Re: my HOT HOT Quat

[Robert Houk - WorkGroup Server Firmware <Robert.Houk@East.Sun.COM>]

   >The single UrQ radiator conversion just doesn't cut it
   on a hot day in Colorado. If I just let it do it's
   thing in traffic, it runs right up to the end of the
   stock coupes coolant temp gauge. This is only a hair
   from an overheat condition. Same thing happens with
   the AC on when I'm in heavy traffic.

   I'm with Chris on this one, While Portland Maine is not a
   hot day in Colorado, my single rad UrQ is doing OK
   at speed during these 95%+ days. 100C max(no AC though)
   I would go through the system checking for blockages and
   poor circulation and of course true temp #'s.  If your that close
   to overheating your fans should be coming on without you having to
   force them on.
   Good Luck
   Mike

I'll hafta concur as well. Counter-intuitively, _my_ UrQ fairs better
with single radiator than with dual -- it runs cooler (several degrees)
and more consistently (temp-wise) after I removed the aux radiator.
This rather surprised me; my retrospective guess is that "around town"
the aux radiator merely serves to short-circuit the primary radiator
and flush uncooled coolant directly back into the engine. At highway
speeds, the primary radiator is more than adequate. I did notice that
in mid-90's, at highway speed, the temp was cruising around 185-190
(F, natch); normally it's locked (supercooled, as it were) at 175-180.

If you turn on the A/C, the radiator fan is forced to hurricane speed
and supercools the radiator *at any temperature* that you can stand
to get to the car. If your engine overheats in traffic with the A/C
turned on, you have a problem -- either the radiator fan is not
working right, or (I suspect more likely) your radiator/cooling system
is packed full of sludge and other crap and simply not able to cycle
the heat out of the engine. (never overlook the obvious -- is your
guage and sender working and accurate?)

(I will parenthetically also add that I am running a "4000" radiator
at the moment, which I believe is actually smaller than the stock UrQ
one, but with A/C was cheaper ($substantially) than replacing just the
stock UrQ A/C coil which had rotted out! I will also once again use
this opportunity to rail against the Audi cooling design -- put in a
lower-temp thermostat [and rad fan switch]; the stock setup will heat-
soak to well over 250F [my temp guage pegged] on shutdown, which --
IMO -- is way too hot to run the engine.)

					-RDH