brewerbry

The only reason to chase a CSF radiator is if you are adding the center rad to a car that does not have one; I do not believe we have seen significant temp improvement by replacing stock radiators with CSF (despite what CSF will likely claim) the stock radiators are not the problem or solution...

okie981

Interesting. If the air conditioning condenser coils are removed on a dedicated track car would that make room for some thicker CSF (or other custom brand) radiators for the two side positions and gain a little more cooling capacity?

mgent

I have a very similar set-up, and very similar challenge as you... 2014 CS / PDK. Stock engine, stock tune. For cooling, I have a CSF center, LN deep sump, LN PDK cooler, LN oversized engine oil cooler, and GT3 vented fender liners. I consistently see oil temps of 265 - 275 during a session, and try to just incorporate a cool down lap in the middle of a 25min session... I also see pretty rapid decreases in temps with a cool down lap and/or a short cool down ride back to pits - temps back to below 240 easily. When doing some other work on the car I noticed that I do not have the lower bumper cutouts for the center radiator, which is certainly hurting the issue, and that will get fixed this winter when the bumper comes off. Other than that, I'm not so sure there's much else to be done? The clubsport cars tend to run at higher temps than that (my understanding is that they see 280+ at times) I am always sure to change fluids on a regular basis just to try and help. The only other thing I might end up doing, now that my car is off CPO warranty, is long-tube catless race headers w/tune, which should help reduce overall heat by removing the cats, and I might even wrap or coat the headers to help further...

I have an Aim SOLO2 DL connected through CANbus, and I'll try and go through my sessions this summer to see what temps its pulling...

okie981

Without the 4 cutout holes in the bottom of the bumper cover behind the center 3rd radiator, that radiator is doing almost zero cooling. This assumes you have the stock bumper cover and the CSF center radiator installs essentially like the OEM center radiator. The way the cooling system is designed, the water in the center radiator does not first flow through one of the side radiators. The hot water comes up front from the engine to a Y. One exit of the Y goes to the center radiator and after the center radiator, the water does not flow through either side radiator, it merges with water that has exited the two side radiators and flows back to the engine. So, your center radiator setup is actually cooling LESS than if you had no center radiator at all. Sounds hard to believe, but I believe that is what you are experiencing. Some of the hot water that would at least be flowing through the side radiators is missing the side radiators and only flowing through the center radiator and it has no air flow so is doing nearly zero or zero cooling to the water passing through it.

txbdan

So the center radiator is plumbed in parallel with the two side radiators which are in series? Interesting. I guess that explains how they can just cap off the pipes for the center radiator when no center radiator is installed from the factory.

Jim981CS

Here is the diagram of the coolant system with the center radiator. I added the center radiator on my 981CS and used the CSF aluminum radiator. The new hoses connected to the bottom of each of the side radiators by removing a “plug” in the side radiators and inserting the new center radiator hoses in those openings. The four square openings in the bumper cover to vent the center radiator are marked and I do not recall if the marks are visible on the lower side which would allow cutting without removal of the panel. Jim

okie981

Yes, that's exactly right, the center radiator is connected by removing two plugs and connecting the center radiator in/out hoses to those openings. As you can see from the graphic, the center radiator takes some hot water and passes it through and then returns it to the flow stream of water that has been cooled by the side radiators. If you have no air flow through the center radiator, you are mixing its "un-cooled" water back in to the cooled water from the side radiators. So @mgent, you need to get those holes installed in that bumper cover. They are not marked on the bottom of the cover. You can feel them with your fingers on the back side if you take some of the screws out of the bumper cover attachment points in this area. Pull the bumper cover down and feel in there, or use a borescope from Amazon (cheap, about $25) to look in there to see where the marks are. Or just remove the bumper cover. It's not as difficult as it seems, I've removed mine at least 6 times. I took all the pictures necessary to make a DIY for removing it and I intend to post that DIY here on Rennlist someday, but haven't gotten around to that yet. If I had everything all set with car up on jacks and tools laid out, I believe I could have it removed in 20 minutes tops.

Jim981CS

when I installed my CSF center radiator I had the bumper cover off when I cut the four holes for the venting and you can see the photo below of the location of the vent holes I cut in. I also see in the parts book that panel #14 is listed as the spoiler and is a separate panel. You may try to see if that panel can be removed without removing the complete bumper so you can cut the vent holes if Okie’s suggestion of the borescope does not work. Jim

Spoiler panel #14

Location of four square vent holes

I also recall that Schnellautosports had a two part DIY on removing the front bumper and installing the center radiator that I used when I installed mine.
Jim

Viper pilot

I have a new one of the pieces that Jim is referring to (Item 14). If your interested make me an offer.

Nick

okie981

Interesting. On my Boxster S, that part is not a separate piece, it's part of the entire bumper cover. Being a separate piece should make getting airflow through that center radiator a much easier process.

Regarding Schnell Autosports, I don't know if they updated their bumper cover removal DIY, but 3 years ago it had some flaws in it making their approach more of a hassle than it is if you use the method the techs do at a dealership. The key is removing the forward inner fender liners from both sides after removing both front wheels and then disconnecting the two wiring harness connectors found near the aft end of the headlamps, and pulling the side markers out to push those cables back inside the bumper cover. I have a complete sequence of photos for a DIY that I will get around to posting here on RL one of these days.

TEF

Just a question for those that installed a third radiator in their Boxster S. Was this radiator part of a kit that included hoses, bracket and whatever. When I was looking for such a kit, I recall that one of the vendors (possibly Pelican or another) selling them indicated that it was intended only for a Cayman. While I did not see the reason for this (as the BS and CS share the same cooling system) is there a specific kit made for each model or was it a vendor misprint?

Kitc2246

I bought mine from Suncoast about two years ago. Not an expert but don't think there is any difference between Cayman and Boxster cooling system.

txbdan

Interesting info on the center radiator routing. Indeed, I bet his lack of bumper holes is the problem like you guys said.

I got my kit from getporscheparts.com. It included OEM center radiator, hoses, side ducts, center duct, etc. All the stuff you need.

I also cut the four holes in my bumper bottom myself. Pretty easy with a drill and a Dremel or sawzall or jigsaw.

okie981

If you buy your 3rd radiator (Center) kit from Rennline or Suncoast Porsche, or probably many other places, they will ask you for your VIN or specific model year/variant info. If the seller does not ask, I would not buy from them until you verify all parts in the kit are applicable to your car.

Bottom line, yes, there is a difference between kits for Caymans between certain Cayman models, and probably more than one for Boxsters. The differences are the center intake duct and possibly side intake ducts that replace whatever was OEM without the center radiator. Before you buy, make sure to ask questions or for specific component part numbers so you can go verify in online parts catalogs you are getting the parts you need for your specific car.

And to answer the question does a kit come with everything, yes, it should. My kit had 100% of everything needed, down to the last 10mm nut with a lock washer. I bought mine from Rennline due to price but found out when I received it they had gone to Suncoast Porsche and had it dropped shipped from Suncoast to me. IOW, Rennline's price was better than Suncoast, but Rennline bought it from Suncoast and sold it to me. Go figure.

BTW, I am removing the center radiator kit from my Boxster soon as the last parts to come off the car that were put on to fortify it for track use. I've retired the car from track use and if you browse the Rennlist marketplace ads I've placed (and already sold) over the last 12 months, you'll see there were quite a few items installed and now removed from the car.

Why am I removing the 3rd radiator? Great question. Because it is totally unnecessary for street use in the USA or even for a couple of track days as long as it's not a track day in 100F ambient temps. Even in 100F ambient temps with no center radiator, in a 20-to-25-minute DE session no overheating will occur but some of the fluids would see temps that aren't ideal. I installed it because I was doing a lot of track days in Texas summer heat.

Jim981CS

When I added the center radiator on my 981 Cayman S with PDK I purchased the individual parts because I used a CSF radiator. IIRC there are differences in the connector ducts (part #31 on diagram) between the Boxsters and Caymans depending on options. The ductwork on the PDK cars for the side radiators should be replaced with MT ductwork to separate the three air inlets. I am not sure the connector ductwork is included with all the packaged kits as it my vary. I think my center connector was about $300. There was a couple of old threads on Planet9 discussing the individual part numbers. Jim