Question About Sr20det Temp Rising...

[bradyd15]

Hey Guys...Yet another fun day with the SR20DET.

This is not a huge issue, but one i would like to fix. Any insight would be appreciated.

So, i drive to work about 40 miles one way in the morning, no temp issues whatsoever on my cluster. Its probably 60-70 degrees in the morning in Nashville. But on the way home around 4:30 its very weird.

Like i stated above, i leave work going home at 4:30, {its roughly 40miles}, but everyday it never fails once i reach about that 30mile mark on the way home, my temp gauge slowly starts to rise. From the halfway mark on the gauge, it will get halfway to hot at this point everyday. This is all interstate driving as well, averaging 70 miles an hour. City temps of late have been between 90-100 degrees. Any ideas?

What i have cooling wise: Dual fans w/shroud, aftermarket radiator/radiator cap.

What i have done recently: Bought a Nismo Thermostat and installed, ordered a new coolant temp sensor{not installed yet}, flushed radiator.

Again, this issue was there before i replaced anything. I have to note too that the previous owner, i believe, worked at a radiator shop and made this radiator. It looks fine and doesnt leak. Its a average size, aftermarket style radiator. In saying that, if the radiator is fine , what could the issue be?

This only seems to be an issue on hot days. Thanks Guys.

[smelly240]

jack up the car high as heck in front - remove cap and connect a superfunnel. Then start and get the car hot - shut it of and restart it a half a dozen times - make sure the heat is on blast.

My guess is a air pocket. If you've done this already - perhaps you have the fans wired backwards and they're blowing out hte front of the car.

We see this a LOT... For some reason tons of cars the blue and black wires are flipped from stock (toyotas and new hondas especially).

EDIT** If your car doesnt overheat sitting still - check the fans are pulling air into the engine bay FIRST.

[bradyd15]

Hi Smelly. Thanks for the input...

The fans are blowing toward the motor for sure. There is no issue whatsoever idleing, but it does get up to operating temp very fast. I start it in the morning to warm up to operating temp, but it doesnt take long.

Air bubbles... could be. But wouldnt that affect it in the morning drive to work as well, even if its cooler in the morning? I think having air bubbles regardless of what temp it is outside would probably show on the temp gauge as slightly overheating. My problem only happens on hotter days.

[bradyd15]

Anyone else with a thougt?

[obsolete]

get an aftermarket gauge

[KiLLeR2001]

Is this an S13 SR or S14 SR? Make sure you have the appropriate temperature switch to match your gauge cluster. Install the new coolant temperature sensor and temperature switch and see what that does.

[562nissan]

I have seen air bubble do funny things. I would double and triple check you don't have an air bubble.

[bradyd15]

Thanks Killer. Youve helped me a few times. Thanks other guys too for the input. Its a s13 blacktop and I was actually searching information about the temp switch today online as well. Would a water pump going out cause this slight temp rise after awhile? I plan on replacing that this week as well.

[dorkidori_s13]

i would suggest you put your clutch fan and fan shroud back in. 95% of those electronic fans on the market are actually more detrimental to your motor than they are an asset. most electronic fans become redundant and actually problematic at anything above 55mph.

the ambient air temps in the morning are much lower than they are at 4:30pm. the sun has been beating on the concrete all day long at that hour and the temp of the air going into your intercooler and radiator is much higher than the air going around car. the electronic fans simply cannot pull in enough air at that speed (actually they are preventing air from coming in at that speed) to cool the radiator correctly.

the stock clutch fan and shroud pull air at the speed of the motor, but also create a vacuum behind the radiator itself which pulls in ALOT more CFM than the electronic fans ever could. the ONLY electronic fan on the market that comes ANYWHERE near what the clutch fan and shroud pull in are the fans from the firs gen altimas i believe. super street or modified (cant remember) did a big ol article about electronic fans and the clutch fan on the SR20det at tons of different speeds. the only fan that came anywhere near the correct cooling efficiency that the clutch fan and shroud produce were the first gen altima fans. everything else because harmful after a certain speed and were just falling down on every test.

[obsolete]

^ with that said, y do so many ppl ditch the clutch fan for e-fans? Even w/out the shroud, the clutch fan works very well imo

[KiLLeR2001]

I have Altima fans and never had an issue with overheating. They are beast.

[fatduece]

Couldn't this be one of those weird tiny little head gasket leaks? Sometimes they are not as obvious, because of how small the leak is.


^ with that said, y do so many ppl ditch the clutch fan for e-fans? Even w/out the shroud, the clutch fan works very well imo

Most of the people do it just to get rid of the ugly shroud.

[dorkidori_s13]

^ with that said, y do so many ppl ditch the clutch fan for e-fans? Even w/out the shroud, the clutch fan works very well imo

the clutch fan doesnt work properly without the shroud. the shroud is what creates the vacuum behind the radiator for the air being pulled in.

regardless if its ugly or not, the shroud is a key element in keeping your SR/KA/CA/RB happy and cool. its one thing if you are doing nothing but making short runs at the track and your car is track only. its a whole different story when you daily your car or drive a lot with it (as a weekend driver)

but back to the original point, unless youre buying altima fans, youre wasting your money on anything else other than a brand new OEM clutch fan and shroud.

[bradyd15]

Thanks for all of the info guys. So dorki, in your opinion, any aftermarket fan setup isnt as good as the altima fans? I will probably be getting rid of the radiator i have and getting a new fan setup soon. I do daily this car for now, but as you were saying, is it even worth dropping the extra cash for name brands, such as Mishimoto, or Koyo radiators/fans?

Killer has also stated hes running altima fans with no issue. Killer, what radiator are you running if you dont mind me asking?

Fatduece could be correct as well. But it seems to me if it was a headgasket that it would start overheating sooner, and even in the mornings when i drive and its cool outside, which it doesnt.

Also guys, the car warms up very quick. I start it, drive for maybe 1 min, and it says its at normal temp.

[homeslicej2]

You really need an aftermarket temp gauge to monitor temps. My stock temp gauge says the coolant is at normal operating temp when the aftermarket gauge only shows about 120-130 degrees. The stock gauge is basically: cold, normal, screwed. Also, I had your same issue after my swap yrs ago. At idle, driving around the city, & at slower hwy speeds the car would never run hot. On the freeway at 70mph + on hotter days (mid 80's+) it would creep up & get hot enough that I would run the heater to keep it from overheating. I tried everything, but it turned out to be the lack of a panel b/t the FMIC & the A/C condensor/Radiator. I had a few inches of gap b/t the bumper & rad support. I think a lot of air was hitting the bumper, going through the FMIC, and then under the condensor & rad. I made an alum panel, put it in b/t the bumper and rad support & have never had an issue since bc the air only has one place to go now, through the rad.

[bradyd15]

Your right Homeslice, ive got a temp gauge on the way. I would love to see a picture of your setup with the panel if possible.

[KiLLeR2001]

Koyo aluminum radiator + Altima fans... been good for 4 years running now.

[dorkidori_s13]

Thanks for all of the info guys. So dorki, in your opinion, any aftermarket fan setup isnt as good as the altima fans? I will probably be getting rid of the radiator i have and getting a new fan setup soon. I do daily this car for now, but as you were saying, is it even worth dropping the extra cash for name brands, such as Mishimoto, or Koyo radiators/fans?

no, leave electric fans alone unless you are buying altima fans.

on ALL of my S13s (5 of them now over 10 years), ive run a Koyo 55mm aluminum radiator and fan + fan shroud setup on my SRs, ive NEVER had a problem with overheating. and i live in vegas man, its not uncommon for us to see 115-120deg temps here during the summer (hell it was up past 110 all last week here)

[bradyd15]

Yeah man, if your running that stuff in vegas and having no issues, then thats where its at! Im sitting here bitching about Nashville weather, and your seeing 15-20 degrees higher than me! So ive decided im going to get a Koyo radiator. You and Killer have sold me on it.
Im gonna look around for some altima fans as well to run with that setup.

[KiLLeR2001]

Can't go wrong with the Altima fans. I got mine for $40 at the junkyard. Only thing is you will have to trim them around the edges to get it to fit good.

[dorkidori_s13]

put your clutch fan and shroud back on before you do the altima fans. honestly, its the most fool proof bet. especially if youre driving long distances everyday.

a neat little trick you can do is get a hold of a chuki electric fan that the AC uses on the KA, mount it on your koyo rad. like it is in an OEM setup, the fan shroud is going to look a little close to the clutch fan, but trust me, it wont hit it (this is the way the stock SR is setup in japan as well). put that electric fan on a switch inside the car (run power to a 12volt source and run the ground to inside the car on the switch). if you need some extra cooling when youre driving around or messing around at the track, turn the switch on and youll have 2 fans pulling air thru the radiator.

i had that setup running on my 1st and 3rd 240. it was great for when you were parked at idle or had the car off and wanted to cool down the radiator with the engine off.

[bradyd15]

Thats a good idea dorki. I will look into that. Ive got my koyo coming this week. I dont track it really, but i will do a little track once i get the setup the way i want. Do you have any pics of your setup Dorki? Or any of you guys... i would love to see them.

Here is my current setup, so you guys can get an idea of where im starting...Mind you, that this is the setup that came with the car...
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll84/bradyd3/DSCN0543.jpg

The twist tie is there cause the fans rattle. {Im getting a new setup this week}.
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll84/bradyd3/DSCN0542.jpg

Notice how theres really no way to get air to my radiator like most...
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll84/bradyd3/DSCN0541.jpg

[dorkidori_s13]

Thats a good idea dorki. I will look into that. Ive got my koyo coming this week. I dont track it really, but i will do a little track once i get the setup the way i want. Do you have any pics of your setup Dorki? Or any of you guys... i would love to see them.

Here is my current setup, so you guys can get an idea of where im starting...Mind you, that this is the setup that came with the car...


yeah, i can see where the issue is arising from. just put your clutch fan and fan shroud back in and youll be fine.

heh, i had a hybrid FMIC kit for years. bought it back in 03 or 04 i think. thing was awesome.

[bradyd15]

Man, honestly, i had never even heard of the hybrid intercooler before i got this car. Did you enjoy it when you had it? I havent had any issues out of it myself...

[dorkidori_s13]

Man, honestly, i had never even heard of the hybrid intercooler before i got this car. Did you enjoy it when you had it? I havent had any issues out of it myself...

hybrid was an australian brand that came over in 03/04 via ebay with their intercooler setups. i dont see them very often anymore, but they were dyno proven to 700+hp.