Coolant temps
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Coolant temps
As the weather has gotten warmer I saw that my engine temps have gotten higher too, like sometimes as high as 230* before the fan kicks back on. I noticed when I turn on the A/C the temps drop dramatically. Why is this?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,334
Likes: 2,260
From: Central Maryland
What you are seeing is normal, but you don't have to live with it.
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
Last edited by SJW; Jun 30, 2006 at 02:34 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,740
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis MN
Originally Posted by SJW
What you are seeing is normal, but you don't have to live with it.
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
A 180 stat with the fans kicking on at 215 should keep the engine happy.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: West Chester PA
Just a sidebar, but my family has always used Water Wetter by Snap which is a coolant additive pink in color that you add and it REALLY decreases your temp up to 30 degrees. My car sits at 188 while moving and rarely sees 210 unless I am sitting for a long time on a hot day.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
I realize its normal, but just found it odd that it was making it run cooler. I thought it would run hotter. With the A/C on, the temps stay around 200 or below. I just wanted to know if the A/C was a good thing for it, thanks.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,471
Likes: 2
From: 1993 Quasar Blue 'vert Scottsdale AZ
Originally Posted by MY85TPI
Just a sidebar, but my family has always used Water Wetter by Snap which is a coolant additive pink in color that you add and it REALLY decreases your temp up to 30 degrees. My car sits at 188 while moving and rarely sees 210 unless I am sitting for a long time on a hot day.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: 1984 crossfire, Alhaurin de la Torre Malaga, Spain
Originally Posted by SJW
What you are seeing is normal, but you don't have to live with it.
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
If the normal operating temps leave you uncomfortable, you can lower them by installing a lower temp thermostat and kicking the cooling fans on/off at lower temps.
I did this on my '94, and I'm very happy with the results. I installed a 160* 'stat, and my primary cooling fan on/off temps are now 190*F/180*F, and the secondary fan on/off temps are 195*F/185*F.
The car now runs MUCH cooler under nearly all circumstances, and as soon as I install the new radiator that Chris May is sending me, I'm betting it'll never go above 195*F under any circumstances.
I can relax a lot more easily knowing that my cooling system has a lot more headroom before Really Bad Things begin to happen. And the lower under-hood temps should help such soft parts as hoses, gaskets, seals, etc to last longer.
Be sure that if you do this, you don't lower the fan on/off settings to the point where the fans want to run all the time. Keep the fan/off settings at least 20*F above the thermostat temp.
Be well,
SJW
I had to install an electronic fan control that I can adjust to make the fan kick in at the temp I like. When it fails, the normal control still works, so double security.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,334
Likes: 2,260
From: Central Maryland
Originally Posted by n1kki6
That seems to cool to me, what temp is your oil hitting. I wouldnt want my fans set to anything less than 210. Seems like your fans will contantly be running.
A 180 stat with the fans kicking on at 215 should keep the engine happy.
A 180 stat with the fans kicking on at 215 should keep the engine happy.
My fans do not run all the time. That was the point I tried to make in the previous post when I recommended that the lowest fan-off setting should be at least 20* higher than the 'stat temp. My 'stat opens at around 160*F. My primary cooling fan on/off settings are now 190*F/180*F. My secondary fan on/off settings are now 195*F/185*F. In hot weather, at idle or low speed, one or both fans will run, but that's what I want them to do. The ECM will shut them off at highway speed, because that's what it's programmed to do. On cooler days, the primary fan will cycle on/off at idle.
Be well,
SJW
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,334
Likes: 2,260
From: Central Maryland
Originally Posted by Nico
How does the thermostat lower the temperature? It controls the minimum temperature, not the maximum. Or do you have a device that also has outputs to control the fan?
I had to install an electronic fan control that I can adjust to make the fan kick in at the temp I like. When it fails, the normal control still works, so double security.
I had to install an electronic fan control that I can adjust to make the fan kick in at the temp I like. When it fails, the normal control still works, so double security.
The lower 'stat temp allows the lowered fan-on/off settings to function without keeping the fans on all the time.
Be well,
SJW
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Temps
Summer in DC area around 90 most days.
When I start the engine the temp goes up to around 193, and then the thermostat opens (190). Next the temp drops to around 183-4 as the coolant is free to flow through the radiator. It then slowly climbs up to 194-5 again and stays there unless I'm stuck in traffic.
Traffic gets me a slow climb to 228 at which point the main cooling fan turns on and quickly brings the temp back to around 213, then it cycles off until 228 again and so on...
I have never seen my aux cooling fan (in front of condenser) turn on at all. I have tested it and the associated relay (on fan shroud) and the temperature switch (left side head), and they all work fine. Haven't figured out yet at what temp it should turn on.
If I'm in traffic with the a/c on, this runs the main cooling fan and it hovers around 216-7 as the fan will not cycle off with the a/c on.
When I start the engine the temp goes up to around 193, and then the thermostat opens (190). Next the temp drops to around 183-4 as the coolant is free to flow through the radiator. It then slowly climbs up to 194-5 again and stays there unless I'm stuck in traffic.
Traffic gets me a slow climb to 228 at which point the main cooling fan turns on and quickly brings the temp back to around 213, then it cycles off until 228 again and so on...
I have never seen my aux cooling fan (in front of condenser) turn on at all. I have tested it and the associated relay (on fan shroud) and the temperature switch (left side head), and they all work fine. Haven't figured out yet at what temp it should turn on.
If I'm in traffic with the a/c on, this runs the main cooling fan and it hovers around 216-7 as the fan will not cycle off with the a/c on.