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Cooling/rad for 3.0

B

Bradness

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
330
Location
Hammertown, Canada
Obviously, the 3.0 generates more heat than a 2.5. As I'm converting a non SVT, my stock radiator has less cooling ability than the better SVT rad.

Anyone have experience with this issue? Will it be necessary to upgrade to an SVT rad? I assume it's a straight bolt-in and it would certainly be a lot easier to do when the drivetrain is out of the car. Comments?
 
I don't think it is necessary but nice if you track the car. rkneeshaw had a stocker for this hybrid 3L in his SE and drove it quite a while w/o issue.
 
Considering the differences in compression ratio 2.5 to 3.0, and the fact the engines are dimensionally nearly identical, I would think the heat generated would be about the same.

Am I wrong here? Doesn't a lower compression somewhat offset the greater heat from additional displacement in the 3L?
 
TourDeForce said:
Considering the differences in compression ratio 2.5 to 3.0, and the fact the engines are dimensionally nearly identical, I would think the heat generated would be about the same.

Am I wrong here? Doesn't a lower compression somewhat offset the greater heat from additional displacement in the 3L?
Click to expand...

It would be the size(volume) of the intake charge, i.e. displacement that is the factor, not so much the compression ratio by itself.
3L is 18-20% larger so therefore 18-20% more cooling ability might be nice.
 
So a bone stock 3.0 has 10:1 compression? Assume it runs on regular gas which means Ford has done a decent job on the combustion chamber.

What was the difference between the non SVT Duratec rad and the SVT-bigger core, more rows/fins? Obviously, the oil cooler helped engine temps too.
 
It is more a matter of tune rather than any improvement in combustion chamber design. The two engines do not have that much of a different combustion chamber. Being a DOHC engine, they both have very nearly a hemispheric chamber (Chrysler isn't the only one) so that's about as perfect as it can be to start with.

The SVT radiator is thicker. If I understand correctly it is 4 row core instead of 2 row core. If anything the engine oil cooler adds to the cooling system's load, as it is cooled by the engine coolant, not by air.
 
Living in Phoenix, I know heat :). Replacing the water-oil cooler with an air-oil cooler helped alot, but mid-summer with the a/c on still challenges the cooling system. I do eventually want to get a Griffin or aftermarket focus one (if determined to be the same dimensions as ours).
 
todras said:
I don't think it is necessary but nice if you track the car. rkneeshaw had a stocker for this hybrid 3L in his SE and drove it quite a while w/o issue.
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This is true, stocker is fine, my car ran the same temp as it did with my old 2.5L. Although if you're going to track the car you may want to invest in the SVT rad. I never tracked the car with the old stock rad but with the SVT rad on the track my oil temps never got over 210 (installed the SVT oil cooler at the same time as the SVT rad) and it was like an 80 degree day.
 
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