PSF Rad Airflow Critical?

[Strudul]

I've temporarily relocated my license plate to the bottom left of the grill, which means it's right in front of the radiator for the power steering fluid and blocking direct airflow.

 

Should there be any cause for concern, or will it still receive sufficient cooling during normal day-to-day driving. I know Hugh had his plate in the grill, but it was centre top, so not quite as restrictive. Didn't want to mount it on the right as that's where my intake is.

 

Any warning signs to look out for?

Edited April 5, 2017 by Strudul

[scobie140]

I wouldn't imagine it will be am issue as when boosting it is usually stuck behind and intercooler and oil cooler. I've never read anyone complaining of issues with it

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

 

[Ekona]

But airflow can still pass through an oil cooler and an intercooler to get to the rad. It can't pass through a solid number plate.

 

Ironically you'd have been better off mounting it in front of the intake, which isn't requiring air flow to do the job properly. It'll happily suck up whatever air is there, where as the PS rad cannot suck anything. But then we all know you're not going to move it now, despite common sense and reasoning, simply because you always know best

[Aashenfox]

Yep, I was going to point this out. The engine is sucking air in, whereas the rads require passive cooling. I'm gonna say it really doesn't matter where you put it, it's not like you're boosted and need large amounts of cooling air, but if you're going to go for a deliberate placement with optimum-ness in mind, then in front of the intake would probably be preferable. By the way, I'll be mounting my plate upper front and centre of the grill after my paint, and I'll be in stop start traffic in summer at 45*C, I won't be worried.

[Strudul]

Wouldn't ask if I wasn't open to suggestions. It's only zip tied on so no hassle to move it.

 

No need to get butthurt just because I don't take everything at face value.

 

That being said, won't air still pass around the plate and over the PS rad to an extent? Obviously it's less efficient, but the fins will dissapate heat and as long as that hot air is blown away it will still keep things reasonably cool?

 

Note the question mark, not saying anyone is wrong / right, just asking for clarification, don't get upset.

 

 

[Aashenfox]

That being said, won't air still pass around the plate and over the PS rad to an extent? Obviously it's less efficient, but the fins will dissapate heat and as long as that hot air is blown away it will still keep things reasonably cool?

 

 

Yes. It really doesn't matter where you put it mate, since you're not boosted, you won't have any issues. Best practice theorycrafting is what we are doing here, for the little that it's worth. Like I say, I'll be mounting mine in the centre, without any consideration whatsoever to air flow, and giving zero Fs.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Aashenfox

[Strudul]

I like theory crafting though

[Aashenfox]

Me too, it's my nature. Hence my expressed agreement with Dan, that passively cooled items will benefit more from better flow, than something that actively sucks its air in.

 

The 350Z stock bumper has a HUGE rad opening, it really is not going to be an issue, promise, put it wherever you think it looks the best.

Edited April 6, 2017 by Aashenfox

[Strudul]

Doesn't passive cooling refer to no airflow? PS rad (if not blocked by a plate) would be active / air cooled, no?

 

But yeh, point taken, but if it's a non-issue I'll just leave it for now.

[Aashenfox]

To be honest, I thought passive cooling simply meant that there was no 'directed' airflow, just whatever air happened to be passing by, but you may be right. I guess you could technically say that the bumper opening is a device that directs airflow, and therefore it's actively cooling items placed in the flow. At least while the car is moving. Ah, semantics, and real life meaning vs scientific accuracy, don't you just love it?!

[Strudul]

Same thinking as me, but I came to the conslusion it was actively cooled due to the directed air. Don't THINK it requires dedicated fans etc to count as active.

[Aashenfox]

Well, as you know I come from a PC gaming background (and I remember you know a thing or two on this as well), and despite it perhaps not being scientifically accurate, we refer to anything that doesn't have a dedicated fan as passive, despite the fact that the whole case and fan layout is designed to provide a constant active air flow over every major component, so technically, motherboard system controllers for example, which are generally passively cooled by heat pipes, are still actively cooled by powered fans, just not directly on top of them. That's why I think of the oil cooler as a passively cooled item. Of course the main rad has two giant f**koff fans attached, so you have to be able to differentiate between the cooling process when those fans are on (active, without a shadow of a doubt), and when they are off (arguably passive).