Engine Temp.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
Engine Temp.
Quick question: What oil / coolant temp do run at?
I use to run around 210f. I changed my plugs and wires now I'm at 230f. I have a 84 vette. How hot is too hot? Anyone else running that hot??? Thanks for your time!
I use to run around 210f. I changed my plugs and wires now I'm at 230f. I have a 84 vette. How hot is too hot? Anyone else running that hot??? Thanks for your time!
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,769
Likes: 175
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Gonna need a little more information.
When are you seeing that 230f? Sitting still or while moving.
If sitting still for any length of time, 230 is not that unusual as long as it returns to the upper 190's low 200's once moving.
How hot is too hot?
You'll get lots of different opinions on this.
If it's running at 230 or above while moving then you need some cooling system maintenance.
When are you seeing that 230f? Sitting still or while moving.
If sitting still for any length of time, 230 is not that unusual as long as it returns to the upper 190's low 200's once moving.
How hot is too hot?
You'll get lots of different opinions on this.
If it's running at 230 or above while moving then you need some cooling system maintenance.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
It's all around town. I don't use the freeway much, but once the oil is over 220f it it will not go back down below 220f again. The coolant goes up and down a lot. 215f-230f back and forth.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 944
Likes: 11
From: Davie Florida
I have an 84 vette & also live in Florida, When I first got the car it ran at 220F, Which is just a little too hot for my liking, So I changed the thermostat to 180 & also put a low temp fan switch which turns my fan on at 195F, now the car never hits 200F, 199F then back down to 180, When moving it runs at 174F... My oil temp is normally about 20 degrees hotter then the coolant temp..
Also not sure what fan relay you are using, but if it is the old style I suggest you upgrade, I had the old style fan relay, that relay sux...
Ant....
Also not sure what fan relay you are using, but if it is the old style I suggest you upgrade, I had the old style fan relay, that relay sux...
Ant....
Pro
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 515
Likes: 0
From: Nashua NH
The ECM turns the fan on at 234*. GM set them this way for emission purposes...the hotter the engine, the more pollutants are burned off. You could get a custom PROM burned, which will, when coupled with a cooler thermostat, turn the fan on sooner if that temp bothers you that much. But the manufacturer wants them to run that hot, so don't be concerned with it...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Coolant, at idle and with the a/c off, should rise to the threshold for fan operation and once the fan turns on; drop at least a couple of degrees. With the a/c on and at idle, the fan should maintain a condensor temp of around 100 - 120 degrees and it needs a thermostat to maintain proper coolant temp (which should be 5 to 10 degrees lower than it would be with the a/c off). For either situation it wasn't designed to run hotter with the fan running. At cruise, it should be around the thermostat. If it isn't working like this and the fan works, check air flow, radiator shroud, spoiler, a/c charge, compression for a blown head gasket.
Oil needs to be hot enough to boil off any moisture so it should be easy enough to figure out if the temperature is right.
Oil needs to be hot enough to boil off any moisture so it should be easy enough to figure out if the temperature is right.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
All these newbee Vette owners will have this board clogged with questions about there car running to hot...I know I flipped out when I first saw 228 degrees on the gauge..
...WW
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
Yea me too. I had the car running for a week when I got caught in traffic. I pulled over and let it cool down. LOL it was 210*
When I got home, I read the book that I had left at home.
can u say "relieved"?
When I got home, I read the book that I had left at home.
can u say "relieved"?
