Cosworth Duratec coolant Pressurizing issue Revisited

[John Vine]

Looking forward to hearing the results, Tom.

JV

[TomGaval]

Ran again today and the ambient temperature was a bit hotter. 96F or 35.6C   Coolant temp stayed right aroung 198F hitting 200F briefly.  OIl temp stayed between 200-210F. 

I'll keep a record of the gauge temps as the summer and fall temps vary, that way I'll have a good comparison when I switch over to the 50/50 mix for the winter.

Tom

[TomGaval]

I have now run 15 or so trackdays since the last report.   Coolant temps on track on even 100F days were no more than 200 F max  and usually 185-195F while running hard for 25 minute sessions .  Oil temp when running hard maxed out at 220F.   On the cool down lap temps would droup to 180F coolant, 200F or less for the oil.    I've been running the Water and water wetter mixture during this time with no pressurization or coolant loss.

Now that my efforts of burning copious amounts of 105 octane race fuel has failed to continue the global warming trend and Fall has finally made it's scheduled appearance right on time, I've drained out the water/water wetter mixture and replaced it with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze.

I have about 6 or so track days left between now and mid November so I will report back after the next track day as to the results of this experiment. 

Current daytime temps now are in the low 60's to low 70's F.    May get into the 50's in November,  So a big change from our highs in the high 90's during this summer. Not an exact apples to apples comparison, but we will see if the coolant change makes any difference.  

Tom

[John Vine]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the latest feedback. Another piece of evidence supporting the merits of a high-SH coolant.  I'll be very interested to see the figures for the 50/50 mix.

JV

[L7 FST]

Hello Tom

Fascinating - thank you!

I also have a 2.3 Duratec, and though I reckon myself to be a bit of a track day addict, I'm completely in awe of you completing '15 or so' trackdays in the last 3 months, with 6 or so more due before mid November!

Which tracks? With other Caterhams? What format and cost? Do you have a day job, or is this it?

Respect!    Would love to know more about the US trackdays scene...

Stephen  

[TomGaval]

Hi Stephen,    There are a group of us with Caterhams that are members of the New Jersey Motorsports Driver Club that run on the two tracks at New Jersey Motorsport Park.  Driver club membership is sort of like a country club membership, we have dues and get preferential treatment at the 40 or so member trackdays reserved for the drivers club.  I've made about 25 days on average over the last several years.

The last couple of years the track has allowed us to host a 7's only run group and we have reached 20 se7ens on track together this year.  See the recent article in the last LowFlying.  There are about 7 Caterham owning members, of the club, and we run with the advanced group, with mostly GT3's, Corvettes, Mustangs, Ferraris, miatas, and the occasional Nascar type race car.  25 minute sessions, usually 5 sessions a day.  Nice full breakfast and sitdown lunch included.  Usually 20 to 70 cars total split between all run groups, Novice, Open wheel, Intermediate and Advanced.  Weekend events are the heavily attended ones.  Next event is Monday, and I think 25 members are signed up for it so far.  Cost for the members day is $165.  Plus, gas and tires of course. 

Croc another L7Club member is currently hooning around with ECR and ECK (slipperman) this week somewhere east of you guys in Hungry, or Slovakia or maybe both.   Croc has a full time job. 

I don't.   

If you are ever in the Philadelphia or NYC area,  let us know,  Croc or I would be happy to have you join us at the track. 

Tom

 

[L7 FST]

Thanks Tom - that sounds a great scene there... I'm very envious!  I think my record number of track days in a single year is ten..

 I have a daughter currently at NYU so I may find an excuse to come to the East Coast before too long, in which case I'd love to meet.   Meanwhile in couple of weeks I'm making a quick trip to Los Angeles, where my wife is on a 3 month assignment, and whilst there I'm hoping to make contact with at least one of the famed California Sevens..

The American track days I read about seem very glamorous, with lots of exotic machinery involved.  Over here most of them (and of course I don't mean the Club ones, which are excellent) have a high proportion of boy racers in hot, or not very hot, hatchbacks.  This can be a bit dispiriting.

Next weekend I'm at Donington, which is a great cricuit, and I think I'll have the company of at least three other Caterhams. That will probably be my last of the year.

thanks again and good luck with the cooling issues!

Stephen 

[Croc]

Croc another L7Club member is currently hooning around with ECR and ECK (slipperman) this week somewhere east of you guys in Hungry, or Slovakia or maybe both.   Croc has a full time job. 

I don't.   [Whistle]  

If you are ever in the Philadelphia or NYC area,  let us know,  Croc or I would be happy to have you join us at the track.  

Somebody called?  

The BAT trip to Eastern Europe was sensational.  It was wonderful to meet the L7C members on the trip and enjoy some great track time.  

 

Hi Stephen

As Tom said we would love to have you join us at our local track if you can make the schedule work. Its not the wall street crowd - just regular normal people who work hard for a living (except Tom...  ) and enjoy quality track time.   Even if not, I am based in the NYC area, within sight of NYU, so dinner is always a possibility if you are in town visiting your daughter.  

Cheers

mike

 

 

 

[TomGaval]

Just got home from today's (Monday) track day after switching over to a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze.   It was a spectacular fall day with no clouds in the sky and air temperatures ranging from 72F at 10:30 AM for the first session, to 82F for the mid to late afternoon ones.  

Morning sessions, the water temps started out at around 180F for the first few laps while I kept the revs lower waiting for the oil temps to come up.  After running hard for the rest of the 25 minute session water temp hit a high of 195F and Oil was up to 220F.  

Afternoon sessions with the ambient air temps at 82F, the water max was 198F and Oil got to ,225F

So just a little higher than with just the water and water wetter, but with 12 to 15 degrees F lower air temp than the summer max air temps.  I'll leave the 50/50 mix in for the rest of the fall dates and for the early spring dates next season.  I may leave it in all next season just to see if there is any difference once the summer temps arrive, to continue the experiment.    Thanks again for all the help guys.  Blatchat still has tremendous knowledge base to help with issues.  

Tom

 

[Jonathan Kay]

Blatchat still has tremendous knowledge base to help with issues.

Agreed. But it works a lot better when someone takes your approach of making as few changes at a time as possible, and observing and recording the effects.

Jonathan 

[John Vine]

Thanks, Tom. Looking forward to the next instalment...

JV