Honda Radiator on SC400?

[spf_lexus]

I am planning to keep my SC naturally aspirated with a max hp of 380BHP (eventually). I just finished mounting a VVt 1uz and it has a front facing throttle body. I want to run a 3'' ID intake from the TB straight through where the radiator currently sits so I can get a ram air effect plus the colder air outside. The only way I can do this is to cut the size of the radiator in half so I can run the piping around it and still have a straight shot to the front bumper openings. By taking this aggressive straight-shot route, the intake length should be about stock, if not shorter.

Do any of you guys feel a high performance aluminum honda rad would work? They are 1/2 the size of the sc400 rad and I know they are made to support high HP.


Any ideas?

 

[spf_lexus]

I already have a high flow 14" electric fan and deleted my A/C condensor to keep things simple.

 

[stevechumo]

I think it will work only if you'll run NA. Honda Civic and Acura crowds have a 1/2 width but double thick radiators. They use them to gain space in the front for the turbo system. Take into consideration they only 4 cylinders, so they don't have overheating issue. Our V8 is double in size, so the heat is more likely double.

To be safe, you should have 1 push and 1 pull fans for this radiator.

 

[brock]

Keep in mind that a rad half as wide but twice as thick will actually have less cooling capacity, even though the internal volume may be the same. Front surface area is the most important thing for a radiator. As the air travels through the thickness it heats up and becomes less able to take more heat out of the radiator.
If you do go with a smaller radiator, also add a good oil cooler. That would help make up for some of the cooling capacity loss.
Heat kills, not speed.

 

[spf_lexus]

How are 500WHP civics cooled? Aluminum triple/quad core rads... I'm just thinking about a cheap 3x core solution w/o spending a grip on a racing spec honda Rad.

I did some research and the STOCK civic Del Sol rad is a double core and supports 2x its BHP from the factory. With that alone, that will support 300BHP. Aftermarket rads can double that for a total support of 600bhp but now im reaching the $300+ rad range.

I'm thinking of a cheap aftermarket aluminum rad(dual or triple) with puller AND pusher fans being used, as well as some water wetter additive. Like I said tho, 380BHP from N/A is my final goal, no boost. I figured as a daily driver I can make it a monster but it will need lots and lots of weight reduction.

 

[stevechumo]

Radiator efficiency can't really be measured by hp capacity only. It's better to be measured by the engine size and displacement.

 

[Zuffen]

You also need to look at the flow rate of the radiator.

If the piping is too small you'll only redue the amount of water flowing through the system.

You want to increase the cooling capacity for any modified engine and going down in radiator size is asking for trouble.