Nordicflame

I know this topic has been beaten to death but………….
I have a question regarding my EFI (FAST aftermarket ECU), soon to be ProCharged, 540 set up.
First off, I run only on lakes and have a standard Merc cooling setup with no sea strainer. Obviously I’ll be removing the recirculating pump but I would also like to run at 120’ for ECU programming purposes.
What I’m thinking I’d like to do is deviate a bit from the PC setup so that I can run a 120’ thermostat. Theirs has no bypass setup because they don’t recommend a thermostat, which in turn makes a bypass useless. Right?
Why couldn’t I add a fitting (as Kanook did) in addition to the intercooler fitting on the ProCharger crossover and add a thermostat housing that has a bypass hookup and run a 120’ thermo. When the thermostat was closed the pressure would be routed through the bypass (to the exhaust) and the intercooler and when the thermostat was open it would be no different than it would be without a bypass.
Does this sound like a reasonable assumption or am I missing something?
If this would work, does anyone make a bypass thermostat housing with provisions for the two temp sensors?
Thanks in Advance,
Dave

Smitty

I'm not sure I can help with your thermostat/bypass but I highly recommend that you install a separate water intake system that is dedicated to the intercooler. Why??? Because why would you want to divert any water away from cooling your engine?? When you pressurize a cylinder you dramatically increase combustion temps. I have a Whipplecharger on a 454 and on the advice of Bob Teague I installed an offshore water pickup that then goes into a sea strainer then into the intercooler then out a water dump on the back of the boat. Also you do not need to cool the intercooler when idling so why waste water from your pump.
Also more importantly when you use an offshore pickup you are getting water only at speeds above 15 mph and since it is close to the surface you are less likely to fill your intercooler with sand/muck etc. Somebody on the board here just had a hard time cleaning the sand out of his intercoolers. Do you want the same problem??My motor never gets over 130 degrees even at 95 degress ambient temp at 6 lbs boost. I do run a x-over and no thermostat.

Good luck and I guarantee you'll love the boost!!!

Dave

blown formula

Nordicheat
If your concern is to run 120 degrees or cooler, leaving the stat' out will readily accomplish that. My previous engine (full roller 454), without a stat', would not even register on the water temp gauge. The oil would normally be 150 degrees up to 180 max after a hard run & that was in 90+ degree lake water/100 degree ambient air. You could bring that up by using a 1" or 3/4" restrictor plate in the housing. These are readily available in any speed shop & inexpensive. West Marine is the only source for a 120 degree themostat I have found anywhere. I ran the Procharger crossover and no recirc pump is needed. Cool air is ALWAYS appreciated by your engine. The amount of water bled off for the intercooler is minimal anyway, so this is not a major factor. Put the water dump out the drivers side of the boat... this is the fastest way to check your sea pump impellor & water flow thru your engine visually at anytime. As for sand in the intercooler- well, we have 650 miles of sand beach on my lake, I never run my drive into the sand, nor do I stick it in the sand when I beach the boat. That destroys gimbals, don't ever do that!! I have never had sand in the intercoolers & I use low water pickups on my Procharged twins now. Glad to have you on board!!

Nordicflame

Thanks Guys,
I have thought of the pickup route as I believe Kanook runs.
Actually I want to control the temp to stay near 120' because I would like to run a bit of enrichment up to 100' for cold start stuff.
I'm not sure how ProCharger gets around that on the stock EFI stuff. I believe the Merc ECMs add enrichment clear up to 140'.
Of course I have the capability to remove all enrichment if needed I suppose. Maybe cut it off at 90'???
Any ideas are welcome!
Thanks

Turbojack

In my last boat I had the intercooler plumbed from a pickup under the boat then over board. The boat I have now I plumbed off the water manifold going into the motor with a fitting to the intercooler then overboard.

I like getting the water off the motor better. When ever after doing a hard run & then comming off plane I would let motor run to bring the engine temp down but the intercooler would not cool off since no water. Other problem is when I would take off hard & get into boost the intercooler was not working since I did not have enough speed to force water into cooler. I do not know if this contributed to the many motors I have detonated to death but I am sure it did not help.

bajah2x105

Blown Formula & Turbojack are correct. DO NOT use an external pickup for the intercooler. Even at idle the blower is making some killer heat. Once the intercooler is heat soaked it may take some time for the water to really cool it off. Also, it can't be a good idea to send 60* water into a 130* intercooler.
I do run a thermostat but I drilled some 1/8" holes in it so it would still flow some water. I really don't see much over 115* until I really lay into her for a while. Max temp after some abuse has been no higher than 150* and that's during the 90*+ days of summer. Good luck brother!

Blown, What's the boat doing?

GEOO

Dave,
I run a 434ci small block, 738hp, 10:1cr, F.A.S.T. ECU, M3 Procharger 4 lbs boost, 55lbs injectors= 63lbs @ 60psi fuel. I set the cooling up as per Procharger instructions. My engine runs cold 75-100 degrees. Running a supercharged engine cold is a good safety measure against detonation. It is better to run the engine warmer but to me was not worth the chance of detonating with my high CR. I was looking over my programing for the ECU and maybe I can help?
12.2 A/F at full load, I have an O2 sensor, Timing at 34 degrees, and I have all the cold start enrichment info. If you would like a copy of my program I could E:mail it or mail you a disk. My program may be a good starting point for you??

Be carefull of ground loop interference when you install the wiring harness. If you have a problem you will know it. The injectors will fire off with the ingnition on and the engine off.(you'll hear a ticking sound as the injectors fire off) It could hydro the engine full of fuel in a few minutes.

I ran my engine with the F.A.S.T. for a few years with out the supercharger and had a thermostate. The engine ran, idle, and started on the first turn of the key. Now with out the thermostate she idles well, but sometimes on a warm start I need to push the throttle up to start her. Maybe with a little more tuning I could fix it, but it's not a big deal and I don't have the time.

I would set up the intercooler to always have water going through it. I know my engine compartment gets very warm and after a long idle if you get on the gas hard without a continuous flow of water to the cooler the engine will get very hot air and could detonate until the water flow starts up.

You can monitor your air temp with a lap top. GEOO (203)258-5222