 degrees throughout the time out on track. The highest temps I saw was 226 but I also swapped the coolant for water and two bottles of purple ice. It was nice to be able to go 100% for every single lap as there was no overheating from any of my systems with my set up. There were a few other Fiesta's and Focus's at the track with me and all the stock ones had some over heating issue after a few laps in.

From this I doubt it is the tunes but more of making the cooling system more effective that are causing these heat problems in our little cars.
 


Messages
65
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16
Location
Modesto
#3
The non-USDM Fiesta ST has a smaller crash bar and wider grill opening, allowing for greater air flow to the radiator.
 


Messages
186
Likes
34
Location
Boulder
#4
I just did a track day yesterday with the MP215 tune. I also have a turbo transformer on the car so it took the boost from 22.5 psi to 27 psi. Before I tell you about my experience My grill is opened up with a modified bumper beam to allow full air flow, along with a skid plate which alters the air flow in the engine bay. I did 6 full 20 minutes sessions without over heating (each lap was around 1:34-1:35 in time). Granted the day was cool ranging from 50 degrees to 65 degrees throughout the time out on track. The highest temps I saw was 226 but I also swapped the coolant for water and two bottles of purple ice. It was nice to be able to go 100% for every single lap as there was no overheating from any of my systems with my set up. There were a few other Fiesta's and Focus's at the track with me and all the stock ones had some over heating issue after a few laps in.

From this I doubt it is the tunes but more of making the cooling system more effective that are causing these heat problems in our little cars.
What did you do to modify your grill and beam?
 


Siestarider

Senior Member
Messages
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292
Location
Stuart
#6
In Florida we have lots of warm to hot days, and I have had several episodes of overheating cutting power while tracking.

I pulled the nose off my Fist and sealed all the air leaks around radiator with insulation and duct tape, put holes in crash bar sensor. I was surprised how many gaps and holes there were around radiator shroud that could let intake air bypass radiator.

With no other changes, my coolant temps on track dropped 10 degrees F in comparable ambient temp and humidity. Basically from 240 to 230. Still running antifreeze mix, but more water than antifreeze.

So before writing off cooling system as inadequate, make sure all the air that enters grille must pass through radiator. As Pete says, there are ways of improving getting hot air out of engine bay.

I was planning to carve up a crash beam to pass more air, now with air bypass routes closed I am focusing instead on getting hot air from behind radiator out of engine bay. Have some aero tests planned to see if WRC-style hood vents might be helpful. Also just added 2" to front air dam, will test that too, maybe accelerating air beneath car by going to a lower air dam will help evacuate heat from behind radiator.

Seems logical that more hp adds heat, but I am convinced that improved cooling air management is the best first compensation.
 


meFiSTo

Senior Member
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Location
Redmond
#7
I ran all day with the MP215 at a spring track day in Portland, OR. The ambient temps were very moderate (mid 60). Overall: overcast with broken sun; no rain to speak of. No real temp issues, with the peak water temps displayed on my AP around 219 or so. However, I'm wary of this car on a hot day. I've got the Mishimoto oil cooler waiting for install -- I'm planning on getting their radiator/modified shroud package as well. All that will happen at the same time. I'm running the MR230 setup now. Maybe one of the vented hoods. Not sure. The adjustments to reduce leaks and maybe increase grill flow sound smart.
 


CanadianGuy

4000 Post Club
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Location
Southern Ontario
#8
I ran all day with the MP215 at a spring track day in Portland, OR. The ambient temps were very moderate (mid 60). Overall: overcast with broken sun; no rain to speak of. No real temp issues, with the peak water temps displayed on my AP around 219 or so. However, I'm wary of this car on a hot day. I've got the Mishimoto oil cooler waiting for install -- I'm planning on getting their radiator/modified shroud package as well. All that will happen at the same time. I'm running the MR230 setup now. Maybe one of the vented hoods. Not sure. The adjustments to reduce leaks and maybe increase grill flow sound smart.
Sorry for an off topic question and maybe you could answer in a new thread but how is the mr230 compared to the mp215? Im only missing the down pipe but not sure i want the mr230 or a full cobb acessport tune.
 


Messages
107
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57
Location
Nurburgring
#9
I've taken my ST to Buttonwillow in stock form and it overheats badly. I only could do a single hot lap in the whole day, with temps ranging 70-85F. I had to coast and short shift everywhere to keep the car from overheating :(


http://racing.juliogorge.com/reliability/buttonwillow/2015/10/04/first-track-day.html

I installed the Mishimoto oil cooler last weekend and I'm going back to Buttonwillow on the 27th. I'll be logging both coolant and oil temps this time around too, we'll see how it goes.
 


koozy

3000 Post Club
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Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
#10
I've taken my ST to Buttonwillow in stock form and it overheats badly. I only could do a single hot lap in the whole day, with temps ranging 70-85F. I had to coast and short shift everywhere to keep the car from overheating :(

I installed the Mishimoto oil cooler last weekend and I'm going back to Buttonwillow on the 27th. I'll be logging both coolant and oil temps this time around too, we'll see how it goes.
Pretty similar to my findings. http://www.fiestastforum.com/forum/...ooler-R-amp-D!?p=119117&viewfull=1#post119117
 


OP
M
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Cincinnati
Thread Starter #11
Here's an update: I got the MP215 and Mountune intercooler installed last December, and I've done two track days since then. I did not attempt to log any temps, but I never got a coolant temp warning, and the car did not go into limp mode. 2015 model. Original coolant. Oil slightly overfilled, maybe 1/2 qt, because I'm paranoid about oil starvation, although I haven't heard about that with these cars.

First one was at NCM in Bowling Green, KY in May. It was about 55F, and I did five 30-minute sessions separated by at least 60 minutes. Group was not very crowded so many of the laps were full speed / no traffic.

Second one was at Putnam Park in Cloverdale, IN earlier this week. It was 90F, and we did five 20-minute sessions. Again, very low traffic, most of the time on track was at full speed. I was co-driving the car, so two pair of those sessions were back to back (20 minutes on track followed by ~3 or 4 minutes of idling while we switched places and lined up with the next group, followed by 20 minutes on track).
 


Messages
107
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57
Location
Nurburgring
#12
In a stock car, I can overheat the coolant in twisty backroads (2nd - 3rd gear) in 70F ambient nights. This makes car go into limp mode.

Pro tip: if you constantly overheat coolant, bad things will happen to your engine over time. Oil cooler and thicker radiator are must haves on this platform IMHO.
 


Messages
340
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183
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
#13
I was able to track all day at Willow Springs in ambient temp up to 83 or so without overheating. My highest coolant temp was 235. Keep in mind this is a high speed track with only one low speed turn. This was stock other then the MP215 kit on a 2016 model.
 


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80
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10
Location
Colorado Springs
#16
In a stock car, I've never once overheated during my times running at Thunderhill with temps around 90-95 degrees, the first time, and 100-102 degrees the second time in July. My most recent track day at High Plains Raceway in Colorado, the temps were in the 80's and no overheating the car whatsoever. The thing that goes first is my tires or me. The fatigue especially in the heat kills me before anything. And I've run the car extremely hard all those times. Even the times I was at Streets of Willow and Laguna Seca, the temps were cooler and I never ran into overheating.
 


PhoenixM3

Senior Member
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806
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510
Location
Colorado Springs
#17
In a stock car, I've never once overheated during my times running at Thunderhill with temps around 90-95 degrees, the first time, and 100-102 degrees the second time in July. My most recent track day at High Plains Raceway in Colorado, the temps were in the 80's and no overheating the car whatsoever. The thing that goes first is my tires or me. The fatigue especially in the heat kills me before anything. And I've run the car extremely hard all those times. Even the times I was at Streets of Willow and Laguna Seca, the temps were cooler and I never ran into overheating.
I wonder if the much lower humidity factors into less overheating when tracking in higher ambient temperatures. We did 11 laps on the Nurburgring and got the high water temp warning only once. I attribute this to shutting the car off before it cooled down enough on the previous lap. I have DHM's race IC and crash bar and a Cobb OTS stage II tune. Am looking forward to moving to COS in the next year or so.
 


Messages
107
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57
Location
Nurburgring
#18
I was able to get down to 1:45.5 once traffic cleared up in my run group (purple). Which FRS were you in?
I've never run the Fiesta at WSIR but 1:45 is a pretty good time for your run group.

I was in a white FRS with a small black wing. Did 1:36.8 with some traffic >_<, still a few seconds off what my car can do but improving. A NA twin with a good driver can run low 35, high 34 in winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v95ka1v1Su8
 


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