Dejon Tool's Race FMIC

badboy93tsi · Jul 1, 2004

It's DONE!!

Well...I finally got done with FMIC install. I put around 20 hours into it. I took some pics along the way (will do a review soon). Everything looking good. However, I have overheating problem. I'm running two 12" slim fan from SBR. The car overheating like crazy. On highway, coolant temperature reached up 212 and stayed there. In heavy stop and go traffic, temp would go up to 224 and stuck there.

I replaced new coolant fluids (50 water/50 coolant). New 180* thermostat, waterpump about 15k miles ago. Also, I noticed my turbo is glowing red after I got home from work. This is the first time I'm seeing its glowing red. What could be the possible cause for my overheating problem? What could have caused my turbo to turn red with hardly no boosting? Any help will be appreciated.

diambo4life · Jul 1, 2004

You are probably not getting enough airflow through the radiator. I would expect this to get worse with the fmic in place and the new core (bar and plate) that they (DT) are using. My extrude tube seems to let much more air through than a bar and plate style. I have never had any overheating issues. To be fair though, I don't have an AC condensor and I have a much bigger bumper opening than you do. Since I have both styles 1G, I have noticed that the 1GBs' do have warmer engine bays..(intake tempt.) at least in my case.

Are both fans turning on? No leaks etc? Try using some water wetter and if possible wrap up some of the exhaust parts, coolant hoses and probably even hack your bumper a little bit to let more air through. In the mean time, wire at least one of the fans to run all the time till you can fix your overheating issues. Try and run some of the redline water wetter stuff too and see if it helps.

It's normal for the turbo to glow. Just make sure you are not knocking alot which would cause your timing to get pulled which would then cause the turbo and manifold to get very hot from higher EGTs.

badboy93tsi · Jul 1, 2004

what do you mean by leaks? Is it coolant leaks that you were talking about? How do you wire one fan to run all the time?

I will try two bottle of Water Wetter in today along with 30/70 water/coolant mixture to see if that helps. What kind of water do you use? Can I use regular tap water or it has to be distilled? I might cut the cover but I will try 160 thermostat and custom air duct between fmic and radiator to direct more air into the radiator.

diambo4life · Jul 2, 2004

badboy93tsi said:
what do you mean by leaks? Is it coolant leaks that you were talking about? How do you wire one fan to run all the time?

I will try two bottle of Water Wetter in today along with 30/70 water/coolant mixture to see if that helps. What kind of water do you use? Can I use regular tap water or it has to be distilled? I might cut the cover but I will try 160 thermostat and custom air duct between fmic and radiator to direct more air into the radiator.

Yeah..I meant coolant leaks since they will reduce the vapor pressure and consequently reduce it's boiling point. Then, your car runs hot! Just make sure you don't have any (leaks) first. If that checks out fine, you can try and duct more air to the engine bay. In my opinion, I wouldn't go lower than the 180* thermostat you are running right now. Your car may start to run "weird" with very low cruising coolant temperatures and to my understanding, engine oil works best at operating temperatures which is 180*+. Not to mention the fact that your gas milage will suffer with very low temperatures plus your timing gets all out of whack too. Not worth it. Stick with the 180*. You can hardwire one of the fans straight from the fuse box (under hood) for constant power when the car's turned on. I just use regular tap water. You don't really need distilled water for coolant purposes. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

cdstalon · Jul 2, 2004

To be honest, water is really the coolant agent in the water/coolant mix. It has a much better rate of heat transfer. The coolant is only there to raise the boiling point of water, and since a 50 50 mix gives you a boiling point of around 270, I'd say you're fine. Add some more water or try some water wetter too.

badboy93tsi · Jul 2, 2004

I appreciate for all the advices! However I have good and bad news

Lets start with good news...I'm gonna jank the AC and balance shaft out.

Bad news: Yesterday, I drained the coolant and left maybe 20% of it. I added two bottles of Water Wetter and the rest were tapped water. The car ran fine and temperature stayed relatively low (182-192) for the first couple miles. Then the traffic got kinda heavy. I got stuck at a red light and temperature went up to 212...224...235. As I anxiously waited for the light to turn green so I can turn into a near by shopping mall to shut the car off. As I turned into the parking lots, temperature read 243

Water was boiling out of the resevoir. I had both the slim fans on and working religiously but not enough. I popped the cap on the resevoir off and to my suprised, some oil mixed with coolant. I decided to have it towed home.

I know aluminium head can't withstand being overheating but I just can't believed it didnt take but a few minutes to destroy a headgasket. I have mitsu metal gasket + ARP head studs. The car ran absolutely fine before it got overheating.

I will pull the head out hopefully today, have it check out and possibly have it decked. Composite gasket/cooper spray is what I'm going to use next since it can withstand 25psi+ and can compensate more or less of the rough mating surfaces.

I'm thinking of putting the stock passenger fan back on after having after back together. I might order Fluidyne radiator if money allow. Aftermarket slim fans don't seemed to pull as strong as stock fans. Oh well...live and learn.

I will still post some pics from my FMIC install and do a review on it though.

badboy93tsi · Jul 8, 2004

some quick updates!

I did a compression test yesterday and here are the results:

#1 = 150
#2 = 152
#3 = 155
#4 = 162

I also changed my oil and no obvious coolant in oil. I looked at the sparkplugs and they all seemed fine.

A local dsm friend suggested that I run without a thermostat. I took the thermostat out and discovered something unbelievable. The coolant inlet pipe that go from the coolant bottle neck to the turbo was blocked by a piece of plastic the size of a dime. Hence, no coolant/water could get to the turbo to cool it down. I know Mitsu turbo is both water/oil cooled but since the oil passage on 14b is so small, it needs water to cool it more efficient.

What is this has anything to do with my blown headgasket? Well...I'm not 100% sure yet but from the way it looks, I think my headgasket is fine. The reason for oil found in coolant is because the center section of the 14b got overheated so much that it cracked. It caused both coolant and oil to mixed. Ask you know, oil is much hotter than coolant and its stays hot longer. Thus, my 14b glowing red even with no boost. As oil and water mixed together, the whole coolant system become overheated.

Did both 12" slim fans cooled it down fast enough? NOPE! As I put the stock passenger side fan back on, I've found stock fans pulls much stronger and cool much better.

I will pull the turbo out this weekend to verify if the center section has cracks which there is a good possibility it is. Time for turbo upgrade!!!:rockon: I WILL try to get some pics up soon. Later for now.

diambo4life · Jul 15, 2004

Re: some quick updates!

badboy93tsi said:
I WILL try to get some pics up soon. Later for now.

I'm still waiting for the friggin pictures.

badboy93tsi · Jul 18, 2004

PICS!!!

Sorry for the delay. I encountered overheating problems after installing the FMIC. At first, I thought my headgasket went because I found some oils in my coolant resevoir bottle. I did the compression test and got good compression. Changed my oil and no coolant in oils. To make long story short, I found out the stock 14b center section got crack due to overheating. Both water/coolant and oils got mixed up. I finally fixed it by install another 14b and that's pretty much solved the oils in coolant issue. I also flushed the whole coolant system with coolant flush.

Ok, where is the option for my to upload pics from my hard-drive?

anothernt · Jul 18, 2004

If you want I can host the pics. But I won't be able to put them up til late tonight. You can send em to my email at sean3d333@mail.com . Or I've heard www.photobucket.com is a decent hosting service.

badboy93tsi · Jul 19, 2004

pics coming...

Sean going to host some pics for me. He should have it upload later today hopefully. Thanks for being patient.

anothernt · Jul 19, 2004

Here ya go. I didn't post all the pics you sent me, but I did upload them so I'll send you the addresses if you want to post them.

diambo4life · Jul 19, 2004

Looks good.

badboy93tsi · Jul 20, 2004

Sean, I really appreciated for hosting the pics for me! As for review of the DT fmic, I will have a write-up soon along with more pics. Later for now.:happy:

chubb · Jul 20, 2004

is there way to keep the ac with dt race fmic?
I really really want to keep my ac..

badboy93tsi · Jul 21, 2004

Yup! I still have my AC. You will have to hack your bumper support a little bit more. Plus, you will have to make your own custom mounting backets and loop your PS cooler line behind the hood support bracket. Also, you might have to trim a little bit of your bumper cover. That's about all you have to do. No more overheating problem for me. I rewired the AC fan to come on whenever the Passenger fan kicks in. I will try to post up a short review and some more pics. Later.

centxdsm · Jul 21, 2004

I have this kit also so i figured i would chime in. I love it

Some cutting involved but it's worth it. No overheating here but i never uses my ac so i don't know if that efefcts it. My core was damaged in shipping and Dave (dejon) said he would replace the core for me. Well the tubes were not damaged and it is not visible with the bumper on so i kept it. very nice piece and well worth the money.

Dejon Tool's Race FMIC

badboy93tsi

diambo4life

badboy93tsi

diambo4life

cdstalon

badboy93tsi

badboy93tsi

diambo4life

badboy93tsi

anothernt

badboy93tsi

anothernt

diambo4life

badboy93tsi

chubb

badboy93tsi

centxdsm

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