89 5.0 overheating after turbo install!...need help!
 

This post is actually for my buddy who just finished his TT setup on his 89 5.0.

It's a conventional setup with the manifolds running forward to the turbos then the piping runs from the turbo into the FMIC and then back into the intake. EVERYTHING is basically on FIRE!!...sorta. The engine even at idol or steady highway driving, (NO BOOSTING)...runs the engine about about 210-220. Even at idol when the fan kicks on, the car will run to about 195-200 degrees with the hood open. The car has a FAT radiator on it and a 180 degrees thermostat.

Yesterday, his AC lines burst after melting while driving on the freeway!! Even though he's thermo wrapped many of his wires, he's still "melting" stuff.

After he drove the car for about 15 miles with no boost, we opened his hood and if you were touching the intake pipe for more than a split second, it would have severely burned your hand!!!...that's how hot it's running.

My question is, have any of y'all TT guys experienced this and what did you do to fix it?? Also, he just flushed the radiator and is running 100% water. Thanks for the help!

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/IMG_0790.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...y/IMG_0789.jpg

Are the headers glowing? Does he have the timing severly retarded? Try posting over on turbomustangs.com if you haven't already. More traffic over there.

Definitely check your timing curve, it should not be running that hot. A lot of turbo mustang guys simply twist back the distributor to hit their target advance while under boost, which is the wrong way to do things ;) Definitely have to chip the PCM and burn a custom advance curve into it.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

If the engine is running in the 200-220 range it should not be melting wires or ac lines. Sounds like the turbos are creating a lot of under hood hot spots and the heat can't get out. Are the lines close to the turbos that are melting? Have you taken the rubber seal off the back of the firewall where it meets the hood? That may let some heat out. Might try lifting the hood up in the rear some too or a cowl hood would be even better.

I assume you have checked the water pump and it's flowing good. If not, with the engine cool, radiator cap off, start engine and warm to temp. You should see flow through the radiator once the thermostat opens. It may try to over flow but start with the radiator down a little.

What fans to you have? Is your shrould covering most of the radiator? Even a big radiator won't cool if air is not pulled over most of it's area. Some of the small bladed aftermarket fans just don't pull enough air though to cool an engine like you have. You may need a fan that will pull some real air! Or a dual fan set up like the LS1's have.

Larry,
He needs to solve the problems at idle first. At idle the engine shouldn't be running that hot, even with turbos. The turbos shouldn't creat that much heat at idle. I'm betting it's a timing problem.

An engine with inadequate air flow will heat up more at idle. Granted an engine doesn't produce as much heat idling but it doesn't dissipate as much heat either. No forward motion air flow. And after driving those turbos are still hot at idle. I bet you it's not a timing problem.

Much of it was a timing issue. He was manually controlling it by a computer chip he built. Once he switched back to the PCM controlling the timing, the car cooled off a bit. He wrapped all of the hot side and put "turbo blankets" on the exhaust housing. It's still running around 190 - 200 after he's been on it for a small amount, but that's much better than what it was at. Also, the car pulls like a freaking beast! Thanks for the help!

Glad to hear you're getting it squared away.. 190-200 isn't bad at all, I would be comfortable running those temps all day long...

My stang runs at 190 with the a/c off and right at 200 with it on sitting in traffic. Im happy with that. Running dual 12's off a cougar, fms radiator and a autozone especial waterpump.