I neglected to mention that I'm running a 7-row Setrab - I have a 12-row to install but haven't gotten to it yet. The OE water/oil exchanger is long, long gone.
The radiator is fairly new - maybe 2 years? I noticed a drop when I replaced it as well but this car has never run "cool". Timing is OE - the 16vs don't seem to like more than the 8 degrees that is recommended by the factory. Fuel may be an issue though - I'm still running the antique CIS-E that's mandated by SCCA's Improved Touring class. Something that's making me increasingly negative towards SCCA since it's forcing out a good number of older cars that aren't EFI or that can't be "tweaked" by a replacement computer. I'll contact my buddy with a dyno and do some testing - ugh, I hate "mysteries" ----- Original Message ---- > From: Chad Rebuck <[email protected]> > To: Volkswagen a2 16v discussion list <[email protected]> > Sent: Tue, August 10, 2010 10:59:25 AM > Subject: Re: [a2-16v-list] Overheating > > Hey Matthew > > My oil temps were probably getting that high at the track until I installed > an external oil cooler. I seem to remember the oil temp dropping to 220 at > the track after installing the oil cooler. When I first purchased the car I > replaced the radiator as preventative maintenance and it made a very > significant drop in temps. I didn't replace the thermostat at the time > because it was working just fine, so the temp difference was all due to the > stock radiator - nothing fancy or expensive. > > If your timing was too aggressive I think you'd notice pinging. When > running the stock engine management then all you can do is set the base > timing and the timing map is taken care of by the computer. If you are > running a chip that could be making the situation worse since timing will be > tuned more aggressively to gain very little in hp. However, I wouldn't > think your timing / fuel is a problem. > > > On Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 9:14 AM, Matthew Yip <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I've been fighting this issue for an eternity - with all new hardware and a > > gutted thermostat, my car runs HOT during a race - right at the hot-line on > > the > > OE gauge with oil temps around 250-260. My former crew and now fellow > > competitor doesn't have this problem and most everyone else with a VW > > (albeit 8v > > cars) doesn't have any issue. > > > > As noted, all the components are new and the t-stat is gutted so, in > > theory, I'm > > absolutely befuddled. The radiator is a 16v rad for an a/c car so, > > theoretically, it's the largest 16v radiator available. > > > > > > One comment from a buddy who races and tunes Hondas is that the timing is > > too > > aggressive and it's building too much heat. I wonder if it could be that > > the > > car is running too lean, creating too much heat. > > > > > > Any suggestions on a more efficient radiator? > > > > Ugh...Matthew > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > a2-16v-list mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://mail.a2-16v.com/mailman/listinfo/a2-16v-list > > For list archives, see listinfo link above. > > > _______________________________________________ > a2-16v-list mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.a2-16v.com/mailman/listinfo/a2-16v-list > For list archives, see listinfo link above. >
