I was just wondering if you guys were just using bags of ice or if anyone was running the racing intake cooler sold by people like LM Performance. It seems like there would be a good gain by dropping the temps of the intake manifold which as we all know gets hot. I know that it probably seems like a dumb question, but I just didn't want to throw a bag of ice up on my intake and then end up causing some expensive damage to the electronics. If you do use bags of ice do you cover them with towels or do anything to protect the electronics?

Thanks alot guys

 

Your motor will stay a lot cooler if you get a 160 degree t-stat and reprogram the fans to come on at 180. I can put my hand on the intake manifold after driving in the summer and it doesn't burn. You can put a bag of ice on the intake, but water will get everywhere. SLP sells a fan switch that will keep the radiator fans going while the motor is off.

 

Thanks I know those are ways to keep the motor alot cooler and those are on the way also, but I am looking for opinions on ways to keep the intake manifold specifically cooler just for drag racing. All the stuff you mentioned definetly will help I am just looking for a little extra to hopefully cut a tenth or so off.

 

You should consider tubular lower control arms with relocation brackets. These will definitely improve your launch and times. The 2.73 gears are also holding you back. Coated headers will lower the under-hood temp drastically.

 

I would think a bath towel between the ice and engine would suffice. Also, don't let it sit until all the ice melts. I usually let my car sit with the hood open, the fans on and in an open area(if possible) to get any kind of air movement around it.

Honestly, I don't think it'll help that much since the LT1 intake is a big cavity. It'd be different with an intake that actually has runners longer than 8".

A cowl hood will help you a little bit too.

 

Thanks alot,
Those are definetly my next suspension mods along with some SFC's. I realize that my 2.73's are hurting me, but unfortunatly I am going to have to keep them until I can afford a 12 bolt or a 9". I know there is still alot of untapped potential in the setup I have now and I am just trying to squeeze out every last tenth that I can, and the hotter temps are not helping out much.

Since my sig I have ran a 2.106 60' with only my front swaybar removed on street tires of course. Since the 2.106 I have added an airbag in the right rear spring and I have a poly tranny and torque arm mount waiting to install. Right now I am just trying to get all the little stuff right on the car before I jump to the next level which shouldn't be that long away...

 

Thanks for the info, that is what I was thinking, I was just looking to cool off a little faster in the staging lanes. I am going to order my fan switch tonight and work out some way to cool off my intake some way without compromising the electronics. I think this would allow me to be a little cooler than with just the fans. I guess there is only one way to find out.

Any more ideas or comments would be appreciated. I am just trying to learn all I can since I have only owned this car for a couple of months, and some of my freinds have just bought LS1's and I can't have them outrunning me. I am trying to get ahead of them with minimal mods until my big project.

 

How about a procooler

 

Using street tires and icing your intake in the staging lanes can really hurt your times. I have seen it many times. People will drive around the water box and while they are staging, the water will drip down to where there rear tires are. Street tires+water=horible 60's. You could try icing the intake while your car is parked and push it through the lanes. I have had no problem with leaky water on my electronics. I have heard for every 10 degrees you can drop the engine temp that it equates to 1 percent horsepower. If you have 300HP for example 10 degrees cooler could net you 9HP and might get you down a tenth like you're looking for. Just my experience over the past 3 years. Goodluck!

Donny

 

Yeah I almost always push my car through the staging lanes, That is what I was thinking about doing. I went and bought me about 4 of the gel freezer packs that I am going to wrap up in a thin towel and I will see if it helps at all.

Thanks for all the ideas guys.