The Most Efficient Way to Cool a Gen. I?

[jasontiff]

I've had my 1993 for a year down here in Texas, and it's never run cool, but it's never run hot. Well, recently it's been running a hair shy of red, even though it's been 80˚ (at night) and I've been cruising along (for the most part). My overflow bottle blew up at the track last month and had done it twice since and no matter what I do it still seems to run hot.

There are a few options:
1.) A fan switch that I can manually switch on.
2.) Additional cores for my radiator.
3.) An aluminum radiator.
4.) Gen. II fan assembly.
5.) Roe fascia duct.
6.) Any suggestions you guys have.

I already have the cats cut out and high-flow mufflers, along with a 172˚ thermostat. I'm looking for bang-for-the-buck here. I don't have a big budget but I can't enjoy my car if it doesn't start cooling itself a little better. Whatever will cool my car the most significantly on the cheap. Thanks in advance!

 

[XS TORQ]

Going to the newer fan assembly made a big difference on my Gen 1. Might also need to "burp" some air out of the cooling system? The fact that it recently started having problems leads me to believe that something has changed (like having some air in the system).

 

[dave6666]

I have a 2001 GTS in Fort Worth. With no mods, and assuming the original coolant when I purchased the car year before last, sitting in traffic in August the temp never got above the next to last line. Actually, got near it but never to it.

It sounds like you may have a more underlying issue, like maybe the air thing.

I now have an aluminum radiator and the car will still heat up to the point where the fan comes on in traffic, but responds much faster when the fan kicks on.

I would...

-> Burp as has been suggested.

-> Fan upgrade.

-> Roe kit - but won't help you sitting in traffic.

-> Aluminum radiator.

In that order.

 

[ViperTony]

In addition to Dave's suggestions, I'd also add a vented cowl to help let some of that heat escape out from under the hood.

 

[ruckdr]

As Dave said:

-> Burp as has been suggested.

-> Fan upgrade.

-> Roe kit - but won't help you sitting in traffic.

-> Aluminum radiator.

All these vital in keeping the temp down, plus the vented cowl. You said your Viper is a 1993, mine is a '96, and the radiator needed to be replaced; not flowing completely, you might say partially plugged. Replaced with a Ron Davis Aluminum (Parts Rack - JonB) and have no heat problems.

Later,

 

[TexasPettey]

It's always going to be hot when it's 95deg, but you shouldn't be overflowing the coolant bottle. Is it cooling down when you get to 60+MPH? If you're not cooling down quickly when you get to speed, airflow isn't the issue (so fan, venting, radiator, etc won't help)

When is the last time the coolant was burped/changed? Also, do you have any other leaks/drips?

I'd be happy to take a look with you and see if anything stands out.

 

[jasontiff]

It's always going to be hot when it's 95deg, but you shouldn't be overflowing the coolant bottle. Is it cooling down when you get to 60+MPH? If you're not cooling down quickly when you get to speed, airflow isn't the issue (so fan, venting, radiator, etc won't help)

When is the last time the coolant was burped/changed? Also, do you have any other leaks/drips?

I'd be happy to take a look with you and see if anything stands out.

The only fluid leak I've had recently is the coolant pooling 2 weeks ago after the Texas Children's Home run, then last week at the car show. Both times were in 90˚ heat, but I'd been cruising (1500 RPMs in 6th) for at least 10-15 minutes prior to shutting it down.

The coolant was burped/changed at A.R.T. last June. I've got the stock hoses, and I was there when Weaver and Pharr were swearing at the car during the burping process. I didn't have any problems with heating up this bad last year unless it was a 95˚+ day and I was sitting in traffic on 35 during rush hour. Last night I got on it a bit, but I followed it with 1500 RPM cruising with the heat blasting and it never cooled down; it fluctuated between low yellow and high yellow on my car.

Give me a call if you'll have a minute to scope out the car this weekend. We have the Sunshine Kids drive next week for the kids with cancer and they're already short cars. I don't want to bail on them but I also don't want to strand myself and a sick child on the side of the road in the middle of a Texas summer! Thanks, Chris!

 

[viperdude118]

You could add a second flux capacitor.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Whoa.

Bang for the buck is (after burping and filling) buying a spring-center radiator cap from a newer model Viper. The early OEM drop-center type does not seal after it ages and therefore does not **** coolant back into the system. That's why the bottle overflows sometimes and why there is air in the system. Cap: ~$9 ?

I have the fan upgrade and it makes a big difference in how quickly it pulls down the temperature. BUT you need the newer radiator, too, since the studs to attach the fan to the radiator are in a different location. It all works well, but price in both fan and radiator.

If you are in Texas, and it never freezes, you do not need glycol in the coolant. It is only there for freeze protection. Find some Zerex Racing Super Coolant, which is the anti-corrosion additive package used in "antifreeze" but without the glycol. Therefore you will have 100% water instead of 50-50 water-glycol. Water is 2X better a heat transfer agent than glycol, so do the math and see that it will cool better. Do not use RedLine Water Wetter instead, as it is not meant as a stand-alone long term coolant additive.

 

[ruckdr]

Here is a picture of the 2 fans; Old and New (the larger diameter fan).

It is not necessary to change the radiator to install the New fan, just remove the stud(s) from the radiator where there is no connecting tab on the fan frame. You can see there are 3 tabs on the Old fan, and 2 tabs on the New fan, top and bottom. Connect the tabs available and you are set. JonB, Parts Rack has the New fans. This was one of the first upgrades I did after I got my car in 2001. The invoice from Parts Rack shows purchase in May, 2002

Later,

 

[jasontiff]

The fan I currently have in my Gen. I is a dual fan set-up, that I believe is OEM. Are both of yours OEM, or is one aftermarket?

 

[ruckdr]

The fan I currently have in my Gen. I is a dual fan set-up, that I believe is OEM. Are both of yours OEM, or is one aftermarket?

Jasontiff,
BOTH are OEM. The small one came stock on my '96, Gen1, and the Large, New, one is from 1999 (approx.) and up. The dual fan OEM setup (like yours), was from 1992 - 1995, in 1996, the smaller single fan was used, then 1999 (approx.) the larger single fan was used.
http://www.mopar.com/pdf/viper/92v.PDF

Check with JonB at Parts Rack. Call him, he will talk to you: (360) 837-3937.

Later,

 

[jasontiff]

Quick update: Burping the system got it back to normal. Even in traffic in 100˚ heat today the needle bounced off of 220˚ (yellow on my car) when the fans kicked on. Not necessarily cool, but definitely not overheating anymore. Thanks, guys!

 

[dave6666]

Quick update: Burping the system got it back to normal. Even in traffic in 100˚ heat today the needle bounced off of 220˚ (yellow on my car) when the fans kicked on. Not necessarily cool, but definitely not overheating anymore. Thanks, guys!

How was there traffic? You had a police ****** today?

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Spring for the radiator cap anyway. A bad cap slowly introduces air again becuase hot coolant expands and runs into the overflow, but then air gets sucked back in.

 

[sirhc76]

How was there traffic? You had a police ****** today?

No traffic at all. It was still pretty hot and even my GTS was running warm.