grandotitat

I've been searching for this on the forum and still i cannot believe I haven't been able to find a thread about it. I find information for the C6 and C7 but not for the C5. So my concern is simple. During daily driving, I get coolant temperatures as high as this:



Almost 230°F. When the fan activates then it will go down to 200°F and it will keep within this range during stop and go traffic. Is this expected? Or should I do something about it. This is my first V8 but as far as I know, on any engine it is not good to have coolant temps above 212°F which is the water boiling point but considering there is coolant instead of water, should I be worried?

I have the VCM tool from HP Tuners which is capable of changing the fan temperature trigger point. Should I lower it or I just leave the car alone. I must point out that the coolant temp has never exceeded 228°F and at highway speeds it will go down to 190 or lower.

Thanks for your opinion and I'm really sorry if this has been already discussed and solved here.

garrettg

Yes, with hp tuners fans can be turned on with stock stat as low as 190 with success. Otherwise what you are seeing is normal stock stat opens around 187 and fans don't turn on until 22x area.

Reggie Dunlop

Your cooling system is operating as designed.

grandotitat

Thanks! Then I'll just leave it alone.

bjones7131

I think it is a little high and I don't like to see temps that hight on my vette. I installed the cool it mod on my car and if it gets up to 205 or so cruzing around town with no air on I bring on the fan with a key fob. Just my 2 cents.

RiceBurnerZ07

My 02 Z does this as well. I'm down in South Florida and have to be in some heavy stop and go traffic to get anything over 210. Highway speeds (65+) I see about 178-180ish depending on the temperature outside. I would say its pretty normal, anything higher and I would be a little worried. Oil temps which is another topic seem to be quite a bit higher but should be, 180-215 seems to be normal for around town driving.

envyz06

Mine does this in Texas heat, only gets up that high for long stops at lights but it always goes down quick. I always been told that is normal temps, haven't had any issues 3 summers now.

philadd

On a side note, the boiling point of liquids increases when under pressure, so at 230 degrees your coolant is not boiling.

It also probably wouldn't hurt to clean out all of the debris that's built up on/around your radiator.

radar502

In TX. heat no A/C riding around town 200-210 with A/C on in town 210-228- stopping at red lights may go to 230 .. On the road with A/C on 200-210 ...

mainecobra

I personally would lower the temps that the fans turn on with the hp tuners tool. Have them turn on at 215 degrees.

grandotitat

Thank you all for the very useful opinions. So i guess everything is ok but I wouldn't mind the temps to go a little but lower so probably I'll follow mainecobra´s advice to lower the fan start temp a little bit. Probably just 10° or 12°.

laurent_zo6

Here is the info:

Normal Temperature Range.pdf

MX621

^^^ THIS! have u checked if your rad is clean? I cant believe how much crap/shrubs ive pulled out of there and will make it run hot.

grandotitat

I haven't. Probably I will check this.

JLZ06TR

Thats alot hotter than my car runs down here in florida. I however run a 3/4 water to coolant ratio. Usually my car is around 194-198. Its also a 2002 Z06. My 98 Camaro runs at around the same with the same water/coolant ratio. Other than that both have stock cooling.

Make sure your z06 has the front air dam in place and that its working properly (not damaged or bent upwards). The previous owner of my car ran it without the air dam because it would scrape, but this caused the car to run around the same as yours. The complete air dam assembly can be found online for around $90 shipped.

grandotitat

Don't you think probably your car will have the fans set up to trigger at lower temps? Because according to what most of the people say here my "high" temps are normal. And by the way, I checked the air dam as per your suggestion, and it is in place and not bent. Thanks for the insight.

janky

As others have said your temp range is totally normal and functioning as designed. The LS family differs greatly from traditional SBC motors. Between the all-aluminum design, priority head cooling (flow enters the block at the heads), better designed water jacketing / flow passages and increased use of the engine oil as a coolant medium, the engine is supposed to run hotter coolant temps than were optimal on previous generation motors.

spdislife

Your temps are fine.

Tebo38

mine is consistently 190. Goes as high as 194 in traffic.

.....

I have a dewitts radiator though and a 160 thermostat

Paul 75 L82

If my motor hit 228 I would be at the store buying a new rad.