Actually before I busted my radiator, I've already started looking around for a suitable replacement. Koyo was the obvious choice due to its popularity and availability. Couldn't afford higher end ones from ARC tho. :(
I've also been eyeing this blue anodized aluminium radiator from GReddy. I think it'll look smashing in the engine bay. Well, it complements my GReddy Oil Cooler and the NEO engine cover nicely. Both of which is also blue in colour. Excellent!
BUT just too bad that the cost is a little too high for me thus it is the plan was scrapped. :(
Pic 1: Mishimoto packaging
No idea what struck over me but I started looking around for alternative brands and that's when I come across Mishimoto radiators from the USA. Hmmm ..... yes there's a Western brand in the JDM-ness of the ER34. So anyway, it comes competitively priced and does the job really well. The plus point is that every single radiator is pressure tested prior to leaving the factory and there's a lifetime warranty on it as well.
Good enough of an assurance to me. :)
The Mishimoto radiator also comes with it's own 1.3kg/cm2 radiator cap. So guess my Nismo Racing Radiator Cap (Part No. 21430-RS0122) is now for sale. :P
Pic 2: What's inside the box
Pic 3: Mishimoto R34 Aluminium Radiator
Since I'm changing radiator, I've decided to flush out the whole cooling system. All the previous water and coolants were flushed out, yes even those in the engine block are all out. I got 'em replaced with pure distilled water. I had to use loads of them in order to rid of the previous fluids. With pure distilled water in the cooling system, I added no coolant in but just a bottle of Redline Water Wetter.
Pic 3: Redline Warer Wetter
"Water Wetter" is designed to reduce hot spots in your cylinder head. It does this by reducing the build-up of water vapor in any superheated areas. The bad thing about having hot spots in your cylinder head (read combustion chamber) is that they can promote pre-ignition - definitely a bad thing. Any sharp edges in your combustion chamber (around valve seats for example) may tend to get very hot (even red hot) during operation. These areas of the combustion chamber can then form local hot spots in the cooling passages. Thus, even though your bulk coolant temperature is well below its boiling point (i.e. your gauge reads just fine), there may be localized boiling in some regions of the coolant tract.
This localized boiling can cause a layer of water vapor to form over the hot spot. This vapor forms an insulative blanket and prevents heat from leaving this area, thus making the hot spot even worse. But reducing the surface tension of the water makes it easier for vapor bubbles to leave the surface of the cylinder head and allows the bubbles to convect heat away from the area. Something that changes the surface tension of a liquid is called a "surfactant". It does not take very much surfactant to significantly change the surface tension of water. Hence, you do not need to add very much "Water Wetter" in order for it to do its job.
An additional benefit of using "Water Wetter" (in conjunction with 100% water) in you cooling system is that water has an extremely high heat capacity. Thus a gallon of 100% water can carry more heat away from you engine than an equivalent gallon of 50/50 water and coolant. Water also has a high thermal conductivity which increases the convection of heat away from the coolant passage walls and into the free stream of the liquid flowing through the passages.
"Water Wetter" does not increase the boiling point of water. Standard automotive coolant does increase the boiling point of the mixture above that of 100% water. But remember that if your cooling system is operating properly, it should never get hot enough to boil (I mean BOIL, not just localized boiling). Raising the boiling point of the coolant in passenger cars is primarily a safety measure, so that if the cooling system is over stressed (climbing a hill on a hot day with AC on), it will not boil over. On performance cars the primary duty of the cooling system is to keep the engine in its optimum temperature range. This is best accomplished with 100% water, because its high heat capacity makes it very efficient at transferring heat.
Check out the below video which explains it perfectly.
Pic 4: Embossed Mishimoto logo
Pic 5: Mishimoto plaque on the radiator
Pic 6: Stock radiator out of the engine bay
Pic 7: Fitting the stock fan shroud and Samco radiator hoses
Pic 8: Mishimoto radiator fits the stock fan shroud
Pic 9: Mishimoto radiator fitted in!
Pic 10: Mishimoto radiator fitted in!
Pic 11: Mishimoto 1.3kg/cm2 radiator cap
Pic 12: Mishimoto plaque - wonder who sees it in that position
I've also been eyeing this blue anodized aluminium radiator from GReddy. I think it'll look smashing in the engine bay. Well, it complements my GReddy Oil Cooler and the NEO engine cover nicely. Both of which is also blue in colour. Excellent!
BUT just too bad that the cost is a little too high for me thus it is the plan was scrapped. :(
Pic 1: Mishimoto packaging
No idea what struck over me but I started looking around for alternative brands and that's when I come across Mishimoto radiators from the USA. Hmmm ..... yes there's a Western brand in the JDM-ness of the ER34. So anyway, it comes competitively priced and does the job really well. The plus point is that every single radiator is pressure tested prior to leaving the factory and there's a lifetime warranty on it as well.
Good enough of an assurance to me. :)
The Mishimoto radiator also comes with it's own 1.3kg/cm2 radiator cap. So guess my Nismo Racing Radiator Cap (Part No. 21430-RS0122) is now for sale. :P
Pic 2: What's inside the box
Pic 3: Mishimoto R34 Aluminium Radiator
Since I'm changing radiator, I've decided to flush out the whole cooling system. All the previous water and coolants were flushed out, yes even those in the engine block are all out. I got 'em replaced with pure distilled water. I had to use loads of them in order to rid of the previous fluids. With pure distilled water in the cooling system, I added no coolant in but just a bottle of Redline Water Wetter.
Pic 3: Redline Warer Wetter
"Water Wetter" is designed to reduce hot spots in your cylinder head. It does this by reducing the build-up of water vapor in any superheated areas. The bad thing about having hot spots in your cylinder head (read combustion chamber) is that they can promote pre-ignition - definitely a bad thing. Any sharp edges in your combustion chamber (around valve seats for example) may tend to get very hot (even red hot) during operation. These areas of the combustion chamber can then form local hot spots in the cooling passages. Thus, even though your bulk coolant temperature is well below its boiling point (i.e. your gauge reads just fine), there may be localized boiling in some regions of the coolant tract.
This localized boiling can cause a layer of water vapor to form over the hot spot. This vapor forms an insulative blanket and prevents heat from leaving this area, thus making the hot spot even worse. But reducing the surface tension of the water makes it easier for vapor bubbles to leave the surface of the cylinder head and allows the bubbles to convect heat away from the area. Something that changes the surface tension of a liquid is called a "surfactant". It does not take very much surfactant to significantly change the surface tension of water. Hence, you do not need to add very much "Water Wetter" in order for it to do its job.
An additional benefit of using "Water Wetter" (in conjunction with 100% water) in you cooling system is that water has an extremely high heat capacity. Thus a gallon of 100% water can carry more heat away from you engine than an equivalent gallon of 50/50 water and coolant. Water also has a high thermal conductivity which increases the convection of heat away from the coolant passage walls and into the free stream of the liquid flowing through the passages.
"Water Wetter" does not increase the boiling point of water. Standard automotive coolant does increase the boiling point of the mixture above that of 100% water. But remember that if your cooling system is operating properly, it should never get hot enough to boil (I mean BOIL, not just localized boiling). Raising the boiling point of the coolant in passenger cars is primarily a safety measure, so that if the cooling system is over stressed (climbing a hill on a hot day with AC on), it will not boil over. On performance cars the primary duty of the cooling system is to keep the engine in its optimum temperature range. This is best accomplished with 100% water, because its high heat capacity makes it very efficient at transferring heat.
Check out the below video which explains it perfectly.
Pic 4: Embossed Mishimoto logo
Pic 5: Mishimoto plaque on the radiator
Pic 6: Stock radiator out of the engine bay
Pic 7: Fitting the stock fan shroud and Samco radiator hoses
Pic 8: Mishimoto radiator fits the stock fan shroud
Pic 9: Mishimoto radiator fitted in!
Pic 10: Mishimoto radiator fitted in!
Pic 11: Mishimoto 1.3kg/cm2 radiator cap
Pic 12: Mishimoto plaque - wonder who sees it in that position
Posts
looks.. sophisticated =)
ReplyDeleteMmmm, Mishimoto....definitely the right choice bro!
ReplyDeleteExcellence work......u must be good with automotive. Good post n very useful too. StayTune......
ReplyDelete