Thanks in advance for everyone’s input..

so I am getting back into an evo, and the one I have my eye on has a FF turbo kit installed. With summer around the corner I am slightly worried about overheating due to running a half size radiator. To be clear It hasn’t had any overheating issues in the past, but I wasn’t driven regularly in the summer either.

Should I be worried about dd’ing this car or should I put a stock position manifold back on and a full size radiator? (Id prefer to leave it as is as long as I don’t have to worry about overheating in the summer or on a long drive, in traffic etc)

 

The evo has one of the best cooling systems ever! Developed from years of Rally racing . I'm not sure why someone would want to change that for less then a 1000whp street car. Ruin the a/c cooling etc.

Unless you love the look of it I would go back to standard placement and a full radiator. This will also mean your ac will work the way it was designed (if you have it)

You live in the south where it does get pretty hot. I'm sure some people have pushed a smaller then stock radiator but doesn't seem worth it for back to back runs, or having a car you have to worry about.

 

IMO it's pretty silly for a DD. No filter to barely a filter on the turbo inlet, no AC. Looks neat but that's about it.

With that in mind I haven't met anyone with a half size radiator that has actually overheated on the street, but most I know with half rads and FF turbos don't daily their cars, either.

 

My car overheats with half rad with my top mount being the condenser is in the way and I am not willing to get rid of my ac. I am in the process of getting a custom ac condenser from either a 93 Honda Civic or custom. They do make ff ac condenser kits as well. Depending on what kit you get you can get a decent size filter on it.


https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...need-know.html

 

Forgot about those kits. Dude hasn't posted in a couple of years. He still making them?

I personally still wouldn't do it unless I was going full racecar or not DDing my Evo - HOWEVER - since OP already has a FF kit it would be a lot cheaper to stick with it, get the half sized compressor and a good rad fan, and run with it.

 

Yeah he still makes them, I had talked to him about making one for me. They are by no way cheap but when you get to the point of doing what we do sometimes its the best way to do it. My fan should work in my car but having to go through the condenser pushing not pulling makes it more difficult. This kit would allow me to put the fan straight on the rad and get all the power from the fan to keep the car cool.

 

I still don't really understand why anyone would want a FF setup on a car that is anything other than a huge power dedicated track only car. There's so many good options out there that let you retain a full size radiator, ac, etc and still make big power.

 

I get it. The car you are considering already has that setup, and rather than having to unwind the whole thing and open that can of worms, you're investigating the viability of leaving it as-is. Personally, i'd never opt for this setup in a DD, but that's not really what this thread is about.

Sounds like those halfsize condenser kits are a good bet for keeping it happy. I'd be looking to fit a fan with as much motor and flow as possible, not the usual cheap slim fans. I'd also really consider trying to piece together some sheetmetal ducting to capture and force as much air through those heat exchangers as possible and sandwich/seal the rad and condenser.

 

Appreciate the input guys, so after many hours of contemplation I have decided that even though keeping the ff manifold would probably be the cheapest route I’m going to return to a stock position manifold and reinstall the factory ac along with a full size radiator. Just rather not have to worry about it, not to mention I won’t be racing regularly if much at all.

 

Regardless of racing, a turbo that fits a standard placement manifold isn't going to make more power on an FF manifold anyways... So you're not giving anything up.

 

Exactly, not to mention peace of mind and cold A/C haha

 

I made 750whp on 6466 and standard placement. As other guys told you, if you are not building a 1000+whp car or drag car, there is no need for ff. I have a full Koyo radiator and a/c for the hot summer, so there is no need for ff

 

870whp on a standard placement 6466 here