Scirocco Rad Question

[Chase]

Just installed an oem style on my car. What are you guys doing for the temp sensor that is not on the rad itself. Just installing an aftermarket one by taping it in or using the extra spot of the thermostat housing? For some reason it seems like it may be overheating now because im getting random engine lights that go away after driving for a bit. Im assuming the other sensor isnt reading correctly so Im trying to see where to go with the harness that went to the radiator before. Im surprised if it is overheating. I have a 160 thermostat in there with a 12" pusher and 10" puller on the rad itself.

 

[curtis]

Scirocco Rad Answer
I welded up an aluminum tube and installed the factory temp switch on the bottom hose also installed a -6AN so I can drain it there.

As for Fans I'm using a factory passat fan. Hard to even get up to operating temp with those. Did you flip the blades on the fans your using....If there the slim line auto zone ones that could be your problem.

 

[mitsuturbo]

I know Terry Posten used a factory replacement style scirocco radiator, and ditched it after a short time because he was encountering cooling problems. I know this because while building my setup, at one point i ordered a scirocco rad off ebay for like $40, with the hope of "copying" terry and being a cheap-ass. Once i saw how flimsy they are, how small they are, and that Terry had to dump his because of problems, i said f*** it, and bought an AFCO Scirocco-style radiator, knowing that nobody has had a single problem with cooling while running one of those units (as far as i'm aware). I honestly can't believe, in retrospect, that i was actually going to try and run that piece of sh*t with plastic end tanks.

I don't believe there's a coolant temp related CEL. Check the codes and see what the light is coming on for.

 

[Chase]

It will throw the check engine light if it's too hot. It was doing it before I replaced the t stat that was stuck closed.

 

[mitsuturbo]

I don't know what ECU you have, but the factory one does not do that. Maybe you can set up DSMlink so that the CEL comes on with coolant temp over/under X degrees, but that is not stock behaviour. That's why there is a factory temp gauge, and not a "dummy light".

 

[turbowop]

I think the CE light will actually come on if it gets really hot. I could swear I read that somewhere. But yeah, otherwise it would have to be setup via ECMlink to do that.

 

[Barnes]

Quoting mitsuturbo:
I know Terry Posten used a factory replacement style scirocco radiator, and ditched it after a short time because he was encountering cooling problems.



If I recall correctly he was over heating on the dyno. And I don't even remember it being that hot. I made a comment about that fact but he never responded. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[JNR]

re: temp sensor...not the best way to do it, but a lot of guys that added aftermarket radiators on the chevelles, for instance, would install a reducing tee off the lower radiator hose and put the temp sensor off the tee...most of them used 1/8" NPT, but not sure what the vr4 uses (maybe BSPT?), but they have all sorts of bushings/adapter, etc...Just be sure if it has a probe, to keep it as fully submerged as possible.

It works, but not ideal and when I had my AFCO radiator made, I made sure they put a bung for the sensor and that's easy enough to do, provided you get all the chips out (from drilling the hole) and have a good penetrating weld all around the bung, so it doesn't leak.

Problem with aluminum radiators is they are not as efficient as copper/brass, so you need to go larger surface area (more rows, fin density, etc.), so if you replace the oem with a smaller alum. radiator, you probably will experience less cooling. Not to say it would overheat, but if the goal is to get better cooling, you won't. Also, chinese radiators typically are not constructed well with regard to brazing, the design and so on, so like their other junk, you get what you pay for.

 

[Chase]

It was simply the fact that the sensor wasn't plugged in. It wasnt overheating but the computer thought it was. Once I simply plugged it in it was fine. So that'll work til I get it put in a spot.