samji
Senior Member
- First Name
- Steven
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2019
- Threads
- 12
- Messages
- 219
- Reaction score
- 127
- Location
- Bay Area
- Vehicle(s)
- 2019 CTR, 1996 Accord V6 EX-L
I wanted to track my CTR, but after reading all the track junkie threads I gave that idea up and started messing with my S2000 again. As the car sits, there is no definite fix for the overheating issue, it's a design flaw. Everything seems to be a band-aid fix. You go from 3 laps to 5 laps before overheating, etc etc. I don't want to spend thousands to just make it better, I want it to be a non-issue so I can concentrate on laying down better times. I've been passively trying to get a new 2023 CTR through my work and start off fresh.
My take on the whole issue: it's a packaging problem, air can't escape the engine bay. If I was going to dedicate a FK8 to tracking, I would completely redesign the front radiator core support. It unbolts from the vehicle entirely. Make a new core support that kicks the radiator forward and attempt a "V mount" radiator and intercooler setup using a FL5 intercooler and a smaller 1.5T hatchback condenser to keep the A/C. Tilting the radiator in a V mount orientation allows you to fit a physically taller radiator. Pair it with the new FL5 water pump that flows more. Replace the factory impact beam with a bash bar to allow more room to tilt the radiator. Ditch the OEM hood in favor of a drop vent hood.
I honestly think spending time evacuating hot air from the engine compartment is the fix on the FK8. You need a larger pressure differential than what the OE configuration has. All the better cooling fixes have been by increasing the amount of air coming in (increasing inlet pressure) and by adding a vented hood (decreasing pressure behind radiator and using the low pressure zone a few inches up the hood line). That's what Honda did on their TCR car. Honda's BTCC CTR is running a V-mount setup. I've seen others add larger heat exchangers but not address the pressure differential problems and they just keep overheating.
Yeah I tracked mine a few times and realized this platform is gonna be really expensive to build and it's still not going to be fixed at the end unless you straight up build a TCR car... Like you, I picked up an s2000 again to just have as a dedicated track car and picked up a daily/beater as well haha.
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