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Race Car Losing Power

BuschLightBandit

BuschLightBandit

New member
Hey everyone. I help out a guy who races a '98 non supercharged car. The car starts out the night really strong but, we seem to be losing power as races go on. Also this past weekend the car got pretty hot and it sounded like "walnuts in a tin can" (Race Car Driver's Words). After the race the car cooled to about 200* and it was just fine. I am wondering if this is common for this engine to do this. If not, is there anyway to fix this problem or trick the computer somehow so we don't lose power. Also is it common for this engine to heat up so quick?
 


Just from the sounds of it your engine is overheating and going into limp mode until it cools off. So the only way to change that is to keep the car cooler... You dont want to "trick" the car into thinking its running cooler than it is... If you try that the engine will run way to hot and go boom.
 
I think our stock t-stat's are 195*, so it sounds like you're running pretty hot. Check your coolant?
 
There are tons of things that happen in the fueling calculations past 220 degrees... I would not be pushing a supercharged car when it is that warm myself, but you can disable/push out alot of those temperature related safety items.
 
Oh, thanks for that, I saw "supercharged" and just connected the dots...

Either way, I suppose if you want to run it that hot... Toss 6 quarts of oil in, and either trick the temp sensor into reading lower, or have your PCM programmed to take out most of the safety functions.
 


any chance the a/c condenser is still up in front of the radiator? if so it may be all caked up with dirt. or maybe the radiator its self is caked up too. dirt track racing? you dont say. maybe get a lower t-stat in it and a better fan installed, and tune the fans to turn on sooner.( or just put a manual switch on the fans) im sure you are running the piss out of it, drive it like you stole it type thing lol
 
If your racing you should have a upgraded cooling system bigger radiator bigger fans lower temp t stat and get a big external trans cooler if your car temp is above 200 that also means the tranny seeing those temps too
 
We race on an asphalt track. We have made the mods for racing. Fan is on a swtich, bigger radiator, a c is out. I appreciate the feedback. It has been good stuff. We will try some of the stuff and I will give an update. If you think of something else, please share it!
 
BuschLightBandit said:
We race on an asphalt track. We have made the mods for racing. Fan is on a swtich, bigger radiator, a c is out. I appreciate the feedback. It has been good stuff. We will try some of the stuff and I will give an update. If you think of something else, please share it!
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Well, as far as tricking the sensor goes... I would suggest maybe you put the sensor on a toggle switch (dpst style switch), so that you will enable the temp sensor function until the motor gets up to the proper temp, then you throw the switch to a resistor (or voltage divider circut if its voltage driven) that locks the temp at 200 degrees or so.

That resistor OHM reading (or the voltage divider design) can be read at the sensor when it is at the temperature you want.
 


how big is the rad?

There are easy/cheap drop in's that are 1.25" in core depth.

Does it have ducting between the bumper and the rad?

Thats pretty crucial to cooling.
 
Yes you need a t stat witout one the coolant keeps flowing witout having enough time to get cooled down from the radiator I've built a couple of sbc for circle track racing and we always use a 160 t stat wit a small hole drilled in them
 


pushrod4life said:
Yes you need a t stat witout one the coolant keeps flowing witout having enough time to get cooled down from the radiator I've built a couple of sbc for circle track racing and we always use a 160 t stat wit a small hole drilled in them
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need is a strong word...
 
I was told we can't get a.bigger radiator. We could get an aluminium one, thats about it. I have no clue what a water meth block is. My guess is we don't have that. We run a stock car and use premium.
 
BuschLightBandit said:
I was told we can't get a.bigger radiator. We could get an aluminium one, thats about it. I have no clue what a water meth block is. My guess is we don't have that. We run a stock car and use premium.
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Something like a 98 montecarlo (i forget what actually uses that radiator) uses like at least double size radiator over stock grand prix... and its a drop in FACTORY replacement... would take a keen eye by a track offical to catch it if it would violate any rules.
 
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