<VV> CHT Re: valve seats and "Ping"

[jvhroberts at aol.com]

 But did you REALLY need a gauge to tell you there was a problem? Of course not. 

And Tom had better cooling. A LOT. The problem with Bonneville is the power is on for a long haul. Alas, the engine can't store that much heat, like it could in a drag strip run, so, something more was needed. And yes, as awful as water injection is, it does provide improved cooling, well, as long as the tank holds out. 

And yes, a better fan would offer better cooling. Of course, the silver lining here is, the stocker is HORRIBLE, so, any well designed replacement will beat the stocker hands down. And obviously, intercoolers are a proven technology, and that's why all turbo cars made today have at least one, and none have water injection! 

 

John Roberts
 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: FrankCB <FrankCB at aol.com>
To: jvhroberts <jvhroberts at aol.com>; patiomatt <patiomatt at aol.com>; virtualvairs <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Mon, May 14, 2012 5:16 pm
Subject: Re: <VV> CHT Re:  valve seats and "Ping"


John,
     Of course gauges don't FIX any problem.  But they do alert you to the developing problem that will shut down your engine if you don't take measures to prevent it.  Without CHT gauges I never would have made it home on 3 cylinders one time, or with NO functioning fan another time.
     Wonder why Tom Keosababian used water injection at Bonneville instead of just using "better cooling".  Maybe he just couldn't find a better FAN or an INTERCOOLER good enough to do the job.
     Frank Burkhard
     Boonton, NJ   
 

In a message dated 5/13/2012 9:02:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jvhroberts at aol.com writes:
Too hot.   If the heads were cooler, there wouldn't be so much pinging. Gages don't fix   this problem, we all know it's there. Better cooling does! 

Sure, Viton   and synthetic oil survive this kind of heat a lot better, but it doesn't   change how hot the combustion chambers are operating. 



John   Roberts




-----Original Message-----
From: FrankCB   <FrankCB at aol.com>
To: patiomatt <patiomatt at aol.com>; jvhroberts   <jvhroberts at aol.com>; virtualvairs   <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
Sent: Sun, May 13, 2012 2:16   pm
Subject: CHT Re: <VV> valve seats and "Ping"


Matt and   John,
     Some decades ago when I drove my 1965 180   regularly to work, it would NORMALLY run at 400 deg.F (stock gauge and   thermistor) on level highways at 55 to 70 mph.  Occasionally I would   "floor it" going up a long hill to see what boost I got and the stock CHT   would go to 450 deg.F. but I did have a electronic knock eliminator (Carter   EKE) which may have saved me.  The boost reached 8 psig on a non stock   gauge.  It was only after I insulated the exhaust piping UPSTREAM of the   turbo that I was able to get 10 psig.  But the stock exhaust piping   lasted only about 6 months before it disintegrated at the UP-bend due to   overheating of the metal (according to the chief metallurgist at the chemical   plant where I worked).
     My other Corvairs (110 and 95 hp   models) I ran with an aftermarket CHT gauge installed.  This was a   Stewart Warner "Corvair Cylinder Head Temperature Gauge" (Model 366-LW) with a   gauge that ran from an indicated 200 to 500 deg.F. and included a thermistor   that was installed in the STOCK 3/8 in. tapped hole in the "forward portion of   the left cylinder head".  I checked the calibration of the gauge in   boiling water and it was right on using 14 volts.  In operation both the   110 and 95 hp engines normally indicated 350 deg. F.  Except for the two   times when I let it get up to 450.  One time I had to drive home on only   3 cylinders due to only one functioning carb fortunately on the left   bank.  The other time I had to drive home local roads with NO functioning   fan due to harmonic balancer separation.  Both times when the temp got   over 450, I stopped for a time and let the engine cool off before resuming my   trip.  Both times the engine suffered no apparent damage, but it did   ha
ve the advantage of synthetic engine oil and Viton O-rings.
       That's why I believe EVERY Corvair needs at least ONE CHT   gauge.
Frank "likes gauges" Burkhard
Boonton, NJ