A 3th radiator for a 1999 Carrera 2

[Hroussard]

Folks, I am contemplating to have a 3rd radiator added to my C2 ( 1999) and I am wondering :

1/ what does the radiator cost?

2/ what is involved in the installation?

3/ how much would installation cost

4/ what temperature drop could one expect compared with the stock 2 radiators?

The reason? I feel that the engine ( here in California) is running pretty hot ( gauge is indicating between the 8 and the zero of the (180) number and sometimes goes just on top of the zero number.

Cheers

HarryR

PS Loren, I just bought a B@M short shifter today ( eBay at $ 199.00 plus freight). I will be looking for your help :-)

[Loren]

Folks, I am contemplating to have a 3rd radiator added to my C2 ( 1999)  and I am wondering :

1/ what does the radiator cost?

2/ what is involved in the installation?

3/ how much would installation cost

4/ what temperature drop could one expect compared with the stock 2 radiators?

The reason?  I feel that the engine ( here in California) is running pretty hot ( gauge is indicating between the 8 and the zero of the (180) number and sometimes goes just on top of the zero number.

Cheers

HarryR

PS Loren, I just bought a B@M short shifter today ( eBay at $ 199.00 plus freight). I will be looking for your help  :-)

1. They were about $450 when I bought mine.

2. See 3rd Radiator Install Instructions

3. About 4-5 hours labor.

4. See item 2.

Your current temp is normal. I bought mine for track days and fun runs through the mountains.

[wwest]

Your temperature rise is likely more a function of the flow restriction of the thermostat rather than any shortcomings in radiator cooling capacity. Unless one or both of the electric fans have failed at low or high speed I suspect that should you remove the thermostat for a few days you will find the coolant temperature never rises above 150F.

[ar38070]

Your temp is normal. Adding another radiator wont lower the operating temp as that is regulated by the thermostat. Even if it gets to the tick between 180 and 250 (215) there is nothing to worry about.

At the track we routinely run at and above the 215 mark. No big deal.

[1999Porsche911]

The car is designed to run with a coolant temp of 190F. When your gauge is betwen the "8" and the "0" in 180, you are right about there. When it is covering the line on the right side of the "0", you are at about 215F. You need to improve air movement past the radiators. Hardwire a switch so you can turn on the radiator fans. Running the fans at hgh speed wil keep your engine as cool as it is when you are speeding down the highway.

[wwest]

Removing some of the A/C load also helps, sometimes dramatically so. Coming across AR a few years ago in 100F+ heat and construction zone my C2 starting overheating. I first shut down the A/C but when that didn't help enough I stopped alongside the freeway and discovered one fan motor had failed.

We drove the rest of the way home to Seattle with the A/C on but set at max cool and used the blower speed to adjust our comfort level. In max cool the airflow doesn't go through the reheat cycle and thus the A/C compressor duty cycle, and heating pre-loading of the radiators, is much lower.

When I got home I installed a Ford fuel tank selector switch/valve, along with a new fan motor, so that there is NO hot water flow in the system when the A/C is functioning.

[gchu]

PS Loren, I just bought a B@M short shifter today ( eBay at $ 199.00 plus freight). I will be looking for your help  :-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Harry,

I am also getting the B&M very soon. Let me know if you are going to do the DIY installation. I would like to drop by to help and watch if you don't mind.

George

[Hroussard]

PS Loren, I just bought a B@M short shifter today ( eBay at $ 199.00 plus freight). I will be looking for your help   :-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Harry,

I am also getting the B&M very soon. Let me know if you are going to do the DIY installation. I would like to drop by to help and watch if you don't mind.

George

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

George, I have 2 left hands so I am afraid I would not be safe in attempting the installation. Graciously, Loren has suggested he can help ( I hoop he still remembers :-) ). I still need to get that organized. Send me your contact info and I will talk with you as soon as I know when this "event" will take place. Maybe you could attend... email hroussar@yahoo.com

This morning I visited Carlsen in Redwood City and talked with Brian H. . They are also seeing to a leak I seem to have in my a/c system. Expensive repair OUGH!! Brian is taking good care of me . Thanks B.!!

But.... they had 2 GT3's with standard manual shifter and one Turbo Cab with the Short shifter ( factory) installed and the difference is AMAZING. Yes , this much more notchy and it needs more effort to change gears but it turns the car even more into a real DRIVERS machine... I tried Loren's shortshifter( in his C2 ) a while back and that is AS GOOD AS the Porsche version , maybe even slightly better. I am sold. It reminds me of my DeTomaso Pantera a while back... actually a LONG time ago.

I also met Carlos there and saw his Carrera. The car is going fast standing still. Very nice ..in english english... Bloody nice indeed.

Cheers

HarryR

C2 1999

[Loren]

If George is getting his soon then we can do both at once. If not at a work on cars day then you folks can drive down to beautiful Morgan Hill ;)

[Hroussard]

Thanks Loren, I hope we can plan it that way.

I will bring the wine....

HarryR

[gchu]

Any plan of above works for me. I am getting mine in a week. So we can meet. BTW how far is Morgan Hill? I don't mind driving far. I need to put some more milage to my Carrera. It's been sitting too long. I only had 400 miles on it since last August.

[karlooz]

PS Loren, I just bought a B@M short shifter today ( eBay at $ 199.00 plus freight). I will be looking for your help   :-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Harry,

I am also getting the B&M very soon. Let me know if you are going to do the DIY installation. I would like to drop by to help and watch if you don't mind.

George

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

George, I have 2 left hands so I am afraid I would not be safe in attempting the installation. Graciously, Loren has suggested he can help ( I hoop he still remembers :-) ). I still need to get that organized. Send me your contact info and I will talk with you as soon as I know when this "event" will take place. Maybe you could attend... email hroussar@yahoo.com

This morning I visited Carlsen in Redwood City and talked with Brian H. . They are also seeing to a leak I seem to have in my a/c system. Expensive repair OUGH!! Brian is taking good care of me . Thanks B.!!

But.... they had 2 GT3's with standard manual shifter and one Turbo Cab with the Short shifter ( factory) installed and the difference is AMAZING. Yes , this much more notchy and it needs more effort to change gears but it turns the car even more into a real DRIVERS machine... I tried Loren's shortshifter( in his C2 ) a while back and that is AS GOOD AS the Porsche version , maybe even slightly better. I am sold. It reminds me of my DeTomaso Pantera a while back... actually a LONG time ago.

I also met Carlos there and saw his Carrera. The car is going fast standing still. Very nice ..in english english... Bloody nice indeed.

Cheers

HarryR

C2 1999

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it was good meeting you too harry! thx for the compliments :cheers: i hope your A/C problems have been fixed.

i am also thinking about doing the 3rd radiator. although the past track day proved that my 996 was running fine in 90~100 F heat, i want to add the radiator for a little more security. next track day will be august 6th, thunderhill so you know it's gonna be HOT!

[Hroussard]

Carlos, yes the A/C problem has been fixed, it was a stuck expansion valve, they recharged the system and it's delivering absolute freezing cold air it this point. They also checked all the electric fans for correct function AND cleaned the leaves etc from the air intakes. I am watching the temps and if I feel that the system is over loaded ( running too hot ie needle over or to the right of the zero in 180 in the gauge) I will certainly think about it again. Interestingly, I have not yet seen the extraction fan in the engine cover lid come on. More to come I am sure.

Some interesting titbit I picked up somewhere else on the same subject....

It seems that certain car manufacturers have decided that the temp gauge is not much more than an idiot light ie , cold, warm and TOO hot ( light goes on) and that the temp needle basically moves from low to the middle and stays there unchanged until the engine overheats, in which case the needle with go to the red sector ( equals the idiot light setting). This seems to be in an attempt to pacify folks and reduce the amount of calls the dealers get with " my engione runs hot " concerns because "the needle moved" . Interesting..

HarryR

[1999Porsche911]

Carlos, yes the A/C problem has been fixed, it was a stuck expansion valve, they recharged the system and it's delivering absolute freezing cold air it this point. They also checked all the electric fans for correct function AND cleaned the leaves etc from the air intakes. I am watching the temps and if I feel that the system is over loaded ( running too hot ie needle over or to the right of the zero in 180 in the gauge) I will certainly think about it again. Interestingly, I have not yet seen the extraction fan in the engine cover lid come on. More to come I am sure.

Some interesting titbit I picked up somewhere else on the same subject....

It seems that certain car manufacturers have decided that the temp gauge is not much more than an idiot light ie , cold, warm and TOO hot ( light goes on) and that the temp needle basically moves from low to the middle and stays there unchanged until the engine overheats, in which case the needle with go to the red sector ( equals the idiot light setting). This seems to be in an attempt to pacify folks and reduce the amount of calls the dealers get with " my engione runs hot " concerns because "the needle moved" . Interesting..

HarryR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The fan on the engine lid is not for air extraction, but is an intake fan. It draws cooler air into the engine throught the lid when the engine compartment gets above 180F. You would NOT want to draw air out through the id as this would increase the engine temperature.

[Hroussard]

Carlos, yes the A/C problem has been fixed, it was a stuck expansion valve, they recharged the system and it's delivering absolute freezing cold air it this point. They also checked all the electric fans for correct function AND cleaned the leaves etc from the air intakes. I am watching the temps and if I feel that the system is over loaded ( running too hot ie needle over or to the right of the zero in 180 in the gauge) I will certainly think about it again. Interestingly, I have not yet seen the extraction fan in the engine cover lid come on. More to come I am sure.

Some interesting titbit I picked up somewhere else on the same subject....

It seems that certain car manufacturers have decided that the temp gauge is not much more than an idiot light ie , cold, warm and TOO hot ( light goes on) and that the temp needle basically moves from low to the middle and stays there unchanged until the engine overheats, in which case the needle with go to the red sector ( equals the idiot light setting). This seems to be in an attempt to pacify folks and reduce the amount of calls the dealers get with " my engione runs hot " concerns because "the needle moved" . Interesting..

HarryR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The fan on the engine lid is not for air extraction, but is an intake fan. It draws cooler air into the engine throught the lid when the engine compartment gets above 180F. You would NOT want to draw air out through the id as this would increase the engine temperature.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, you are right on the subject of the fan in the engine deck lid.... my mistake.

HarryR

[dj996]

The third radiator is a good upgrade for track use in hot climates, mine helps a lot here in Texas. It is a fairly involved install, not for the faint of heart IMO. Another thing to consider, which I haven't had time to check out yet, the tiptronic water pumps have a higher flow capacity than the manual cars, I wonder if this upgrade would also help in cooling.