[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Ladies & Gentleman... By popular request, I would like to start the Ultimate Cooling conversation, perhaps not limited to ZL1's but for me at least, focused on the ZL1 platform.

OBJECTIVE; share what has worked, and perhaps what has not, in your efforts to keep your car cool... why? Because heat kills. Remember, the stock tune starts pulling power when IAT's pass 133F on the ZL1, and underhood poor thermal management of all heat generating or heat shedding parts, vs. parts we want to avoid heat soaking is critical in this effort.

I think this thread would benefit from everyone sharing their experience
In order to get the dialog started. It should also shake alot of questions loose so that we can all learn from those who have tested, failed and improved... or perhaps those who were lucky enough to test and win from the start.

I'll go first.

Here is some general data for consideration for the LT4 on where all the heat generated by the combustion cycle is transferred.

Breakdown Explained
Crankshaft Output (~25–30%)
This is the actual useful power delivered to the drivetrain. The rest is waste heat.

Exhaust (~30–35%)
A large portion of the combustion heat leaves the cylinders with the exhaust gases. This is why exhaust temps can exceed 1,600°F in boosted engines like the LT4.

Coolant (~25–30%)
The liquid cooling system removes heat from the cylinder heads and block. Radiators dissipate this heat into the air.

Oil (~5–10%)
The engine oil picks up heat from internal friction and splash-lubricated parts like pistons and bearings. This is increased in the LT4 due to piston squirters that transfer even more heat to the oil making oil cooling especially important in the LT4.

(~5–10%)
Includes heat lost to radiation, friction losses, and heat soaked into the intake manifold, supercharger, etc.

With the enemy targeted, let's discuss solutions.

EXHAUST; The OEM manifolds have much more thermal mass, and shielding then headers, which means if you install SS headers, you are likely adding 200F+ more radiant heat into the engine bay.

SOLUTION; Knowing this is where most of the heat is directed, I have been focusing on this heavily. For me, I have my headers coated and WRAPPED... which should reduce header surface temps from an uncoated (1,000-1,200F) to (500-600F). I realize this is a double edged sword. I will be saving the engine bay from alot of radiant heat (awesome) but I will be pushing alot more heat through the exhaust system, which could be a problem for some cats, and anything that is in close contact to the rest of the exhaust system. Which is why I also wrapped all of the diff. coolant lines that follow the exhaust back to the rear diff. Because my car is still on jack stands, I dont have any data for this change. More to follow. My GESI 4.5" UHO cats are good for 2,000F so I should be good there? Also quick reminder to protect your spark plug wires with some quality DEI BOOTS. I have been running these for along time with great results.

COOLANT; Responsable for removing 25-30% of the heat created, makes this an important area to consider. In my experience, the ZL1 engine coolant system seems to work well, but there is always room for improvement.

SOLUTION; For me, it made sense to install a lower temp thermostat to start the cooling process sooner, in addition to using VP Stay Frosty which which should work well in my Southern California weather... due to it's 100% water based formula with its additives to help reduce fluid surface tension and improve heat transfer. Removing the OEM oil cooler also brought down coolant temps significantly enough that I was able to remove the passenger side AUX cooler from the engine coolant system as a test, with no negative results.
My High Flow Impact Bar LINK HERE not only helps IAT's but it also helps coolant temps.

ENGINE OIL; which absorbs approximately 10% of the heat, and has clearly been an issue for many track users even at stock power levels, seeing temps of 300F or more (sensor limit is 300F). Obviously this is an issue for viscosity thinning which can accelerate friction wear, create blow-by, increase oxidation, create foaming, reduce pressure, etc.

SOLUTION; For me, it was eliminating the OEM oil cooler, and installing an auxiliary mounted bar and plate cooler behind the flow tie LINK HERE. This not only adds approximately, 2 more quarts of oil to the system (more thermal mass) but it also benefits greatly from separating from the hot engine coolant, which has helped both systems independently. I know people have also had great luck with the PWR cooler. The only thing I dont like about that solution is that it removes the AUX cooler from the engine coolant system or in my case, the HX system. I also use a thicker 5W-50 Amsoil for street use, and agree that 15W-50 is best for the track. David Wilkes also has a great solution using a larger oil cooler in the same location. My smaller oil cooler has been shown to save 20-30F on a 850rwhp 2650 build, and 30-40F on a 700rwhp build. I am sure David's cooler should work even better for higher HP builds.

BLOWER HEAT SOAK; As many of you experience, it's easy for IAT.2's to climb when your blower starts to heat soak from the engine. Add to that faster blower speeds for some, and the OEM heat exchanger system can be easily overwhelmed, which can rob you from 100+ HP due to timing being pulled. Evening in stock form, it was sooooo easy to get the car hot enough that you could feel the timing disappearing pull after pull, until it felt like a 400hp car.

SOLUTION; For me, this has been one of my main focuses aside from making more efficient power. Our goal when developing of our Stage.III Super Charger Cooling System was simple. Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the heat exchanger system while utilizing the OEM pump. We achieved this by carefully finding and eliminating all major restrictions, as well as adding and upgrading many components to improve volume, heat soak resistance and overall efficiency. Knowing that we wanted our kit to look as good as it performed, it was critical to get the part combination perfect. After testing several combinations and hose configurations we settled on what you see now. A detailed kit that not only adds that upgraded richer look under the hood, but also unlocked a 50% increase in HX coolant flow. LINK HERE. Although this package might be overkill for some, I enjoyed geeking out on trying to improve the system as much as possible. In current form, my kit is easy to prime the pump, easy to bleed, and is simply effective. I love watching my IAT.2's from 10F+ during 60-130 pulls. 1) Upgrading the Triple HX Package not only added capacity, but the larger main front HX is made extra effective combined with the High Flow Impact Bar. I had one remote tuner call me during a track session, yelling "holy shit, that crash bar thing of your actually works" HAHA... I guess one customer compared some data logs showing a 20-30F reduction in IAT's allowing the remote tuner to add more timing for the next race! Anecdotal, but a cool call to get! My Triple HX package also allows me to run ALL 3/4" silicone hose between the pump, fender tank, and all heat exchangers, which bumped my GPM flow another 20%! When I decided to try the Crossover Delete Package, I was very unsure about the benefits it would have on pressure and flow. In theory, it made sense that the small crossover tube could create a starvation issue on the passenger side brick, and when I had my car torn apart the first time, it was clear that the blower water passages were terrible bottlenecks as was the crossover tube in general. To my surprise, adding the extra -10AN hose, Y Block's etc, free'd up another 20% of coolant flow, and had no negative effect of system pressure. KONG also makes a cool crossover tube now. Although I have not tested it, I am sure it helps with flow. Rounding out the current system is the coolant reservoir and fender tank.

During the development of our Stage.III Super Charger Cooling System, it was clear we needed an auxiliary coolant reservoir in order to not only help prime the OEM HX Pump, but to provide a proper pressure cap which allows the coolant within the heat exchanger system to expand and contract as needed during normal driving, and also prevents an overpressure situation which could damage the pump and or cause a leak in the system.

We tested several existing brands to start, hoping to be able to utilize a part that is already produced at scale in order to pass on maximum savings, and just when we about ran out of options, we found the hidden Edelbrock canister which is only found within the E-Force Supercharger Packages.

The location of the canister was just as important to us. Our goal was to keep it away from the heat of the headers which eliminated it from the common location on the drivers side strut brace which unfortunately places is directly above the red hot headers, and seems to be counter intuitive to the efforts of keeping this fluid as cool as possible. The other easy location is directly in front of the thermostat, but that is where most of the catch can offerings are used (including my Might Mouse Catch Can). That left us only one small space to try and use. One that required the perfect size reservoir, and a custom 2-piece bracket design in order for it to fit. After several weeks and 6 iterations, the solution was not only complete, it was effective, looked OEM and costs ½ of what some of the other fabricated aluminum solutions cost.

This location now provides the perfect place to add fluid in order to prime the pump, and keeps the canister away from the direct heat of the headers, while providing large 3/4” hose barbs which allows us to upgrade all of the hose in the HX system to 3/4” between the pump, fender tank and heat exchangers for even more flow, and system capacity.

For those who already have or wish to use the DMS fender tank, they do work great in combination, but the fender tank does not replace the need for this reservoir. Although the DMS Fender Tank allows for easy system filling, and easy bleeding due to the “high point” of the system factor, it does not provide a pressure cap, and does not allow for easy pump priming. Which is why we added this perfectly fit Edelbrock coolant reservoir to the system and mounted it in a way that allows for easy pump priming as it’s placed between the ECU and engine coolant tank using a custom bracket that bolts to the top of the OEM PCV box.

When it comes time to fill / prime the system, we always begin filling from the reservoir while keeping the fender tank lid open until the system fills enough to remove all major air pockets, and the coolant reservoir is nearly full, and flowing freely. At that point we tighten the 16psi pressure cap, and allow the system to continue to bleed and burp from the fender tank and pressure relief valve provided for the top of the main front HX. Once the system is bleed and the fender tank is approximately 90% full we cap the fender tank and continue to circulate the system allowing it to build pressure and move any air bubbles to the highest point (the fender tank) After 5 minutes we crack open the tank to allow the air to escape, then cap and repeat a few more times for good measure. Note; once the system is full we do not recommend opening the small reservoirs pressure cap, as it sits below the supercharger bricks and will be full and under pressure. The reservoir is only opened when the system has been emptied and is ready to refill. Periodic fillings should be serviced from the fender tank. Luckily, we have alot of other good cooling mods to choose from like David Wilkes super large HX, and the FI interchiller.

Adding to that is my Banks Stage.III Data Control Package, Like many of you data nerds, it was important for me to know how effective / heat soaked the system is in real time. The combination of pressure and temp sensors before and after the supercharger gives me all the data I need to know how much power I have op tap, and how effective the system is performing. I also added an inline GPM flow meter to measure system change improvements.

Lastly, I am switching from Dexcol to distilled water with this new DEI Chill Charger additive.

GENERAL UNDERHOOD HEAT; Clearly these cars generate a TON of heat, and we all hate sitting at a stop light, or or staging lane and seeing our temps climb. Allowing the heat to soak into everything, is a power killer, and although these cars shed that heat pretty quick once you start moving, there are a few things you can do to help.

SOLUTION; For me, the first thing I do in the warmer months is adjust my fan settings. I have then come on alot sooner, and blow harder to help keep air flowing at long stops. PM me if you want my fan settings. I also have the fans stay on for about 3 minutes at 15% power after shut down. I believe this helps aid circulation and kick starts the cooling process between stops. Additionally, my High Flow Hood Bracket helps reduce underhood temps at idle and while driving. David Wilikes also has a cool hood bracket that drops the insert even lower for extra downforce and heat extraction. I am also removing the large foam insulator between the blower and valley cover to aid in air circulation. Also running a Brisk Silver Racing Spark Plug that is 2 steps colder than OEM. I am sure I missed some stuff, but this post is getting long enough

Being an M6 that only see's street duty, I have not had a reason to jump into additional brake, trans or diff cooling. Perhaps others can share their stories on that below.

So far, those are the results of my journey over the last 3.5 years of owning this car, and tinkering with various cooling solutions, designed to mitigate the additional heat generated by all of my performance mods.

GM may have given up on the 6th gen Camaro, but I have not!

Finally, a single thread to capture the collective Camaro.6 brain trust for all cooling topics!!!

Looking forward to hearing everyone else's lessons learned, failures, and winning ideas... so that we can ALL go faster and stay cooler.

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Gabe, looking good as always. So, as you know, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2 kit to my ZL1 with X-Ported factory blower (I also have the DSX Fender Tank installed). IAT is now better than even when my car was stock with only a heads, 100mm TB and a CAI installed. When I originally X-Ported the factory blower, and added the 2.30 upper and the 9.45 lower, and having fuel issues running E, the IAT was sky high, 165° to 180°, boost was 16psi when doing pulls (I was out of fuel system). The data log showed the ECU pulling from 4° to 6° of timing during the pull. Since, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2, the temps are way low! Again, not exceeding 122° max on the hottest days, and averaging 82° to 97°! So, my questions is, with the mods I have, if an Interchiller stage 2 keeping IAT so low, does that eliminate the need for all the other cooling options you guys were civilly discussing on your Phase 2 Mod thread? When I added the 9.6" lower, I'll do a compare are see how the IAT changes, and will compares new boots psi.

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

Gabe, looking good as always. So, as you know, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2 kit to my ZL1 with X-Ported factory blower (I also have the DSX Fender Tank installed). IAT is now better than even when my car was stock with only a heads, 100mm TB and a CAI installed. When I originally X-Ported the factory blower, and added the 2.30 upper and the 9.45 lower, and having fuel issues running E, the IAT was sky high, 165° to 180°, boost was 16psi when doing pulls (I was out of fuel system). The data log showed the ECU pulling from 4° to 6° of timing during the pull. Since, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2, the temps are way low! Again, not exceeding 122° max on the hottest days, and averaging 82° to 97°! So, my questions is, with the mods I have, if an Interchiller stage 2 keeping IAT so low, does that eliminate the need for all the other cooling options you guys were civilly discussing on your Phase 2 Mod thread? When I added the 9.6" lower, I'll do a compare are see how the IAT changes, and will compares new boots psi.

I would just say any "additional" cooling is never going to hurt anything, I would go for as much additional cooling as possible...

[radz28]

SUBSCRIBED!!!

That dang impact bar keeps calling me...

[AZIROC]

Originally Posted by radz28

SUBSCRIBED!!!

That dang impact bar keeps calling me...

This! I know I'm going to eventually end up buying this

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Originally Posted by radz28

... That dang impact bar keeps calling me...

But taking my front bumper off isn't calling me !!!

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

Gabe, looking good as always. So, as you know, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2 kit to my ZL1 with X-Ported factory blower (I also have the DSX Fender Tank installed). IAT is now better than even when my car was stock with only a heads, 100mm TB and a CAI installed. When I originally X-Ported the factory blower, and added the 2.30 upper and the 9.45 lower, and having fuel issues running E, the IAT was sky high, 165° to 180°, boost was 16psi when doing pulls (I was out of fuel system). The data log showed the ECU pulling from 4° to 6° of timing during the pull. Since, I added the FI Interchiller Stage 2, the temps are way low! Again, not exceeding 122° max on the hottest days, and averaging 82° to 97°! So, my questions is, with the mods I have, if an Interchiller stage 2 keeping IAT so low, does that eliminate the need for all the other cooling options you guys were civilly discussing on your Phase 2 Mod thread? When I added the 9.6" lower, I'll do a compare are see how the IAT changes, and will compares new boots psi.

Hey Scott, clearly you have done a great job with with cooling mods and more than enough offset all that extra heat you are making (considering IAT.2's only) based on the numbers I've seen on your datalogs, you have enough cooling to offset at least another 100rwhp... wink, wink...

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

I would just say any "additional" cooling is never going to hurt anything, I would go for as much additional cooling as possible...

Hey buddy, Could not agree more!

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by AZIROC

This! I know I'm going to eventually end up buying this

I appreciate that... that last batch sold alot faster than expected... My next batch should be ready to ship towards the end of next month. Email me if you want a discount on a pre-order

This next batch will have a few more improvements also. Going to shorten the height about 1/2" providing a pinch more spacing for our Stage.I Oil Cooler + the brackets for the oil cooler will now be welded on in advance vs. bolted on + all of the laser cut parts will have key slots for faster welding / finishing, with the goal to offset the higher cost of raw goods + going to run the next batch with a satin wrinkle powder coat for an easier time cleaning + the aluminum air deflectors are bumping up from .050" thick to .063"... just a few small changes aimed at making this better and better each time around.

[radz28]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

But taking my front bumper off isn't calling me !!!

It 1,000,000 fasteners (exaggerating), but it's not hard. It's a PITA to have to pull the wheels to drop the liners, but still easy. Just make sure to correctly orient the brake ducts when reinstalling the facia. The factory didn't align mine correctly, and pinched one of them a bit (it was the rubber end, so it wasn't a big deal). AND - while I forget which side it is, there is an optimal side to disconnect the DRLs (driver's side, I think?...). If you figure that out, and execute, it is not that bad.

I'd, also, recommend a power hex-drive-type impact gun. It makes the unfastening/fastening of the all the fasteners so much easier.

It is easy, but a little tedious. You got this.

[clg82]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

But taking my front bumper off isn't calling me !!!

Take it to Katech? I kid.....sort of.

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by radz28

It 1,000,000 fasteners (exaggerating), but it's not hard. It's a PITA to have to pull the wheels to drop the liners, but still easy. Just make sure to correctly orient the brake ducts when reinstalling the facia. The factory didn't align mine correctly, and pinched one of them a bit (it was the rubber end, so it wasn't a big deal). AND - while I forget which side it is, there is an optimal side to disconnect the DRLs (driver's side, I think?...). If you figure that out, and execute, it is not that bad.

I'd, also, recommend a power hex-drive-type impact gun. It makes the unfastening/fastening of the all the fasteners so much easier.

It is easy, but a little tedious. You got this.

I bought a Milwaukee 1/4” M12 ratchet this year for this task specifically and I have to say it’s life changing lol. I used to just manually ratchet all those little fasteners off and then wonder if I was developing carpal tunnel. The 1/4” Milwaukee ratchet made the job SO much faster.

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by Joshinator99

I bought a Milwaukee 1/4” M12 ratchet this year for this task specifically and I have to say it’s life changing lol. I used to just manually ratchet all those little fasteners off and then wonder if I was developing carpal tunnel. The 1/4” Milwaukee ratchet made the job SO much faster.

Hell yeah, same here... except I have the much nicer looking, more durable, more ergonomic, faster, cooler.... DEWALT version

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by SOCAL.M6.ZLE

Hell yeah, same here... except I have the much nicer looking, more durable, more ergonomic, faster, cooler.... DEWALT version

Peasant