@ksgrimsr - seems like a similar idea Knut!... Glad to know it works. I have also thought about putting a 12v pigtail on the water pump for the same reason, but will hold off to see if the thermo-syphon will work on its own.
Could you tell us the size of your heat pad? Is is 250 watts or larger?
@rjbender I use a 250W heat pad on the swirl pot. But if I had it to do over again I think I'd use a bigger one to heat up more quickly & thoroughly.
@rjbender Love it! I'm stealing your idea!
Similar to that, I use the AiM LEDs on the dash (I have an MXS 1.2). Solid Red is too low, slow flashing is too high, and fast flashing is way too high.
I assign one LED per temp (coolant, oil, and gearbox) and one for pressure (oil). During normal track use, all the LEDs should be off. But if one comes on, I can tell right away if the temps or pressure is too low or too high. Usually, on my first lap or two, an LED remains solid on, and so I can drive more slowly (than usual, lol) until it goes out and I can go flat-out.
Interesting to see this John.
We have installed water thermostats in a few cars now with no ill effects and makes water temp control so much easier.
We have also used the Mocal oil thermostat but only in 7 style cars and they have also been great so far.
A far few of the guys over here now use the aim lights with a blue for cold, green for within range, red for slightly over and flashing red for a problem. It means a quick glance at the lights can tell you everything is good without looking at figures.
@rlm-dan That is interesting for sure. How do you deal with oil temps with hot coolant in the engine and cooler coolant in the radiators? I thought that would be adding another variable to an already tricky situation, especially since at full go, you need all the coolant and all the oil warmed up anyway. Or maybe that's a bad assumption?
I really like the idea of blue for too cold. I like no LEDs when all is well so that any color catches my eye, but all green is cool too. How do you guys typically allocate the LEDs? Is there a standard you use?
Hi John we run the OEM bleed from under the cylinder head into the lower water pipe so there is always a small amount of water circulating and bringing everything slowly up to temp. We do see a fluctuation in the data of cars running them but it is normally 5-8 degrees C and not enough to cause us any concerns or any problems that we have seen to date.
Takes all the worry of taping up the water rad out of it, especially in the UK where temps are normally cooler and we do not need maximum cooling.
Its more personal preference on the LEDs, although we normally use below 60 degrees C for cold water and 50 Oil. Above 95 water hot and 110 oil.
Sorry that's in degrees but that's all we use!
rlm-dan Thanks very much for that bit of trick. Very clever. I may ask you for a photo or two down the line next time mine's torn down for refreshes.
No worries about Celsius -- that's all I use, and I think I'm using the same values. Everything I do is metric if that's an option.
No worries John, just let me know if anymore info is needed!
Just wanted to make sure I was not causing any confusion with temps.
Hi,
I have just fitted a oil thermostat to my SR3 RSX to better control the running temps of the oil system. Masking off coolers and best guessing is a tad hit and miss for me.
I have been using this system for years on Porsche race cars. Quick and easy to install.
@slowcar - I was reviewing the specs on the oil thermostat you posted. It looks like it optimizes to keep oil temp between 160F and 180F. Is that correct? That is likely too cold for the Radical to be happy as you really want oil in the 210F range.
@slowcar -- what Garrett said. Oil temps should be above 100C (212 F). Otherwise the oil will entrain water, which leads to acid formation. I suppose if the oil is changed after every event, that might not be a concern, but most engine oil viscosity engineering choices are based on oil temps above 100C during normal running.
In the sprint and hill climbs ( 60 second runs) I use the car in the oil temperature has not got above 68c so no need to pump oil through an oil cooler. That is with air temperatures of 30c.
There are various thermostats available .In a range of temperatures .
I am yet to race with the thermostat fitted.
There are many thermostat options.
@slowcar that looks like a great option. Can anyone see a downside to plumbing one in? Flow rate issues?
@gwt561324 The key is to make sure the thermostat is installed on the scavenge side of the dry sump system and doesn't affect overall oil flow. I'd want to use 12AN or 16AN hose.
Maybe Dan from RLM Racing has some thoughts on this.
