Ideal Water Temp when Launching

[Mike Gaines]

Give me some feedback on this:
Most guys I talk to say that the ideal water temperature to launch the car at is 140-150 degrees...not "heating up" the motor to 180 degrees.
Pull into the water box at 125 degrees then after heating up the tires the water temp will be around 140-150 when staging....Cooler motor makes more power...
COMMENTS AND INSIGHT WELCOMED AND NEEDED.
THANKS

PS: After installing my Meziere HD Hi Volume Electric Water Pump and with my giant BE-COOL Radiator with twin fans I can now get the water temp down to 125 degrees between rounds even on a 100 degree day. I turn off the motor and run the fans and the electric water pump to circulate the water thru the radiator and block again and again.

 

[cudatom]

Mike on my cars I usually try and be at 160 when I get into the water box. The car is at about 180 by time I'm hitting the return road. All the different set ups I have had thru the years were very consistent when I did this.
With my new set up it is a little harder to keep the temps consistent as I have a mech water pump and fan. Where in the past I was all electric.
I will say mine all seemed to liked a little heat. At 125-140 into the box I would be a .03-.04 slower.
To illustrate this past weekend I was out doing some shake down runs since adding the roll bar. Each run I was at 160 when pulling into the water box and the 3 runs were all w/in .004 of ea other.

 

[Tex013]

Mike ,
I also aim for 150-160 going into the water box . Car seems to go a little faster warm than cold .
Mechanical pump and clutch fan with a manual control 12" electric pusher fan , use before run and on return road . As long as I can park aiming into any sort of breeze mine will cool quickly

Tex

 

[dvw]

I find oil temp is more of an issue than water. Water can be 140-160 no difference. But if the oil is cold its another story. Getting at least 150 oil temp on the 1st hit can be tough. I warm the water to 200 and let it soak. Even on a warm day it may not be enough. A cold day the only time the oil is warm enough is round robin.
Doug

 

[Cranky]

I find oil temp is more of an issue than water. Water can be 140-160 no difference. But if the oil is cold its another story. Getting at least 150 oil temp on the 1st hit can be tough. I warm the water to 200 and let it soak. Even on a warm day it may not be enough. A cold day the only time the oil is warm enough is round robin.
Doug

Pretty much the same here with my Mopars but the Fords seemed to like to be cooler. I was usually 160 in the burnout and never went over 180 at the launch and temps stayed pretty much even throughout the run. The SB Fords liked 160 at the launch.

Mike, experiment and see what you get but heat is energy. Excessive heat is what you don't want and oil is engineered to do best at normal operating temps. The colder the oil is, the more load it puts on the pump.

 

[Darter6]

I feel each car has it's own "Likes".A close watch of the time slips and recording the different temps during a test and tune event you should find a optimum. For years I raced a Slant Six car that liked a starting line temp of 175/180*. I ran a manual switch for the fan/water pump to get it just right when staging.Any more or less the car would run slower.I even made a sign for the dash to do the same process from warm up to burnout box to the stage lights.This just kept the car consistent for bracket racing.I would dread any delay from the track personal to keep me from hitting my goal,,,but hey "That's Racing"

 

[Roughbird72]

I usually try to have mine up to 160°-170° when i pull into the water box, that's where it seems to run the best.

 

[Cranky]

I feel each car has it's own "Likes".A close watch of the time slips and recording the different temps during a test and tune event you should find a optimum. For years I raced a Slant Six car that liked a starting line temp of 175/180*. I ran a manual switch for the fan/water pump to get it just right when staging.Any more or less the car would run slower.I even made a sign for the dash to do the same process from warm up to burnout box to the stage lights.This just kept the car consistent for bracket racing.I would dread any delay from the track personal to keep me from hitting my goal,,,but hey "That's Racing"

Had a manual switch in mine too and one day I thought it got turned one when I staged but it wasn't. Temp was 200 on the 1-2 shift when I noticed it but it ran the number. Temp came back to 180 during the run though....

 

[Darter6]

Yeah, I did that more than once.That's why I put the note on the dash.

 

[Cranky]

Yeah, I did that more than once.That's why I put the note on the dash.

I had a note too lol

 

[Budnicks]

IMO you oil viscosity & temps are more important than
coolant temps to an extent anyway

Methanol I staged at 200* {coolant/water}
it would be less than 160* crossing the line,
got much cooler as it went down track,
actually frosted up the manifold or Blower or Injectors hat etc.
oil temps never went over 180* stayed there consistently...
we kind of had a time frame too, on what to do & how long...

On 114 oct. race-gas it took about 30 seconds less to achieve the same temps
we tried to do it by time somewhat if the weather was good, not too hot not too cold...

back in the day we also did a bunch of dry hops & launches too,
glad it's not like that anymore, had to have the cooling systems be overkill...
Get a routine & stick with it if it works...

 

[383man]

I also like to be about 160 when I start my burnout. That works good for my car as it seems to run its best at that temp. Ron

 

[66Satellite47]

In the old days my iron head 440's liked 160 on the line, they'd go about 190 on he return road. Needed cool down after the run. Between runs it really needed to get back below 120*. My current aluminum head, aluminum radiator is really different. It doesn't seem to want so much heat, or won't make it. I'lll see what my new motor wants.

 

[Frank Mopar]

Cooler air makes more power. Not cooler engine. I'm with the majority here. 160 pulling in the water box

 

[Dodge 330]

Cooler air makes more power. Not cooler engine. I'm with the majority here. 160 pulling in the water box

Mine likes it cooler as well. 160° seems to be the sweet spot. Ran my best ever the other night after the weather cooled off and the car sat in the lanes for a while.

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

I use a oil heater and bring my oil up to 150 or 160, Start the car and head to the burnout box, I like 110 degrees with my aluminum block and heads. I finish my pass at 135 degrees.

 

[hemiman426]

160 here too pulling in box with water pump on,i turn my electric fan on after the run

 

[66Satellite47]

160 here too pulling in box with water pump on,i turn my electric fan on after the run

Yes, when I had the electric water pump drive and fans independent, water pump on during run, fans on after that. Experiment with what your combo wants, 140 - 180 on the line. You do need the oil to be hot. But Mike you know that! LOL

 

[Mike Gaines]

I use a oil heater and bring my oil up to 150 or 160, Start the car and head to the burnout box, I like 110 degrees with my aluminum block and heads. I finish my pass at 135 degrees.

SuperStockRacer...tell me about your "OIL HEATER" ... WHAT IS IT, HOW DOES IT WORK AND WHERE DO YOU GET ONE.
Thanks, Mike

 

[66Satellite47]

Mike, we used to use oil heaters here in the North Land when the temps were 0 to 30* below 0 for the daily drivers. Magnetic with a heating element stuck the bottom of the pan, 120V. Heat the oil up, pull it off after starting the car. Not sure if that's what's SSR is talking about but that's one way. Used to be available at most auto parts stores.