[Welding Rod]

I just did some data gathering. Went up a long very steep grade, about 68 degrees indicated on the bank's thermometer a couple miles away. Started in 3rd and then into 4th. First line of data at 44 MPH is at a stabilized cruise climbing base of hill, after that I punch it.

MPH / ECT / ACT
44 / 230 / 66
52 / 233 / 66
57 / 233 / 66
66 / 233 / 68
71 / 233 / 68
74 / 235 / 69
77 / 235 / 71
81 / 235 / 71
84 / 235 / 71
88 / 235 / 71
91 / 235 / 73

Damn, foregot to record where I shifted. This is at 12-13 PSI, water injection on, OEM thermostat, 1/3 antifreeze, with Water Weter, and the turbo plumbed into the cooling system.

I need to try a colder thermostat. Once the ECT passes 230, timing starts to get pulled in a pretty serious way by the computer.

 

[1turbofocus]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Those ECT`s are WAYYYYY to high for boosted , Anything over 225 and i stop the run or let off the gas

Keep in mind that out ECT probe does not contact water it is in the head in an air pocket for lack of a better discription and gives a very good idea of what the lower part of the head and upper Cyl temp is doing

Tom

 

[Lentech Automatics]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Our ECTs look very similar...still trying to find the application for a 180 stat. Local parts guys and Ford dealer can't find the right donor car. Might have to just take it to the store and do physical comparisons. Aren't there 2 sensors? One in the block and the other in the head? ( Cyl head temp sensor? ) Which is the one that the logger is reading?

 

[1turbofocus]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I could be wrong but i think there is only one Temp sensor and it is located in the head close/below the #2 Intake runner The SVT temp sensor goes into water at the thurmostat housing but both sensors seem to work about the same

The 180 Thurmostat i get is for a 1996/1997 up Contour DOHC Zertec form Advance store

Tom

 

[LeadfootS2]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

You're right in line with mine too. Which I think is kind of high. I wonder what your EGT's would look like.
With the way Tom is talking about always running so much cooler than us I wonder what the difference could be? Head gasket? Mine has increasing size flow holes starting at #1 with small holes for water flow and they get bigger as you go down the line towards #4.

Tom, do you port the flow holes in your head gasket to match the block?

 

[Welding Rod]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I just bought and tried the Ford (OEM) Contour (96-97) Thermostat, Motorcraft part number F8RZ-8575-CA, the only part number catalogued at my dealer for the Contour with a Zetec. The dealer's book does not show temp rating, but the local auto parts store's book show that should be a 180, but evidently Ford dropped the 180 and is using all 192s now (edit - should have read 198F / 92C, not 192).

Don't buy that part - it is exactly the same.

 

[ZX3Crazy]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Rod,

Focus Central sells a 170 degree thermostat.

 

[Lee Martinez]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I got my 170 thermo from zxtuner.com, I like it, but we had to do some fiddling with the ECU and fan switch on temps cause with just the thermo there wasn't much of a temp difference.

 

[CCC]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Dumb Q...ECT??? ACT??? I know temp is somewhere in there just not sure. Ambient Cylinder Temp? Something like that...just fill me in so next time I don't fell so stupid...


CCC

 

[LeadfootS2]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

ACT=Intake air temp
ECT=coolant temp

 

[zx3focusguy]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

My ECT is fine, but my ACT is extremely high. At idle even when the car has been running a short time it sits at 100*
But I attribute this to the fact my heater hoses lay right on my turbo inlet. I am planning if I get time to get some different heater hose and reroute it this weekend.


Scott

 

[ZX3Crazy]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Extend your intake so it's as close to the wheel well as possible. Then make a heat shield to cover the turbo inlet area. It works!

 

[zx3focusguy]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

It is. It's all the way up in the inner fender well. I think I will just re route my heater hoses with some 1/2 or 5/8 heater hose or whatever size it is.

Scott

 

[Welding Rod]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I just bought and tried the Ford (OEM) Contour (96-97) Thermostat, Motorcraft part number F8RZ-8575-CA, the only part number catalogued at my dealer for the Contour with a Zetec. The dealer's book does not show temp rating, but the local auto parts store's book show that should be a 180, but evidently Ford dropped the 180 and is using all 192s now.

Don't buy that part - it is exactly the same.

Allow me to quote myself. I wrote (incorrectly) above about Ford using 192's as that is what I have continually seen all over the forums here. Very close examination on the stock thermostat and also the replacement I bought for a 96/97 Contour show a very faint "92" with a degree mark stamped in the thermostat.

92 degrees C is almost 198 degrees, not 192.

 

[zx3focusguy]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

Pretty sure you'll have to go aftermarket. Just go to autozone or advance and ask for a 180 for a 96 contour. Thats what I did and it was only like $6.

Scott

 

[orangeZXT]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

hey rod do u know what i can use 4 gasket on turbo header

 

[Welding Rod]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I just did some data gathering. Went up a long very steep grade, about 68 degrees indicated on the bank's thermometer a couple miles away. Started in 3rd and then into 4th. First line of data at 44 MPH is at a stabilized cruise climbing base of hill, after that I punch it.

MPH / ECT / ACT
44 / 230 / 66
52 / 233 / 66
57 / 233 / 66
66 / 233 / 68
71 / 233 / 68
74 / 235 / 69
77 / 235 / 71
81 / 235 / 71
84 / 235 / 71
88 / 235 / 71
91 / 235 / 73

Damn, foregot to record where I shifted. This is at 12-13 PSI, water injection on, OEM thermostat, 1/3 antifreeze, with Water Weter, and the turbo plumbed into the cooling system.

I need to try a colder thermostat. Once the ECT passes 230, timing starts to get pulled in a pretty serious way by the computer.

OK, I tried this again. I got an American made Stant 180 degree thermo, part number 13978. I tested again at the same place and duplicated the run as close as I could. Only difference was today read 78 on the bank's thermometer a couple miles away from my test site, everythings else, gas, boost pressure, test hill, etc. were the same.

At an easy cruise on flat ground around town and on the hiway up to 65-70 MPH it was running 206-210, that is up to approximately 20 degrees less than with the OEM 198 thermostat. So far so good.

Then back to the hill:

MPH / ECT / ACT
43 / 224 / 78 (I held steady here at 43 MPH again prior to going WOT - this is on a grade hence the 224 ECT instead of the lower flat cruise numbers mentioned above)
44 / 226 / 78 (WOT from here on)
51 / 226 / 78
60 / 226 / 77
65 / 226 / 75
72 / 228 / 75
76 / 228 / 75
78 / 230 / 77
81 / 230 / 77
83 / 233 / 78
87 / 233 / 78
90 / 233 / 78
94 / 233 / 80
96 / 233 / 80

Looks like with a thermostat that is 18 degrees colder, I am running 2 degrees colder at WOT during test conditions that are about 10 degrees warmer. Not what I had hoped for.

With the 198, I stabilized at 230 before I started, and then rose up to 235, gaining 5 degrees. With the 180, I stabilized at 224 and peaked at 233, gaining 9 degrees.

Looks like there isn't a bunch of reserve left in the cooling system at this power level.

 

[BerinG]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I thought it would do a bigger difference in temp with the new thermostat.. but i guess it did still help a little as they are lower, but the temp outside was higher.. what else could caus temps to stay high like that.. coolant itself getting old? you have a FMIC which should be fine..

was it sunny? humid?

think its possible to change fan parameters in SCT to help it start earlier maybe?

anyone else has monitoring numbers to compare with? tom seems to think this is too high..

 

[Welding Rod]

Re: ACT ECT MPH - Fluidyne Rad Added

Got the Fluidyne radiator in today and did some more tests. Still using about 35% anti-freeze, remainder water, with 1 oz. Water Wetter per quart of the mix.

On the radiator install... nothing too eventful. The rad is 1 5/8 thick compared to the OEM 1". It is also a little bit wider than the OEM. Welds were very nice as is the general appearance. Downside was the 4 slotted brackets that hold the OEM fan assembly in place had no way of locking the fan shroud down... the shroud just slips in and gravity is supposed to do the rest I guess

I ran down the auto parts and bought a 4 pack of Hayden #290 plastic do-hickies. I drilled 4 holes in the shroud and ran the do-hickies (that look like black plastic nails with very very big heads) through the holes, though the radiator, and then secured them with the supplied discular "clip" thingys. Wow, they worked really great and appeared to be quite good quality. EDIT: The name of the do-hickies is "Quik-Mount nylon mounting rods".

Oh and I noticed ahead of time that there was no way the shroud would clear the turbo if it were any closer. So before I even installed it I took my radiator support bracket - the long black piece maybe 3' long that runs under the radiator and holds it up - and cut out the center section, just outboard of where the two big rubber donuts sit. I moved the center piece forward 7/8", and welded in back in place... adding some gusseting to make it look clean. I will get some pics in a couple weeks when I install and take pics of the down pipe I am making.

Anyhow this moved the bottom of the rad forward a little bit (7/8") and gave the needed clearance for the shroud / turbo.

In a few minutes I'll post the data I logged this after noon.

 

[Welding Rod]

Re: ACT ECT MPH

I just did some data gathering. Went up a long very steep grade, about 68 degrees indicated on the bank's thermometer a couple miles away. Started in 3rd and then into 4th. First line of data at 44 MPH is at a stabilized cruise climbing base of hill, after that I punch it.

MPH / ECT / ACT
44 / 230 / 66
52 / 233 / 66
57 / 233 / 66
66 / 233 / 68
71 / 233 / 68
74 / 235 / 69
77 / 235 / 71
81 / 235 / 71
84 / 235 / 71
88 / 235 / 71
91 / 235 / 73

Damn, foregot to record where I shifted. This is at 12-13 PSI, water injection on, OEM thermostat, 1/3 antifreeze, with Water Weter, and the turbo plumbed into the cooling system.

I need to try a colder thermostat. Once the ECT passes 230, timing starts to get pulled in a pretty serious way by the computer.

OK here is the results of todays first test. First, for general info, I tested with the OEM 198F thermostat. It was 90F ambient and I tested on the same hill, same PSI, fuel, etc and used the same basic procedure as I did a year ago, except I started in 4th and stayed in 4th gear.

90F Ambient - Previous test in the quote above was at 68F.

MPH / ECT / ACT
56 / 239 / 89
59 / 239 / 89
66 / 240 / 89
71 / 240 / 89
74 / 240 / 84
78 / 240 / 82
81 / 240 / 82
83 / 242 / 82
85 / 242 / 82
88 / 242 / 84
91 / 242 / 84