Mark, coolant volume is analagous to capacitance - more volume, more heat I can store in the coolant.
So, with more volume, it takes longer to heat up and longer to cool down.

Centrifugal pumps are designed to create head and flow at the same time. I think head is pressure, at least at the bottom of the column. If you measure the pressure at the inside radius of the impeller and just as the fluid exits the blade, you'll measure the design head of the pump when it's turning at design speed. Will it cavitate? If the feed pressure is too low or the impeller speed is past design limits, sure it will cavitate. But, if you regulate the system in a manner that feeds the pump with positive pressure, the same head is made but shifted higher.
Can a system with a restrictor work "better"? If we are talking dragsters with Meziere's pump, a Honda radiator and 1" (or less) line to and from the radiator; doubtful. OTOH, the whole system internal resistance may mimic the diameter of a 5/8" hose so a restriction larger than that won't do much.

Anyway, after a lap, the fan goes on, the charger is hooked up, data downloaded, re-fueled and after 20 some minutes is ready to go. Initial laps at money races are an hour apart so cool-down is no issue.

Once the time between laps is down to 30 minutes or less, the engine is still cooled and the transmission stays hot. So, 135 degree tranny is consistent and a 175 degree trans fluid is 1 number faster. The Jones pump thing looks interesting but a guy could spec a similar system for way less than his asking price...

Also, with EFI, it's really easy to build heat with methanol and run lean going to and from the pits. Mark, you should lean that thing out a bit for going to staging and on the return road.

Rick, it's MFI, not EFI. I do lean it going to and from the pits, as well as an initial warm up before the action starts...still a learning curve for me though, not a lot of runs with it yet...but I'm slowly getting it figured out....

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
Rick, it's MFI, not EFI. I do lean it going to and from the pits, as well as an initial warm up before the action starts...still a learning curve for me though, not a lot of runs with it yet...but I'm slowly getting it figured out....

It was just a little poke at ya. I know you got MFI, just lettin' ya know you could get better methanol mileage with EFI.

Trans cooler line in my doorcar is just looped, no cooler and I never had an issue till last race when I hurt the converter. It started up pushing fluid out the breather and that was first time it ever did that. Motor runs cool and cools fast and I am on gas.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: green1,

quote:

Originally posted by Coloradoracer:
That being said, no more issues for me now! Alky fixed that. I did have to install a tstat to help get temp in it...did a 160*, but after this weekend I'm thinking a 180 will be better.....car seems to like the higher temp....

I use a 180* thermostat with 3 holes drilled .125 diameter in it. On alcohol my car runs faster at higher temperatures. After a pass in cold weather I will open fuel shutoff to lean it down some and build heat. I also have some moving blankets that I throw over the motor when it is cold.

Most of us run electric water pumps and I doubt any can move enough water too fast.

Here is my experience this past weekend:
Double entered (like always) my methanol,sbc dragster/4.80s 13 passes/10 gallons all day. I only turned on the fans twice and ran just the water pump the other times. I have made back to back runs as quick as 8 minutes apart per the time slip. I always drive directly back to the staging lanes after the last run, no pit stops.

quote:

Originally posted by team:
Here is my experience this past weekend:
Double entered (like always) my methanol,sbc dragster/4.80s 13 passes/10 gallons all day. I only turned on the fans twice and ran just the water pump the other times. I have made back to back runs as quick as 8 minutes apart per the time slip. I always drive directly back to the staging lanes after the last run, no pit stops.

That’s impressive. What’s your set up please. Pump, radiator & fan, carb or injection. I believe I’m about to have to spend a good bit of money. I would like to get all options and good know setups.

quote:

Originally posted by green1:
If the fan doesn’t have a shroud that covers the whole radiator that would be the first thing I would change. I was surprised how fast a smaller radiator with full shroud cools my motor compare to bigger radiator and fan with no shroud.

Plan is to fab/purchase a shroud or replace radiator with a newer style with a good shroud and Spal fan as an assembly. Shroud may possibly be my cure all for this issue. Thanks

Good radiator, water pump, fan, and shroud....

Can't fit a shroud on my car, but it sure cools down the engine faster since I started using a big air mover on the convertor.

Cooling my down to less than 120 is not a problem because we push up, shut down at the stripe and push back to the trailer, and usually bow out in the 2nd or 3rd round.

quote:

Originally posted by JPosey:

quote:

Originally posted by team:
Here is my experience this past weekend:
Double entered (like always) my methanol,sbc dragster/4.80s 13 passes/10 gallons all day. I only turned on the fans twice and ran just the water pump the other times. I have made back to back runs as quick as 8 minutes apart per the time slip. I always drive directly back to the staging lanes after the last run, no pit stops.

That’s impressive. What’s your set up please. Pump, radiator & fan, carb or injection. I believe I’m about to have to spend a good bit of money. I would like to get all options and good know setups.

Recovery system with an expansion tank, chinese water pump, front mounted radiator, one fan, carb

quote:

Originally posted by Mitch H:
...it sure cools down the engine faster since I started using a big air mover on the convertor.

Mitch, are you talking something like running a fan or leaf blower on it during cool-downs, or something actually mounted on the car, like one of those thin converter fans that mount between the flexplate & converter?

quote:

Originally posted by JPosey:

quote:

Originally posted by team:
Here is my experience this past weekend:
Double entered (like always) my methanol,sbc dragster/4.80s 13 passes/10 gallons all day. I only turned on the fans twice and ran just the water pump the other times. I have made back to back runs as quick as 8 minutes apart per the time slip. I always drive directly back to the staging lanes after the last run, no pit stops.

That’s impressive. What’s your set up please. Pump, radiator & fan, carb or injection. I believe I’m about to have to spend a good bit of money. I would like to get all options and good know setups.

My dial'n is, he pits strategically (ticket booth close by). 180 degree starting line temperature.

Jposey, is this the car

quote:

Originally posted by JPosey:
My dragster is a 1997 Racecraft 225 hardtail.

where is the radiator mounted, what is the cooling system filled with, do you have a thermostat or restrictor installed, what size are the hoses and what is the temp when you are staged?

Post some photos.

Yes, problem is on my 1997 Racecraft hardtail. Radiator is up front behind driver: 90% water 10% antifreeze, maybe less antifreeze; no restrictor or thermostat; stage at 160*; hose size NOW i feel like is the big issue, top 2 in radiator hose and bottom is size 10 or 12. My car is older with the older style Griffin Radiator and no fan shroud. It goes 5.0s 8th mile with my Huntsville built 505 BBC with Pro Systems gas carb, no issues with either. I do not get to race as much as most, family life stuff, but this issue has not popped up overnight. I'm trying learn to post pictures in test section.

My advice is don't spend any money before....

1. flushing the system out and refilling with straight water.
2. make sure all the air is out of the cooling system.
3. stage at 140-150. That means you are rolling into the water at 130 and the fan is running.

What size carb and what is the jetting?

I can and will do all three. HP1050 that PS says is 1100 92 front and rear.

So I have a door car , car is fast at 70-75 deg heads up but runs shoe polish 120 deg. and never gets over 150 driving back on hot days. How I got there- 2 row high fin count ( does not need a 4 row , I’m already at 3630#) first ran with pressure system no thermostat - got hot quickly. You could see the water hauling a z z... water- no antifreeze allowed.. NASCAR buddy long ago told me to install a 5/8 reducer in the lower hose before the pump. Bam! Ran cooler immediately.
CSI pump, 2800 cfm fan inside std 6cyl camaro shroud sealed. I hear your theory but I invented my own to fit my results..

quote:

Originally posted by JPosey:
I can and will do all three. HP1050 that PS says is 1100 92 front and rear.

ok

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:

quote:

Originally posted by Mitch H:
...it sure cools down the engine faster since I started using a big air mover on the convertor.

Mitch, are you talking something like running a fan or leaf blower on it during cool-downs, or something actually mounted on the car, like one of those thin converter fans that mount between the flexplate & converter?

I use a Rigid Air Mover. They are right at $200 at Home Depot. It is a 110 powered blower on wheels. I had a good friend of mine bend me up a ductwork extention so I can slide it under from the side if we are working on the front end. If we are not doing anything up front I just put the mover behind the front tire and let it go. It moves a LOT of air.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RI...els-AM2560/202942745

quote:

Originally posted by team:
Here is my experience this past weekend:
Double entered (like always) my methanol,sbc dragster/4.80s 13 passes/10 gallons all day. I only turned on the fans twice and ran just the water pump the other times. I have made back to back runs as quick as 8 minutes apart per the time slip. I always drive directly back to the staging lanes after the last run, no pit stops.

I often double also, and have done 4 laps in 1 hour time on 3 different occasions all at different tracks. they were right at 15 minutes apart, but i stop back at trailer to fuel up. 4.50s bbc dragster. i turn fans on coming up the return down, and briefly as long as it takes me to fuel it. stage 170* and never see 200* unless its africa hot out. Prints the tickets for me, when we gonna start dialing to the thou??