Stalker/Ford 2.3 Ecoboost Overheating

[vipergeek]

When I push it hard the temp starts to increase pretty quickly.  It will settle back down ls I return to normal driving.  Stopped at a stoplight it will climb 20+ degrees from a norm of 180-190 degrees.  I have tightened the baffling in the nosecone on the sides of the radiator to force more air through the radiator and installed a switched fan which I run all the time.  This is a Ford crate engine installed by the original builder who did a very nice job with the total build.  The intake is right next to the turbo on the lower right side of the engine (within inches of the turbo body) and there is an intercooler installed behind the radiator.

Here's my plan:  Get the intake away from the turbo with a 90 degree intake extension for the K&N air cleaner prior to the MAF to reduce the ambient intake air temperature.  Look for a higher flow capacity fan.

Questions:  Would a remote oil cooler help?  Would a duct system to try to get more air flow to the intercooler help?    

I guess I could drive slowly all the time and that would fix the issue....  Naaahh!!!

[fastg]

"intercooler installed behind the radiator" That's an interesting choice, your trying to cool you inlet charge with the warm air that is coming thru the radiator.  And the intake is close to the turbo, so your putting warm air thru the turbo and then trying to cool it with warm air thru the radiator! I don't think that will change your cooling problem, but it sure would help your performance. If you have a crate engine we must assume the water pump is good. What is the radiator? are you running a thermostat? 

 

Graham 

[MV8]

I remember you adding the baffling to the radiator and it being a very good heavy duty radiator but some bent fins on the right side that need to be straightened with a small flat screwdriver.

 

What model cooling fan do you have? I think you may not have an appropriate cooling fan. There is a lot of junk out there and the list of good ones is very short. Oem fans are generally outstanding but don't retrofit well.

 

If possible, for now, reduce the boost level until the cooling is under control.

An ecoboost comes with a sandwich cooler, an aux pump, and a much larger surface area radiator. Make sure the cooler was not left off.

Reducing the ambient intake air will just make more power=BTU to be cooled.

 

[fastg]

Do you have any undertray behind the radiator. My car originally had an undertray between the nosecone and the front of the engine, it actually wrapped around the front on of the sump. During the engine swap from the Miata to Honda powered it got lost. I had been running the Honda for a while before I found the undertray behind the bench. Great, I reinstalled it, instant overheating. So getting good air thru your radiator will only help if the air has a path out of the engine bay. 

 

Graham 

[Dave W]

To piggy back on fastg, you could take a spin with the hood off, to verify you have enough air flow out of the engine bay.  Are you running an under drive pulley? Can you spin the water pump a little higher, i.e. smaller pulley. The oil cooler should help reduce the temp!

[vipergeek]

No undertray under the engine and the engine sticks out the top, and bottom, of the hood so the air coming into the nosecone and through the radiator has lots of room to leave.  I hadn't considered the fact that cooler intake air would increase HP and more BTUs so modifying the intake might drop to the bottom of the priority list.  I also hadn't considered a smaller water pump pulley.

There's no sandwich oil cooler and I'll check for an aux water pump installed where I haven't noticed.  These two items, along with straightening any bent radiator fins, will likely be my next steps if not there already (pretty sure they're not).  Thank you all for your suggestions!

[Anaximander]

Vipergeek,

 

Did you ever install the Maradyne High Performance Fans M142K Champion Low Profile Series Fan that is 14" that I have in my Stalker AXR and are installed in most of the LS-engined M-Spec Stalkers? This fan is a like a hurricane and will really keep your engine cool if there are no other aggravating problems. 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Anaximander

[MV8]

Different versions. It may be easier to use an aftermarket screw-on sandwich based on the filter thread and size.

https://www.therangerstation.com/ranger-tech/ford-ranger-2-3l-ecoboost-introduction/

[vipergeek]

6 hours ago, Anaximander said:

Vipergeek,

 

Did you ever install the Maradyne High Performance Fans M142K Champion Low Profile Series Fan that is 14" that I have in my Stalker AXR and are installed in most of the LS-engined M-Spec Stalkers? This fan is a like a hurricane and will really keep your engine cool if there are no other mitigating problems. 

I did not but I think I'll head over to Summit in the next day or so and pick one up.  I did swap the original with another but I'm pretty sure it does flow like the one you suggested.  It's more like a good breeze than a hurricane.

[Anaximander]

12 hours ago, vipergeek said:

I did not but I think I'll head over to Summit in the next day or so and pick one up.  I did swap the original with another but I'm pretty sure it does flow like the one you suggested.  It's more like a good breeze than a hurricane.

It is a quick fix and seems to work well in my LS engine on 95 degree days here in Florida in my AXR. I notice that my temps actually come down while running the engine in grid awaiting permission to move up to the starting line in an autocross. 

 

Here are the specs: 

• 2135 CFM; 17.2 ampere, 225 Watt heavy duty motor; 3.37" depth
• Lowest profile high performance reversible electric fan on the market

 

I know you mentioned running the radiator fan on a separate switch. Make sure that the switch wire going to the fan isn't too wimpy. At least 12 gauge to keep it cool while running the current to the fan. On my last LS3/480, I ran a 10 gauge wire and it looked like an "electrical fire hose". Never can be too careful when trying to not overload a wire. On that car, I had burnt up a 16 gauge wire that simply could not handle the amps running to the fan.

Edited December 20, 2023 by Anaximander

[vipergeek]

3 hours ago, Anaximander said:

It is a quick fix and seems to work well in my LS engine on 95 degree days here in Florida in my AXR. I notice that my temps actually come down while running the engine in grid awaiting permission to move up to the starting line in an autocross. 

 

Here are the specs: 

• 2135 CFM; 17.2 ampere, 225 Watt heavy duty motor; 3.37" depth
• Lowest profile high performance reversible electric fan on the market

 

I know you mentioned running the radiator fan on a separate switch. Make sure that the switch wire going to the fan isn't too wimpy. At least 12 gauge to keep it cool while running the current to the fan. On my last LS3/480, I ran a 10 gauge wire and it looked like an "electrical fire hose". Never can be too careful when trying to not overload a wire. On that car, I had burnt up a 16 gauge wire that simply could not handle the amps running to the fan.

I'm pretty sure I went from 14 to 12 gauge on my current fan based on a previous comment by you.  I'll certainly make sure on the new "hurricane" version.  I know I should have done this originally but I'm also going to run the new fan through a relay.