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Scirocco radiator installation after-action report

EfiniX

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
647
Location
portland, or
I worked with Evan (EHMotorsports) to get a new radiator into my car after the stock radiator decided that sealing at the lower plastic end-tank was just not part of the program any longer. I went with a scirocco radiator because they have a proven record with the 4g63, and they also provide much more clearance between the radiator and the turbo bits. In fact, my stock radiator had a few dents in it from the waste gate actuator from clearance issues in the past when the turbo (T3-T04) needed to get pulled out for some exhaust work.

We initially started with a single puller fan in the stock location, and Evan knocked me up a full shroud. Coolant temps proved too high on warm days, so we added more flaps to the shroud and an additional pusher fan on the other side of the radiator from the puller fan. This still had some challenges on hot days in traffic, although cruising temps were much better. Ultimately we kept the housing he built, but pulled the shroud off the back, allowing for unobstructed flow from front to rear. This did the trick, with the motor running cooler and under-hood temps lowering as well.

click

This video shows me poking around with an IR thermometer immediately after shutting down the car on a warm day after rush-hour traffic. I'm particularly pleased with the surface temps on my IC piping and TB elbow. I have other videos on my channel that show temp probes, and since my initial checks, the TB elbow temps have dropped around 30F!





 
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G

Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Messages
8,896
Location
zompton
That's great. I would never run a shroud with that setup. I have the same setup and it works perfectly on super hot days.
 

GSTwithPSI

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Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
Like I said in the last thread that was deleted, my car ran hot with a full shroud as well. That's why my first suggestion to you was to remove it and see if your temps dropped. Honestly, I just don't think the fascia on the VR-4 flows air very well when you start adding intercoolers and such. When I installed that euro grille, it cut airflow significantly, to the point where I saw increased engine temperatures. If the grille section is required to allow the car to cool well, that suggests to me that the bumper area is pretty worthless on its own. With enough work, I'm sure you could get a full shroud to function right, but it's way easier to just not use one. On an unrelated note, I do like that heat shield Evan fabbed up. I'm sure that helps keep things drastically cooler under the hood.

I'm really glad you got everything worked out. Ain't nobody trying to deal with overheating, that's for sure.
 

EfiniX

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 18, 2012
Messages
647
Location
portland, or
Evidently in order to get a shroud to work properly, there's a golden ratio of 2/3rds of the total radiator size being covered by fan. I wasn't there.
 

GSTwithPSI

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 1, 2012
Messages
3,460
Location
SoCal
Well the Mishimoto shroud has dual 12" fans. That works out to 113 square inches of area per fan. Multiply that per fan and your looking at 226 square inches of fan.

The Mishimoto shroud has an area of 432 inches squared. 2/3 of that is ~288, so I guess the Mishimoto shroud misses the 2/3 mark by a small margin. I think you can circumvent shear fan size by proper shrouding around the fans. Allowing the fan to pull from a larger cross-section of the radiador will increase efficiency.
 

WaRrIoRs16

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
373
Location
Ferndale, WA
I first installed that radiator with just a generic puller slim fan and no shrouding. It didn't keep the temps down at idle in 70* weather. I've since swapped to this fan setup click and now I don't exceed 183* at idle in 70* weather. I have to setup a coolant offset just to get into closed loop at idle. The fans move a sh*t ton of air, but they are loud lol.
 

G

Staff member
Joined
Feb 24, 2004
Messages
8,896
Location
zompton
Quoting vr4hotness:
So there is truly no bolt in radiator for our cars?



Yes there are many bolt in options.
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
As I sift through the carnage, that is my stock pile of C53a 4g61/t related radiators or lesser 4g15, I am reminded that I need one that will work AND be able to take an overheat and not puke it's guts after the rad cap whistle comes to a stop.

Galant VR4 rads are identical in every way, except that the top inlet is moved over a couple of inches and the overflow spot is aimed at the driver side of the rad support, versus the C53a being aimed at the overflow at the passenger side of the rad support.

With that said, what companies offer aluminum rads that have a proven track record in a GVR4 .... and come with a bung for the coolant temp switch!

I run the AC condenser with R12 (holding up so far), so I can't contemplate the Scirocco rad just yet ..... must fit in the factory location.
 
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