Is the SL-C radiator outlet at an efficient location?

I was simply interested in whether anyone has considered the location of the radiator outlet. I appreciate the responses.
 
Hey Dave - I hope you don't feel like I was challenging you on this just to be a keyboard jockey. I use these threads as my primary source for building my SLC and I'm sure many others do as well. (no joke) I've read just about every post in this forum going back about 10 years. I was absolutely obsessed with learning as much as I could before I pulled the trigger. When I see someone make a build recommendation and it's possible it may lead someone down a difficult path I tend to want more information so we can all better understand what's being discussed. I didn't want someone down the road to read these posts then go off thinking there was some kind of hard design rule about radiator inlet and exit areas. As I'm sure you've done, I've read so many posts and have mentally jotted down "this is how you should do X" that I've forgotten the whys in some instances.

On the topic of the radiator outlet explicitly, there really hasn't been much discussion. Plenty of posts about cooling, but not much on radiator exit. The only posts I can recall touching on this subject are:

- Howard Jones' build thread where he discusses opening his exit
- Bill Phillips (Rumbles)' thread where he discusses moving his radiator(s) to the side intakes. He actually ran tuft testing IIRC
- my blog/build thread where I discuss ducting and my hood mods

Apart from Howard and myself, I don't recall seeing anyone else build a duct specifically for radiator discharge air.
 
People have been using the stock radiator in the stock location for 400-700hp (and probably higher) ls engines for over a decade; it works. Just build a half-decent fan shroud to supplement it.

This post makes me lol - if you want a real challenge try cooling a 917 .... 3 radiators and 10,000cfm of fans later and it's golden.
 

Neil

Supporter
People have been using the stock radiator in the stock location for 400-700hp (and probably higher) ls engines for over a decade; it works. Just build a half-decent fan shroud to supplement it.

This post makes me lol - if you want a real challenge try cooling a 917 .... 3 radiators and 10,000cfm of fans later and it's golden.

3 radiators in a 917??? 917s were air-cooled.

Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
Alex, I don't doubt that the standard radiator can "work". My observation was that when I ran my car hard on track the temps first would spike well above 235-240 and then settle intermittently. That first problem was almost certainly pump impeller cavitation. Then once I got the electric pump in the car and in it's final configuration the coolant temps leveled out about the boiling point, 220F, I ran a 16 pound cap so that would push the boiling point above 250F but I just didn't like that I was so close to "too" hot. After I changed radiators I was able to set my water temp at whatever I wanted and it remained there solidly. I like that.

Now I admit that a street car that rarely makes more than a 100 or so hp when being driven on the street and doesn't need to have all my reserve capacity to "work" but I don't like to fight a overheating car, especially one that is being asked to cool 300-500hp for 30 mins at a time on track. You see the difference I'm sure.

By the way I have a nice new standard radiator that I don't need and would let go for a good price. Something like 50% off a new one.

Oh and Alex's 917 has a LS in it.
 
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