Installed RPI IC + Exhaust = Nice

[KS_Sky]

I finally bit the bullett and Eloy hooked me up. We installed the IC last week and it went well.

While installing the IC I noticed a hole in each side of the wheel well almost directly in front of the tire that was letting dirt get into the engine compartment. I put the big black push pins in and plugged the holes back up. I don't know if they popped of or never went in at the factory.

This weekend I debated on laying on the garage floor or taking her to a muffler shop. I decided to go the shop route and was glad I did. One hour later and only $50.00 (+$3.50 tax) poorer the exhaust was on.

It sounds like a real sports car now! Definately pulls better and boosts earlier so i'll probably loose gas mileage ...lol.

One question though since the mods the temperature has gone up 5 to 7 degrees from the 200 that i was running before. Is this normal ? Looking at the RPI IC compared to the factory there may be slightly more wind resistance since the fins are constructed differently. Has anyone else noticed this ?

I took some before and after audio/video clips with the camera sitting perpindicular to the rear wheel if others are considering this mod. They can be found by searching YouTube for KsSky001.

Very happy with the final results !

[BlueSkyRL]

I upgraded my IC and the temps are still in the 190's...are you saying you are 207ish now?

I also had the same two holes and had to plug them with plastic push cap thingy's.

[KS_Sky]

Yes 205-207 and all last year over 100 outside or less than 40 the temp was 200 +/- 1 degree. I don't think it will be a problem...just interesting. Unfortunately i didn't notice the temp in the week between the IC and exhaust install

[BlueSkyRL]

Originally Posted by KS_Sky

Yes 205-207 and all last year over 100 outside or less than 40 the temp was 200 +/- 1 degree. I don't think it will be a problem...just interesting. Unfortunately i didn't notice the temp in the week between the IC and exhaust install

Hopefully your temps don't go any higher as the summer ambient temps go higher too

[KS_Sky]

That's what i am hoping also !! it was 50's outside today. By the look of the coolant temperature thread up to 220 is OK. I'd rather not have the fan running constantly.

[Darkwing]

I noticed the holes in front of the tires shortly after I got my Sky. I have since checked other Skys and have found that none have an attachment installed through the hole and brace where it was obviously intended that there be one originally.
I put one of those 'Christmas Tree' type pins in mine to plug the holes and have noticed no ill effects.

Perhaps it would be a good question for someone on the MECCA tour to ask as to why there was an engineering decision to elimnate these pins. It may have to do with the original chafing problem between the inner fender and the hood?

[snaponbob]

Originally Posted by KS_Sky

I finally bit the bullett and Eloy hooked me up. We installed the IC last week and it went well.

While installing the IC I noticed a hole in each side of the wheel well almost directly in front of the tire that was letting dirt get into the engine compartment. I put the big black push pins in and plugged the holes back up. I don't know if they popped of or never went in at the factory.

This weekend I debated on laying on the garage floor or taking her to a muffler shop. I decided to go the shop route and was glad I did. One hour later and only $50.00 (+$3.50 tax) poorer the exhaust was on.

It sounds like a real sports car now! Definately pulls better and boosts earlier so i'll probably loose gas mileage ...lol.

One question though since the mods the temperature has gone up 5 to 7 degrees from the 200 that i was running before. Is this normal ? Looking at the RPI IC compared to the factory there may be slightly more wind resistance since the fins are constructed differently. Has anyone else noticed this ?

I took some before and after audio/video clips with the camera sitting perpindicular to the rear wheel if others are considering this mod. They can be found by searching YouTube for KsSky001.

Very happy with the final results !

Temps should NOT have changed , certainly not in the weather we are having. I can only WISH we got into the 50's this weekend. Instead, snow flurries in Kansas City. A call to Eloy may be in order to see what he thinks. Seems like RLs run around 199 darn near all the time. I would love to hand an I/C on my car but SCCA Stock rules don't allow it.

I think those holes are to route air from the facial inlets to the front brakes. A least, that is the theory anyway. Given that they come nowhere near the disks, in real world use it was a waste of GM's money.

[KS_Sky]

I found the cause of the temperature issue. If the heater control knob is turned to the hot (red) position the engine temperature goes up. Switch it back to the blue setting and the temp goes back down to normal. I repeated this test several times over two days and it did it everytime. It didn't make any difference if the blower was on or off and the top was down for all tests. Are the thermostat and heater valves fighting each other ?

Weird but that's what happens. I'd like to hear if others observe the same thing.

[BlueSkyRL]

Originally Posted by KS_Sky

I found the cause of the temperature issue. If the heater control knob is turned to the hot (red) position the engine temperature goes up. Switch it back to the blue setting and the temp goes back down to normal. I repeated this test several times over two days and it did it everytime. It didn't make any difference if the blower was on or off and the top was down for all tests. Are the thermostat and heater valves fighting each other ?

Weird but that's what happens. I'd like to hear if others observe the same thing.

That's very interesting...I'll have to try it.

[vschaos]

very weird....you would think if anything when you have the heat on things would cool down. I know when I had coolant issues in my other car I could turn on the heater to get the temps down

[Friz]

Originally Posted by KS_Sky

I found the cause of the temperature issue. If the heater control knob is turned to the hot (red) position the engine temperature goes up. Switch it back to the blue setting and the temp goes back down to normal. I repeated this test several times over two days and it did it everytime. It didn't make any difference if the blower was on or off and the top was down for all tests. Are the thermostat and heater valves fighting each other ?

Weird but that's what happens. I'd like to hear if others observe the same thing.

I have noticed the same thing. Usually my RL runs around 195 degrees, but one day it was 40 degrees outside and my top was down, so the heater was on max. My coolant temp was around 205 degrees.
Maybe there's a restrictor in the coolant path somewhere that senses when the heater is on and narrows the coolant path.

[RPIpower]

Originally Posted by snaponbob

Temps should NOT have changed , certainly not in the weather we are having. I can only WISH we got into the 50's this weekend. Instead, snow flurries in Kansas City. A call to Eloy may be in order to see what he thinks. Seems like RLs run around 199 darn near all the time. I would love to hand an I/C on my car but SCCA Stock rules don't allow it.

I think those holes are to route air from the facial inlets to the front brakes. A least, that is the theory anyway. Given that they come nowhere near the disks, in real world use it was a waste of GM's money.

Hi Bob, since our intercoolers are sold as an "option" at several dealerships, will that count as a factory mod?

Hehe. Anyways, I have never seen coolant temps go up from our intercooler being installed. One of the things that can change that is modification or cutting of and shroud components. Our intercooler requires not cutting, etc so this should not have caused any higher temps.