Temp guage
Racer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
yes. I believe the fan is supposed to kick in around 230. someone correct me if I'm wrong. I went through the same thing right after i got my vette. It drove me crazy so I checked the thermostat, antifreeze, everything.... After much time and effort checking various things I was told that it is normal. Thats just how our vettes are. Its fine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
Always let us know what year the car is. They are not all the same.
In a LT1 car you should mainly ignore the analog guage and go by the digital readout to get an accurate water temperature. The analog guage will generally be near the upper end before a cooling fan turns on. Since I do not know the year of your car, I will give generalities. The first cooling fan turns on at about 229 in an earlier LT1, with the second fan coming on about 239. In a later LT1 I understand both fans come on at low speed around 229 and both go to high speed around 239.
When you are in traffic and the fans are not on there is no or very little air flow through the radiator so the temps will rise to 229 when a fan or both fans turn on. When moving the temp should be about 200 - 210 on your digital guage.
In a LT1 car you should mainly ignore the analog guage and go by the digital readout to get an accurate water temperature. The analog guage will generally be near the upper end before a cooling fan turns on. Since I do not know the year of your car, I will give generalities. The first cooling fan turns on at about 229 in an earlier LT1, with the second fan coming on about 239. In a later LT1 I understand both fans come on at low speed around 229 and both go to high speed around 239.
When you are in traffic and the fans are not on there is no or very little air flow through the radiator so the temps will rise to 229 when a fan or both fans turn on. When moving the temp should be about 200 - 210 on your digital guage.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 716
Likes: 0
Okay, I found the kits that go inline and turn the fans on earlier, but the two kits i found seem to turn it on too early, one turns it on at 195, and the other turns it on at 200. It seems the perfect one would turn it on at 215 or even 220.
Last edited by Cavi; Nov 15, 2011 at 02:58 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 171
Likes: 1
From: Chicago
There is more to when fans turn on and off than just temperautre, A/C line pressure, speed traveled and oter things but I don't have the factory service manual handy.
Though technically at those temps you are not overheating with this car based on age how is your thermostat, radiator and waterpump. If you want the lower fan on kits you really should use a lower temp (Hypertech 160 thermostat). This in itself has generated years of heated debate so lets not rehash that but search it and read up on the 100's of what temp is my car supposed to be threads.
Mine runs between 189 and 195 in most circumstances and in hot above 80 days in low speed or stop and go it will creep up to 200-205 or so but once moving back into mid 195 or so.
Though technically at those temps you are not overheating with this car based on age how is your thermostat, radiator and waterpump. If you want the lower fan on kits you really should use a lower temp (Hypertech 160 thermostat). This in itself has generated years of heated debate so lets not rehash that but search it and read up on the 100's of what temp is my car supposed to be threads.
Mine runs between 189 and 195 in most circumstances and in hot above 80 days in low speed or stop and go it will creep up to 200-205 or so but once moving back into mid 195 or so.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
If it is 228 while driving on an open road you have a problem. A likely cause could be junk blocking airflow through the radiator. These cars vacuum up a lot of stuff from the highway - leaves, plastic bags, grass, etc. You will need to check to see if there is a bunch of junk in the front of the radiator.
My 1992 runs at about 200 in regular driving.
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