Low Coolant Temperature - is this normal??
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Low Coolant Temperature - is this normal??
Yesterday, I swapped out my temperature sensor as I thought that the sensor in the car didn't have the accurate reading as it was reading pretty low. The car would not even get to the 1/4 line on the temperature scale.. Only on a very hot day in city traffic, it would be solid on that line.. Otherwise, the coolant temperature would show below that first mark.
So, after swapping out the sensor for a brand new one that was supposed to have the "correct" reading, the reading was exactly the same as with the sensor that I removed...
Is this normal for a fairly stock 327/300 (mild cam & Team G intake)?? The car does have a aftermarket aluminum direct replacement (probably DeWitt) radiator. Other than that, the cooling system looks stock.
What temperature does the 1/4 mark represent?
I've never had a C3 before that would run that cool, even with removed thermostat..
So, after swapping out the sensor for a brand new one that was supposed to have the "correct" reading, the reading was exactly the same as with the sensor that I removed...
Is this normal for a fairly stock 327/300 (mild cam & Team G intake)?? The car does have a aftermarket aluminum direct replacement (probably DeWitt) radiator. Other than that, the cooling system looks stock.
What temperature does the 1/4 mark represent?
I've never had a C3 before that would run that cool, even with removed thermostat..
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I will check for the thermostat.. However, even with the thermostat in place, the car should be running more than 160 degrees, especially here in the hot Florida weather..
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,990
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From: Port St. Lucie Fl
If someone put in a 160* stat and larger than needed dewitts radiator it could be there, I see 171 in my ecm while cruising the interstate in 90* weather with a 406 and uncoated headers. If I drive the car before it hits the 160 it will stay there running down the interstate.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
If someone put in a 160* stat and larger than needed dewitts radiator it could be there, I see 171 in my ecm while cruising the interstate in 90* weather with a 406 and uncoated headers. If I drive the car before it hits the 160 it will stay there running down the interstate.
I have a fairly mild 350 in one of my previous '68 Verts with High Volume Water Pump, Griffin Aluminum radiator and a auxiliary 16 inch electric fan (in combination with a solid mechanical fan) and the car would somegimes get to over 200 degees despite all that.. It would run about 185 in most conditions but in stop and go traffic, it would get up to 200 degrees in very hot and slow traffic conditions despite overkill on the cooling system.
Last edited by GrandSportC3; Oct 13, 2015 at 09:43 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 884
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From: Rhine Georgia
Just installed a dewitts 2 weeks ago. I drilled holes in my 180 stat to serve as a bypass because I'm running a vortec intake without a heater core connected. With stock 5 blade fan and Georgia temps in the 80s I run just above the 1/4 mark on the highway. In traffic I still hit 195ish, But it takes a good bit longer to get there. I agree 160 seems low for Fla in traffic.
Maybe its the gauge and not the sensor
Maybe its the gauge and not the sensor
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Just installed a dewitts 2 weeks ago. I drilled holes in my 180 stat to serve as a bypass because I'm running a vortec intake without a heater core connected. With stock 5 blade fan and Georgia temps in the 80s I run just above the 1/4 mark on the highway. In traffic I still hit 195ish, But it takes a good bit longer to get there. I agree 160 seems low for Fla in traffic.
Maybe its the gauge and not the sensor
Maybe its the gauge and not the sensor
If the car wasn't mostly original and matching numbers, I'd just swap out the center gauges for autometer gauges.. Much more accurate reading..
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Thread Starter
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Great.. Good to know that the temperature matches between block and coolant.. I used to have a temperature gun but my kids broke it.. Will get another one from Harbor Freight.. They are about $30 or so..
Pro
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 664
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From: Marysville Ohio
My observation - A higher-capacity radiator, as many aluminum ones are, can keep your overall temps down pretty low, often much lower than the stock setup (even with more power).
For example, with my 383 and a stock 4-core rad, I ran 185-190 actual temperature most days. On hot summer days with AC on, I could go just over 200 and then would hold there.
This last year I went to an SBC 427 setup with a high-capacity 3-core aluminum rad from Champion. I easily run 180-185 all day long, and may creep up to between 190 and 195 on a very hot day with AC.
I really didn't expect the new rad to be as efficient as it is, especially with a stroker of this size.
In both cases, I'm running a 180 degree thermostat and have kept the same temp sender unit between both engines (it is the factory sender matched with the gauge).
For example, with my 383 and a stock 4-core rad, I ran 185-190 actual temperature most days. On hot summer days with AC on, I could go just over 200 and then would hold there.
This last year I went to an SBC 427 setup with a high-capacity 3-core aluminum rad from Champion. I easily run 180-185 all day long, and may creep up to between 190 and 195 on a very hot day with AC.
I really didn't expect the new rad to be as efficient as it is, especially with a stroker of this size.
In both cases, I'm running a 180 degree thermostat and have kept the same temp sender unit between both engines (it is the factory sender matched with the gauge).
Thread Starter
Team Owner
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
This is what the gauge shows.. The sensor shows 56 ohms which appears to indicate that the gauge is fairly accurate. However, the infrared thermometer shows 185 degrees at the thermostat.. So, it appears that both sensors, the one that was in the car and the one I took out are inaccurate by exactly the same margin..
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Kannapolis NC
This is what the gauge shows.. The sensor shows 56 ohms which appears to indicate that the gauge is fairly accurate. However, the infrared thermometer shows 185 degrees at the thermostat.. So, it appears that both sensors, the one that was in the car and the one I took out are inaccurate by exactly the same margin..
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
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St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I believe the generic part number for it is TS-6 sensor.. Glad that I got the right reading now..
http://www.carparts.com/results/?Ntt...ype=global&N=0
Le Mans Master
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From: Akron Ohio
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
My '71 gauge does the exact same thing. I just thought the gauge was going bad. Looks like I need a sensor as well! Thanks for the post!
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
I was surprised that the El Cheapo sensor was the one that work while the more expensive one from the Corvette parts supplier didn't have the correct reading.. Weird..
Drove the Vette to work today.. 23 miles at 75 to 80 mph or so.. Temperature stayed just left of the 210 mark which seems to be about 190 degrees or so which seems to be correct..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Akron Ohio
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11
I was surprised that the El Cheapo sensor was the one that work while the more expensive one from the Corvette parts supplier didn't have the correct reading.. Weird..
Drove the Vette to work today.. 23 miles at 75 to 80 mph or so.. Temperature stayed just left of the 210 mark which seems to be about 190 degrees or so which seems to be correct..
I found the same TS-6 sensor on RockAuto for $6. I'll report back when it arrives. Hopefully it fixes my issue too.
