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Overheating in AutoX, any options to stay in stock classing?

Messages
130
Likes
14
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA
#1
So I ran at the Houston AutoX event last weekend, and on 3/4 runs, my car overheated at the very last turn and throttled power through the end straight away. High was 93 and very sunny when I ran. I'm sure the black color didn't help the situation. I only had it overheat one other time, but this was the first time it overheated so early.

Anyone know of any modifications/options that would keep the car in the stock class?

Short of modifying the front grill vent to allow more air flow or moving to a cooler city, I can't think of any other options.
 


Messages
173
Likes
27
Location
SF East Bay
#2
What kind of water temps are you getting?

The overheating issues with these cars affect some, not all. My last open track day was up to 98 degrees ambient and I was hammering on the car for five 20 minute sessions. I could feel power dropping later in the session, and my AP3 showed a high of 246 degrees water temp. I was not monitoring the temps during the sessions, but after I pulled back into the pits, and observed the recorded high temps. There was another FIST there as well, bone stock, and he had no overheating issues either.

We were on track for 20 minute sessions. I am perplexed that there are issues in autocross events.
 


OP
C
Messages
130
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14
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA
Thread Starter #3
Wasn't data logging and I don't own an AP yet unfortunately. All I know it's that the temp gauge was maxed out, the car was beeping at me, and the power was limited. ????

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 


RAAMaudio

5000 Post Club
Messages
5,268
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925
Location
Carson City
#4
You might have air in the system which can have serious effects on heat build up so look into that.

Another option is run the minimum antifreeze percentage you can, add a bottle or two of water wetter, fill with distilled water, purge the air out of the system.

Pay attention to ensure the cooling fan is running when you pull in, if not sort that out, leave the engine running between runs with the fan on, or engine off with fan on, sometimes one or the other works best.

And, turn on the heater full blast during the runs and leave it on waiting in line if needed.

You can tolerate the heat better than it might seem, I have ran the heater full blast for four 20 minute track sessions on a prior car and on a 120 degree day in Death Valley for 45 minutes because we could not find a place to pull over, still cracked all the rings on that car, back in the early 80's.
 


OP
C
Messages
130
Likes
14
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA
Thread Starter #5
The air in the system sounds like the most likely issue... the repair of the holes on the engine from a while back required removing one of the hoses. I'll look into getting that sorted out.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 


Messages
446
Likes
164
Location
Arlington, VA
#7
Water Wetter may help a bit, but going to a higher ratio of water to coolant is your best bet. According to Redline, each 1% increase in glycol in the mix raises temps about 1 degree F. Now glycol also raises the boiling point and has corrosion prevention properties, so don't go overboard, but in Houston you could easily go down to 40% glycol or perhaps less without ill effects or risking freezing in winter.

Water Wetter tech sheet: http://www.redlineoil.com/content/files/tech/WaterWetter Tech Info.pdf
 


OP
C
Messages
130
Likes
14
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA
Thread Starter #8
Does upgrading to a race thermostat put you into a different AutoX class?
per the rules you can swap and stay in stock, but the car idles at an ok temperature no problem. Fan also works. It'll be hard to diagnose if the air removal works, but I'll do that first

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 


LilPartyBox

1000 Post Club
Premium Account
Messages
1,470
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755
Location
NYC
#9
If all else fails AND the thermostat swap doesn't work either it's time to reach out to Mishimoto for their pricey but effective replacement radiator. Or maybe convince the dealer to replace under warranty. Just don't mention the track ;)
 


Messages
384
Likes
135
Location
Calgary
#10
Radiator flush and fin cleaning, and ensure you use clean distilled water at a high ratio to the coolant

I'd personally advise against water wetter... I used it to remedy overheating in my Jeep years ago and had a really awful experience when it jelled on me

When I autocross in hot weather I also try to spray down the intercooler when I get back from a run and just before I head out. The drop in power is super noticeable when it gets heat soaked.

I guess you could try experimenting with a loose fan between runs... prop the hood with the fan and hook it up to the battery, then let it blow huge CFM's onto the engine to try and cool it down
 


Messages
249
Likes
119
Location
Chicago
#11
One of the things we do here in chicago is popping the hood and running the AC on high to get the radiator fans moving between runs. Spraying down the intercooler with a spray bottle is also a common thing. My temps stayed pretty steady in my last two events (Temps were 95 - 98 degrees depending on whether a cloud drifted in front of the son for a short time) between runs and were dead center on the coolant monitor in the gauge cluster. No idea what oil temps look like since I don't have the AP anymore; but car seems to be fine.

This issue sounds isolated and maybe related to air in the system.
 


Messages
105
Likes
15
Location
Dearborn
#12
At the Great Lakes Divisional autocross in Oscoda this weekend, there were a couple of kids co-driving a Fiesta that had overheating issues.

They left the car running the entire heat which was about 1.5 hrs. in total. They were not shutting it down after their runs. They also said they were running the AC to try and get the fans to cycle. When I mentioned that they should run the heat on high they sorta gave me a puzzled look. Sorta felt bad for them but they said they were engineers so I didn't feel that bad...hahaha.

Are people not shutting off their cars between runs?

My wife and I were co-driving one of our FiST's and we didn't have any issues at all except being slower than the 2 faster drivers than us.
 


M-Sport fan

9000 Post Club
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Location
Princeton, N.J.
#13
No one makes a fan switch over ride for these cars, like the ones SLP made for the LSx f bodies??

Is the ONLY way to have the fans come on sooner than the factory settings, with a set tune, which cannot be changed except by said tuner??
 


OP
C
Messages
130
Likes
14
Location
Milpitas, CA, USA
Thread Starter #14
I ran the car until the temp indicator dropped back to "normal" then turned it off the rest of the time. That way the coolants circulating while the car is overheating. Anytime I was waiting in grid, I had the hood open.

I did run the a/c in the beginning while in grid cuz it was too hot, but never turned it on once overheating issues started.

I think it was, in part, a perfect storm of factors against the car cooling. Very sunny day, black car, relatively short heats (they opted for 4 smaller heats instead of 3 large heats to keep people out of the sun). Also was running on the lower end of coolant because I had to do the threaded insert replacement for the engine mount. Didn't top off the radiator with distilled afterwards since it was still within the lines...

Not to mention I think from a design standpoint, the front grill could've been done better as half of it's blocked for one season or another.

Seems like some form of overheating isn't too out of the ordinary

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 


serturbo

New Member
Messages
2
Likes
0
Location
Koloa
#15
OP, you can easily wire a fan override. Some wire, a switch and a relay are all you need. You'll need one relay per fan, but both can be wired to turn on with one switch. Since you'll be using relays, a tiny microswitch can be used if you're worried about ruining your interior with a huge switch.
 


serturbo

New Member
Messages
2
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0
Location
Koloa
#16
I'd personally advise against water wetter... I used it to remedy overheating in my Jeep years ago and had a really awful experience when it jelled on me
How much coolant did you have in the system? They have a maximum percentage that they recommend. I've always gone with straight water when using Water Wetter.
 


M-Sport fan

9000 Post Club
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6,697
Location
Princeton, N.J.
#17
How much coolant did you have in the system? They have a maximum percentage that they recommend. I've always gone with straight water when using Water Wetter.
I has been known to jell like that with ANY amount of Dex Cool in a system (but there are other products like the WW that do not-Lube Gard Cool It, Motul's MoCool, RP's Purple Ice, etc.), but, we don't use that coolant, so at the very low concentrations of the Ford stuff Red Line recommends, it should be no problem.

Do the DHM front tubular crash bars help with cooling due to the greatly reduced surface area of their tubes vs. the factory wide steel crash beam which blocks off much more of the radiator??

@RAAM, others who use these on road course use FiSTs, especially those with factory radiators, and without the upgraded 2J, or Mishimoto radiators.
 


Messages
269
Likes
48
Location
Grass Lake
#18
Mine went into limp mode at way less than 93 f ambient last Sunday. You should make sure that the cooling fans are functional in both max a/c and normal intermittent on off at idle modes. The temp gauge doesn't indicate accurately, it's heavily buffered. Four bars is "normal" five bars is damn near burning down. Everyone should be marking the cold and hot levels on the expansion tank and really pay attention to them! Many Fiesta ST are experiencing an over heating issue, either because cooling fans simply don't function or the relay is wrong or defective or the radiator has some flow or capacity issues. I think these cars will need intensive cooling system maintenance at regular and frequent intervals.
 


Messages
308
Likes
68
Location
Ottawa
#19
On top of what everyone is saying.

Spray down your radiator and inter cooler with ice water before a run. It should be completely soaked, do this two cars before your turn and it shouldn't dry up at all. You could also keep your hood open until your run (always see this at drag racing)
I would also take a dremel with a bit and open up your front grill (you can order another one for cheap). Make sure to get some sand paper and sand down the edges after.

Take off the hood cover, and engine cover also. Both of these are use in part to keep heat in.

My car is stock cooling, and I haven't overheated yet (even on 35c days).
 


Messages
269
Likes
48
Location
Grass Lake
#20
That all sounds great. But, I had to be helmet on and buckled in on the false grid. Then waved off to set in a line of three to five cars in the staging area. Hood down and at idle prior to a run.
 


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