cylinder head temps with cali,sharpbuilt csp type cooling

[damo99]

i have been watching my cylinder head temps .
i have a 2270cc type 4 with 914 2litre heads (modified 44 x 38 valves mild port)
i have also had a 2056 with stock 2litre bus heads .
cooling system is a sharpbuilt type 1 shroud with head temp under 1 and 3 plugs(same as cali and csp conversion )
to a digital dakota gauge (suppose to be one of the most accurate)
i have noticed the 914 heads run a little hotter than the bus heads
but thats to be expected
the most interesting thing is on the highway,
cruising at 100klm;s at 3000rpm my head temps are about 220f at # 3 and 215 at #1cylinder
temp outside was 15c or 59f .
but when i go to 115klm's at just above 3100 my head temps climb to 310f at #3 and 295 at #1
it was the same with the bus heads as well .the cooling system loves 3000rpm for optimum cooling
thats a huge difference for a little over 100 rpm .
any one else noticed this happen

[Bruce.m]

What fuel / ignition sources?

[wreck]

can you check O2 readings , it may be leaning out .What are you using for ignition advance ? I put an MGL TC-1 with sensors devconed to the heads near the plugs . finding it very hard shield from my Alternator output .Turn on lights or A/C and the temp readings go up.

[Steve Arndt]

What kind of vehicle? The difference could be a change in airflow supply to the engine compartment that is road speed based and not so much dependent on the fan rpm and load.

[damo99]

i have a 2270 with microsquirt running fuel and ignition in a 60 panel van. these temps arn't a problem, i just thought it was intresting how much diffrence between the rpm ranges . as it was pretty much the same with my 2056 with webers and 009, it could be airflow through the van but have always been told that 3000 rpm is the sweet spot for cooling with the type 1. witch is the cooling system i am using. i have O2 and if anything van is running a little bit rich

[wreck]

There is quite a difference in power level to push a Splitty that extra 15 km'h , as Steve mentioned it would be interesting to be able to test airflow through the engine bay vents at different speeds . Go out for a drive on a very windy day and check the temps going with the wind and against the wind,your fan speed will be a constant .
That combo would be fun in a light panel . I bet you've surprised a few people My Splitty camper is a heavy old girl at 1600kg , still ran an 18.2 without launching hard .

[Steve Arndt]

Engine bay vacuum thread by Eric allred. Splitty related. Easy test.

[damo99]

There is quite a difference in power level to push a Splitty that extra 15 km'h , as Steve mentioned it would be interesting to be able to test airflow through the engine bay vents at different speeds . Go out for a drive on a very windy day and check the temps going with the wind and against the wind,your fan speed will be a constant .
That combo would be fun in a light panel . I bet you've surprised a few people My Splitty camper is a heavy old girl at 1600kg , still ran an 18.2 without launching hard .

yes it definitely surprises a few people ,especially on the freeway when passing ,
everyone thinks it;s a turbo suby motor or a porsche motor .
and i still havn't taken it past 4500rpm as it doesn't need to .
i might try what you said on a windy day to see if there is a difference

[NextGen]

For me to read this post is funny, man it is about 20 years from when I built my first T-4 Cali Style conversion and by way I did not call it the Cali Style, someone just came up with it,ha. Some guys thought it meant another California Style thing.

To the head heat temps, when built the 1st Cali Style I had no clue what was going to happen, I spent about $500 on an external oil cooler system with thermo sandwich adaptor and braided oil lines with fancy hose ends, what cost big bucks. All to sell at a swap meet for almost nothing years later because my engine ran so cool I actually had trouble reaching oil running temp. The T-4 heads are 1/3rd larger then T-1 so they dissipate greater amount of heat. That and the fact bugs are so light the engine was hardly working. The good news is after selling thousands of THE TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL I have never had anyone come back to me and say, their engine overheated.
I am talking about some monster T-4 engines pushing 160 to 190 hp. Amazing because, yes we are using a tried and proven VW fanhousings, but every Cali Style is unique, hand made and not cookie cutter. The engine is very forgiving. The heart of the conversion is Gen/Alt stand. Think about it, in my manual I gave rough dimensions, so if you were a bit off big deal, either use a longer or shorter fan belt. But you are also moving the fanhousing up or down, closer or further away from the case and fins. Which can make a difference in air flow.
I am still driving that first engine, runs like new and am still afraid of speeds over 90 mph because the front lifts and steering gets real light. Love to drive it especially at highway speeds, it loves 70 mph.
So after all these years it is still a rolling experiment.
Jake Raby once said " he gave up trying to explain how it is to have a T-4 in a bug, the only way to understand is to drive one. It is a completely different car".

A guy in Canada made this video to thank me for his Ghia T-4 conversion.
Turn up your speakers and enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deD2JxpUA48



Joe Cali
THE TYPE IV UPRIGHT CONVERSION MANUAL

[wreck]

Joe I definitely agree with you on the "cali" conversion for cooling and wish I'd stood my ground when I was talked into a 911 style cooling system to cool a big bore engine , I'd had a hot 2lt with a Cali type done in the early 90's in a beetle then it was fitted to a heavy camper that had no over heating issues with only a single RX7 cooler .
I heard how uneven the 911 systems cool and put some ducting in the 911 housing without CHT gauges to monitor and cooked #3 (seat came loose) . Very dumb move .After a lot of hours and 4 CHT readings I've finally got my cooling system fairly even . Where the air cooled system fails is when you have a high torque engine that will pull hard at 3000 and you're working it at almost full throttle towing a trailer on a +35C day up a long hill. That is when my head temps start getting into the danger zone near 400F . something you would never get in a light bug with a powerful engine .
The next engine (2.6) for a Ghia that I'm putting together will have a Calli style system with a twist,a centre T1 fan and even flow to the middle of cylinders . Due to work commitments I haven't had much time lately to work on it .

[NextGen]

I am jealous you have Ghia, it will be amazing!!

[wreck]

My Ghia came from California , In the photo it was going for brake testing for registration over here, (modified brakes) . The twin cab beast belongs to a good mate , It runs a 2 lt with a bit done to it , with a flipped 091 box and reduction hubs John the owner of the bus was one of the first in our area to run a Cali style cooling system in a Baja back in the late 80"s .

[NextGen]

I believe John may have been one of the guys back in 80's that ran a Sharpbuilt/cali style in of of your Outback 1000 mile races ???

[wreck]

No not John . Not sure on who that would be . A road racing legend down here called Larry Perkins ran a sort of baja bug with a type 4 ,in an across Australia race(Wynns Rally) back then, it may have been him . He was beating the factory Mitsubishi's (Dakar Spec) until almost the end when he came in late on one section . He was disqualified , everyone knew the reason for the disqualification was because the main sponsors didn't want an old bug that was built on a farm winning

[NextGen]

Well who ever it was, Mike Sharp sent me a New Paper article showing the car in a shopping mall on display.
It was two guys or should I say Mates may have been brothers????

Oh and Mike said " see I told you no rear hanger was needed on a T-4 converted to an Upright. If bug did not have one, a street car would not need one.