It’s that time of the year. The heat of summer and the challenge of cooling your race car when temperatures are in the ’90s.
Although we’ve talked about cooling in this column before, I don’t think we can stress enough the importance of maintaining your cooling system. It is an area that many overlook.
For this column, we’re going to assume that your race car has the proper radiator for the horsepower and car you’re racing, and that all other components are correct for the application. Let’s look at the components and what needs to be done to make sure they’re up to the task of cooling your car.
• Radiator Maintenance — The radiator is the primary component in cooling. It’s the heat exchanger that rejects the heat created by the engine. The most important thing to do is keep it clean, inside and out. The inside of the radiator is often overlooked, but very critical in keeping the radiator efficient. Typical tap water is full of minerals like lime, iron and calcium. When water is heated and cooled, the minerals separate and stick to aluminum surfaces, not only inside the radiator tubes but also the block and cylinder heads.
When these deposits coat the metal surfaces, it hurts the efficiency of heat transfer. Block rust will also reduce efficiency. It’s a good idea to use an anti-corrosive additive to help keep the deposits to a minimum. Products like NEO Keep Cool or Red Line Water Wetter have very good anti-corrosive agents in them. If possible, use distilled water.
The cooling fins are also very important to keep clean. The integrity of the fins is critical. Engineers are always working on cooling-fin design. Inside the fins are thousands of tiny louvers that direct the air and carry the heat away. If the fins are filled with dirt or rubber, it reduces efficiency. When cleaning the radiator, be very careful not to damage the fins. On aluminum cores, the fin is very delicate.
• Water Pumps — There isn’t too much that can go wrong with a water pump. The pump seal is about the only vulnerable part. Keep up on the pulley and belt in the case of belt-driven applications.
• Fans — Electric fans are the predominate choice on race cars today. Make sure they are performing to the manufacturers specification in regards to CFM. Typically, the fan will not work when it fails. The best way to check out the performance is with an Ohm meter. Every fan will have an amp draw rating for start up and continuous run. These numbers are part of the spec of the fan. If the amp draw is substantially higher than the spec, chances are it’s not performing properly.
• Duct work — It takes air to cool. Duct work into the radiator is critical. As the season goes on and a little beating and banging takes place, the integrity of the duct work needs to be maintained. Proper duct work ensures that all the air goes through the radiator core. Make sure the radiator is sealed to the duct work.
All of these things will help keep your race car cool during the hot days of summer racing. Keep it clean and maintained so you can be there at the finish.