Running 194F with 160 stat?
10-10-2016, 03:39 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Running 194F with 160 stat?
Had 160 stat installed in Aug and cruising temps were around 185F with outside temp at 75F. Noticed yesterday and today my cruising temps are now 194-196F and the outside temp here is 50F. Could this be my new 160 stat acting up?
10-10-2016, 04:32 PM
#2
Race Director
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St. Jude Donor '15
That's on the cold side regardless, wouldn't worry about it.
AC system pressure can do weird things to engine coolant temp because it will turn the radiator fan on regardless of coolant temp.
My point being, unless you're hitting 230+ it's nothing to worry about
AC system pressure can do weird things to engine coolant temp because it will turn the radiator fan on regardless of coolant temp.
My point being, unless you're hitting 230+ it's nothing to worry about
10-10-2016, 06:48 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
thermostat temperate is when it opens, not the temperature that the car will run. This is probably the largest misconception on these forums.
It could be the thermostat, water pump, coolant line, grass and crap in front of the radiator (check here first), fan relay. You're not using air conditioning now, the fans are not running on high all the time. There are a lot of factors. Thermostat is one of the least likely.
194 degrees is far from overheating. It's not an issue. The CHANGE in operating temp MIGHT be, but isn't necessarily.
It could be the thermostat, water pump, coolant line, grass and crap in front of the radiator (check here first), fan relay. You're not using air conditioning now, the fans are not running on high all the time. There are a lot of factors. Thermostat is one of the least likely.
194 degrees is far from overheating. It's not an issue. The CHANGE in operating temp MIGHT be, but isn't necessarily.
10-10-2016, 07:35 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '15
Unless you explicitly turn the AC off then it's still on, so that's a bit of an assumption assuming the AC is off now just because it's 50* outside (not that the fan would likely be on "high" regardless)
Still don't think it's an issue though.
Still don't think it's an issue though.
Last edited by schpenxel; 10-10-2016 at 07:35 PM.
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10-10-2016, 07:36 PM
#5
Drifting
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C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
St. Jude Donor '11, '14
Check for trapped air in cooling system.
As previously stated look for something in front of radiator or fans not coming on. Commom problem.
Loose your air dam?
As previously stated look for something in front of radiator or fans not coming on. Commom problem.
Loose your air dam?
Last edited by zrracer; 10-10-2016 at 07:38 PM. Reason: Add comment
10-10-2016, 09:14 PM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
AC was never on. With 160 stat cruising should not be that high, tuner has my fan set to come on at 196F.
10-10-2016, 09:19 PM
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
I looked at the rad for blockage and it looks ok. The fan comes on at 196F (tuner set) that's why cruising temp all of a sudden went from 185F to now 194-196 on a cool day has me concerned. I'm thinking the stat is acting up if that makes any sense or as you indicated maybe trapped air in system.
Last edited by legalins; 10-11-2016 at 08:03 AM.
10-11-2016, 08:05 AM
#8
Instructor
Thread Starter
Does the air dam do anything on a GS? I thought the GS and Z06 were completely blocked off on the bottom and only got fresh air through the front and the none GS/Z06 were bottom feeders?
10-11-2016, 03:36 PM
#9
Drifting
On my '06 Z06, I went from a stock radiator to a Dewitts, and my temps actually went up a few degrees, from 190ish to 196ish on the highway. Again, nothing to worry about.
Your "new" thermostat has nothing to do with your coolant temp after you reach 160F. Once it's open, that's it. The rest is up to your cooling system (radiator, hoses, age of coolant, etc.).
Last edited by Must_Have_Z; 10-11-2016 at 03:38 PM.
10-11-2016, 07:00 PM
#10
Instructor
Thread Starter
So why does 194F concern you then? It hasn't even reached the 196F setting that your tuner programmed? 194 is perfect - nothing to worry about, as others have said.
On my '06 Z06, I went from a stock radiator to a Dewitts, and my temps actually went up a few degrees, from 190ish to 196ish on the highway. Again, nothing to worry about.
Your "new" thermostat has nothing to do with your coolant temp after you reach 160F. Once it's open, that's it. The rest is up to your cooling system (radiator, hoses, age of coolant, etc.).
On my '06 Z06, I went from a stock radiator to a Dewitts, and my temps actually went up a few degrees, from 190ish to 196ish on the highway. Again, nothing to worry about.
Your "new" thermostat has nothing to do with your coolant temp after you reach 160F. Once it's open, that's it. The rest is up to your cooling system (radiator, hoses, age of coolant, etc.).
Last edited by legalins; 10-11-2016 at 07:02 PM.
10-11-2016, 08:59 PM
#11
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St. Jude Donor '15
If only someone had suggested that having the AC on during those hot days also turned the fan on even before you were at the 196'ish that would otherwise turn it on
Or were you riding around in the hot summer with no AC?
Or were you riding around in the hot summer with no AC?
10-12-2016, 02:38 AM
#12
Le Mans Master
As said. Once past 160 the tstat is wide open all the time. Even with a factory 180 when you hit typical op temps around 200 the tstat is no longer a factor. Simple math.
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juanvaldez (10-12-2016)
10-12-2016, 07:47 AM
#13
Instructor
Thread Starter
10-12-2016, 07:49 AM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
I Never run my AC period, have top down most of the time.
10-12-2016, 08:54 AM
#15
Drifting
Your temps are based on the ect sensor and what the ecm commands from the radiator fan. Depending on your cruising speed you fan may come on or not. So the reason why you may be running a little warmer while cruising.
10-13-2016, 07:44 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
Far more likely, you're observing different normal operating temps under uncontrolled, random events. I've done numerous datalogs now using PIDs of ambient air temp, fan control (%), RPM, vehicle speed, and coolant temps. Lots of variables at any moment in time on different days.
So, to clarify, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely the change in tstat had any causal connection to the observations you've made.
Last edited by BlindSpot; 10-13-2016 at 07:50 AM.
10-13-2016, 07:48 AM
#17
Instructor
Thread Starter
Implicit in my response, the tstat change is coincidental to the two observations you made as the temps cited were well above the threshold of a 160 or 180 tstat.
Far more likely, you're observing different normal operating temps under uncontrolled, random events. I've done numerous datalogs now using PIDs of ambient air temp, fan control (%), RPM, vehicle speed, and coolant temps. Lots of variables at any moment in time on different days.
So, to clarify, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely the change in tstat had any causal connection to the observations you've made.
Far more likely, you're observing different normal operating temps under uncontrolled, random events. I've done numerous datalogs now using PIDs of ambient air temp, fan control (%), RPM, vehicle speed, and coolant temps. Lots of variables at any moment in time on different days.
So, to clarify, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely the change in tstat had any causal connection to the observations you've made.
10-13-2016, 01:48 PM
#18
Team Owner
10-14-2016, 04:29 PM
#19
Drifting
Driving conditions are at play here too. Our cooling systems can be very touchy based on many variables. Example, with my new Dewitts radiator, if I'm cruising in 5th gear at 60MPH (2000RPM) my coolant temp will read about 192-194. If I shift into 6th at the same speed, (1500RPM), my coolant temp goes up to about 196-198. Nothing else changed. As long as your temps aren't spiking above the danger zones, nothing to worry about.
10-20-2016, 10:39 AM
#20
Instructor
Thread Starter
Driving conditions are at play here too. Our cooling systems can be very touchy based on many variables. Example, with my new Dewitts radiator, if I'm cruising in 5th gear at 60MPH (2000RPM) my coolant temp will read about 192-194. If I shift into 6th at the same speed, (1500RPM), my coolant temp goes up to about 196-198. Nothing else changed. As long as your temps aren't spiking above the danger zones, nothing to worry about.