Joined
·
4,101 Posts
In doing more detailed research for my "The SSR Experience" book (1st chapter will go out to subscribers in a day or 2 - currently in proofing), I may have found the "smoking gun" on the engine cooling issues.
On page 76 of "SSR An American Original" by Gary Witzenburg, the author states
"Wedging the 5.3 liter V-8 into the SSR's low, short, tapered nose, then sufficiently cooling it, presented a huge challenge."
He then includes the following quote from SSR Program Manager Ed Ivey:
"We've got an engine designed for a truck with a certain amount of trailer towing capability, and it has an engine mounted fan. But in the SSR, that fan and radiator would stick out 10 inches beyond where we've got the hood. We had to eliminate that and go to the electric fan. We went through several iterations of packaging all the hardware to achieve the cooling requirements and maintain our 2,500 lb. tow rating."
The author then continues:
"Engine cooling - not powertrain muscle or structural strength - limits the SSR's towing capability to 2,500 pounds, and Ivey adds that the powertrain controller will reduce power ti protect the engine if it gets close to overheating."
Note especially closely the "we went through several iterations", and the "powertrain controller will reduce power" comments.
No wonder our electric fans are running 100% of the time in hot conditions and are failing. NO wonder the underhood temperature is over 200 degrees.
I7m not upset or angry about it. It just makes me even more confident that we need a 100% duty cycle fan that also has a much higher CFM rating than what we have as stcok equipment.
Jim G
On page 76 of "SSR An American Original" by Gary Witzenburg, the author states
"Wedging the 5.3 liter V-8 into the SSR's low, short, tapered nose, then sufficiently cooling it, presented a huge challenge."
He then includes the following quote from SSR Program Manager Ed Ivey:
"We've got an engine designed for a truck with a certain amount of trailer towing capability, and it has an engine mounted fan. But in the SSR, that fan and radiator would stick out 10 inches beyond where we've got the hood. We had to eliminate that and go to the electric fan. We went through several iterations of packaging all the hardware to achieve the cooling requirements and maintain our 2,500 lb. tow rating."
The author then continues:
"Engine cooling - not powertrain muscle or structural strength - limits the SSR's towing capability to 2,500 pounds, and Ivey adds that the powertrain controller will reduce power ti protect the engine if it gets close to overheating."
Note especially closely the "we went through several iterations", and the "powertrain controller will reduce power" comments.
No wonder our electric fans are running 100% of the time in hot conditions and are failing. NO wonder the underhood temperature is over 200 degrees.
I7m not upset or angry about it. It just makes me even more confident that we need a 100% duty cycle fan that also has a much higher CFM rating than what we have as stcok equipment.
Jim G