so i have a E7 gsr and i've noticed something over the past few weeks.
please note that i've even gone as far as to change the thermostat with an original one.

start up in the morning and head to work. It heats up to just under half(gauge reading) and stays there for the drive on the highway etc....however, on the road with the office there is always alot of traffic. In traffic now, the temperature starts to go over half and up to about 3/4 or so.
get to the office a few minutes after and take the key out. TTimer comes on for 20 secs at which point the temp gauge immediately drops back to just under half.

i've flushed the radiator,changed the thermostat and changed coolant(numerous times). I check oil and water every morning and a few times I have had to add some water to the overflow tank. Once i ran it with the gauge on 3/4 for about 5mins straight. Did a compression test after etc..everything was perfect.

so i decided last week to hook up my engine fan so that it'd stay on as long as the car is started (or ignition is on).
same problem.

the problem started not too long after installing a turbo manifold which sits extremely close(I mean very very close) to the radiator as well as the wastegate dump pipe runs right next(1/4inch away) to the radiator..Can this be the problem?

but the thing is..the temperature goes back down so fast!...for example if i'm stuck in traffic and it goes up(to over half) and then a few minutes after get on the highway..it immediately goes back down to just under half. Or if i stop and take the key out and the timer comes on, it goes down!

Can anyone offer any opinion/suggestion?

 

seems like you did all of the normal checks...Only thing I can really think of is the fact that your unshielded manifold is preventing the radiator from working normally...Might want to consider an aluminum racing radiator with some slim line fans.

 

yeah, I noticed evo doesn't like to get stuck in the traffic. I don't like the desgin of manifold location right next to radiator and then, the radiator right next to intercooler. when you are going forward, everything is in order so it is good. But when you are stuck in the traffic, the mani heats the radiator and radiator heats the intercooler. The car gets heat soak so fast and temp of oil and water goes up very fast.

 

is your radiator cap fine?
holds pressure?

 

^ well i assume so..it's the original cap the car came with.
is there any way to test it?

also, could it have anything to do with the waterpump? Dont know if this is a dumb question...??

thanks for the suggestions though guys..got to get this sorted out!

 

Sounds like your fan controller or your electric fans.. IF your temp is going to normal on the highway and rising in traffic, its more than likely one of your fans (or both) isn't coming on when sitting in traffic or standing still.. Maybe you removed one of the fans to clear your turbo or some other obstruction and forgot to reconnect it.

Overheating is certainly possible due to the heat transferred from the turbo to the radiator, but its more likely the fans not coming on or something along those lines.

 

I didn't see where you hardwired your fans.. Also check for a giant air pocket in your cooling system and burp it.

 

yeah that's the thing...i thought it was the engine fan so I set it up so it'd work all the time.

could u be a little more detailed on how to check/eliminate the air pocket?


thanks

 

Sounds like a blown headgasket to me. I have the same problem, as long as I stay off boost everything is fine. If I drive the car hard the temp gauge will go all the way up. Then go right back down fast. No boiling water in the radiator. But the upper radiator hose is hard and the reserve tank is full.

 

hmmm...thing is i've driven it all the way to the office without going into boost...i was in vacuum all the way and it still happened.
but yes..after spirited driving it goes up all the way if i dont give it a break.

this is the thing i cant figure out for the life of me..
the part where i am getting to the office or getting home and the gauge reads 3/4....then i park the car, and switch it off....the timer immediately comes on at which point the gauge immediately goes back down to just under half for the time the timer is on.

 

Blown head gasket is a little extreme of a diagnosis for a guy who says wis coolant temp spikes in traffic! It could definitely be an air bubble. Great thought running the compression test, that helps with process of elimination. Definitely confirm that fans are working when you don't rig the fans to stay on all the time, confirm the thermo is causing them to turn on as they should.
If the problem started after you installed the mani, it's likely that! Option 1 is fab a heat shield (cheap way out) and Option 2 is buy an aluminum rad and slim line fans (more $$ but a more sustainable fix).
For now, throw some WATER WETTER in the tank and figure out which option you'll take!

 

but yes..the part about after driving hard...and getting home and parking it up..the reserve tank is always full!

 

sweet....! this is kind of the answer i was looking for.thanks.
does the water wetter really work? I'll try it for sure though. Have a friend who brings in tons of redline stuff.

 

It works but it won't FIX your problem, it may be a temporary band aid.
This next suggestion is only valid if you live somewhere that does not have below freezing temp.
You can reduce the glycol in your mixture and use 1-2 bottles of Water Wetter.
I repeat, Do Not Do This IF you are in a place that has below freezing temp.

Good luck.

 

^ cool well that's no problem here in the caribbean.