Just installed ANOTHER Ron Davis Radiator. I did some initial testing during the coolant refilling and topping off of coolant after a heating cycle. Idling in the shade (96 deg F ambient) with AC Full ON. Got the same results in 100 deg F ambient.
What happened was very very interesting. My fans come ON at 205 deg F and off at 200 deg F with Marc Haibeck Chip. The coolant temperature idling rose to 205 deg F and the Fans came on. The coolant temperature immediately dropped to 198 deg F as the Fans came OFF. The idling Coolant temperature then rose again until the fans came on and back and forth. At the rate the coolant temperature dropped with fans on assures me that there is considerable reserve cooling capacity with the fans on.
Pay attention to Jim Voters on how to clean a radiator in Post #7 above.......I cleaned my stock radiator (I thought) but did not remove it. It was not completely clean so I would say as Jim has proven you have to remove the stock radiator if you want it cleaned. And as Racinfan83 did below.
It appears that if you remove the stock radiator and COMPLETELY clean it as Jim suggests and also clean the AC Condenser and Oil Cooler at the same time, you can run the ZR1 in HOT climates in stop and go driving.
Having said that, it sure is nice to have a Ron Davis Radiator which apparently has considerable reserve capability for cooling the ZR1 in HOT climates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Racinfan83
This was mine when Marc took it out to clean it...
Debris screen I made out of a $2.50 aluminum Gutter screen from Lowes...
My car would almost peg the gauge sitting at idle before I had Marc clean the radiator out and put his chip in that turns both fans on at 200 degrees. Now it hardly gets to 200. The only problem I still have related to that - is that the A/C blows hot at idle and really messes with idle speed when compressor kicks on. I had it switched to R-134 by a Chevy dealer - could they have missed something they needed to change as well?? |