Moar overheating!

[BDK]

There is a sure way to bleed the cooling system on 'big' six engines.
1. After repair is made (before adding coolant) remove bleeder screw and run
a small piece of wire down the hole to dislodge any mineral deposits..
2. Replace the screw, but leave valve 'open'.
3. Open heater control valve and add coolant until it begins to escape from
the bleeder hole.
4. Now close bleeder screw and replace the expansion tank cap and tighten.
5. Remove the small coolant line that runs from the radiator to the
expansion tank AT THE EXPANSION tank and hold it as high as you can.
6. Now attach another hose the expansion tank in place of the one you've
just removed. BLOW (gently!!) through this hose until coolant emerges from
the small elevated radiator hose.
7. Now remove the 'blow' hose and reconnect the small radiator hose to the
expansion tank..
8. Now top off the expansion tank to the full mark.
9. Start and warm up engine and check for leaks!!
That's it. Good luck.
BTW, this procedure is compliments of Jim Rowe at Metric Mechanic

[Erick]

Try a fan shroud, not too sure about m30 motors, but I know with my m52 it overheats quick when I start laying on the throttle even when the fan is always on (i have a 16" pusher fan w/out fan shroud and I think 88* thermostat).

I'm not too sure if it's a air bubble thing, but when you go to rebleed the system, raise the front of the car, so all the air goes to the highest point (ie radiator) and will bleed, or you can use a vacuum bleeder. I know when i worked at Nissan I bought one of those and never had any coolant issues when refilling the system.

And if thats still not the case, run a different mix. You're in FL, it doesn't get TOO cold down there so you can easily run a 75/25 mix with some water wetter from Redline.

Oh BTW, I'm going down to Ft. Lauderdale in May for work :)

Yeah, the more I bleed the system the harder I find it to believe that it is still an air bubble. We have already bled the car in many different ways. Yesterday I just did the usual "pop out the expansion tank and hold it about a foot higher than the motor" method.

Then after that we put it back and we tried with the bleeder screw.

And these aren't the only two methods I've tried. I've done it on the ramp (as you suggested), etc etc.

I'm leaning more towards Otis' theories (just frustrated and somewhat reluctant to admit it), but we'll see what's up. I have some ABS plastic laying around, so I will see if I try to make a shroud one of these days.

As for your visit to Ft.Lauderdale, definitely hit me up.

- Erick

[evil_twin]

Try a fan shroud, not too sure about m30 motors, but I know with my m52 it overheats quick when I start laying on the throttle even when the fan is always on (i have a 16" pusher fan w/out fan shroud and I think 88* thermostat).

I'm not too sure if it's a air bubble thing, but when you go to rebleed the system, raise the front of the car, so all the air goes to the highest point (ie radiator) and will bleed, or you can use a vacuum bleeder. I know when i worked at Nissan I bought one of those and never had any coolant issues when refilling the system.

And if thats still not the case, run a different mix. You're in FL, it doesn't get TOO cold down there so you can easily run a 75/25 mix with some water wetter from Redline.

Oh BTW, I'm going down to Ft. Lauderdale in May for work :)

[Erick]

On a cold night, it'll creep itself to the blue with the SPAL fan (before and after removing the T-Stat)

I don't lose water until water goes to 3/4. At that point the expansion tank starts blowing out water through the drain behind the front/drivers wheel.

[LowR3V'in]

On the freeway, at a constant speed, where is the needle on the gauge?
Mine would always buries itself in the blue without the thermostat.

Would you lose any water after a drift event?

[Erick]

Put the thermostat back in, that could be your problem right there. I'm going this Thursday.

I somewhat doubt it, as it's been doing that since before I removed it. But we'll see. I'm about to do a buck shot and replace as much stuff as I can and see what works.

- Erick

[Good & Tight]

Yeah, I suppose I'll do the radiator next. I'll try to bring the car out next Thursday for the meet.

Put the thermostat back in, that could be your problem right there. I'm going this Thursday.

[Erick]

Yeah, I suppose I'll do the radiator next. I'll try to bring the car out next Thursday for the meet.

[Good & Tight]

That's what I'm guessing now. Its just beyond frustrating to see this going on. If I get a new radiator and this doesn't get any better, I give up on the M30.

No point in having a motor that I can barely keep cool in normal "winter" conditions.

Erick I drive my turbo M30 all year long and in the dead of summer and it never gets past 185.
You either
A. Have a blown headgasket
B. Old crappy radiator
C. Coolant lines mixed up

But first of all you should put the thermostat back in and go from there.

[Erick]

It's not really an M30 issue, there are many cars out there with this swap not overheating. Mine has been running for about 5? months now with NO FAN other than A/C Fan that I manually turn on/off with the A/C button only in traffic to keep it at 1/2 mark.

Yeah I know... that's my argument most of the times when people are telling me I need an aluminum radiator and some crazy electric water pump setup.

It's just frustrated talk going on right now. I'm really at a loss of ideas.

- Erick

[yert315]

Oh I know the fan isn't bad. My point is that the motor overheats while sitting... this FAR concerns me much more from the fact that it takes longer than I believe it should for it to cool down while moving.

I think we have the same issue in mind with different symptoms. In the end, I think your radiator may be bad...

[Jean]

That's what I'm guessing now. Its just beyond frustrating to see this going on. If I get a new radiator and this doesn't get any better, I give up on the M30.

No point in having a motor that I can barely keep cool in normal "winter" conditions.

It's not really an M30 issue, there are many cars out there with this swap not overheating. Mine has been running for about 5? months now with NO FAN other than A/C Fan that I manually turn on/off with the A/C button only in traffic to keep it at 1/2 mark.

[Erick]

It sounds like 60mph+ flows enough air through the radiator to cool it down. Im not saying your fan is bad, but the fins on the radiator may be beyond fucked and restricting airflow. I'm just spit balling here.

Oh I know the fan isn't bad. My point is that the motor overheats while sitting... this FAR concerns me much more from the fact that it takes longer than I believe it should for it to cool down while moving.

[Erick]

That's what I'm guessing now. Its just beyond frustrating to see this going on. If I get a new radiator and this doesn't get any better, I give up on the M30.

No point in having a motor that I can barely keep cool in normal "winter" conditions.

[yert315]

How is it an airflow issue if the car overheats while idling?

If anything, it sounds like a water flow issue to me. Something like limited water flow... perhaps something clogged (Although aside from something inside the motor or the radiator, I have no idea)

It sounds like 60mph+ flows enough air through the radiator to cool it down. Im not saying your fan is bad, but the fins on the radiator may be beyond fucked and restricting airflow. I'm just spit balling here.