On hot days 90-100 (we get days like this in SoCal) my 94 will creep up to 230 degrees (according to the LCD readout) espically at long lights and traffic (we get lots of in SoCal too). It does not seem to go past this point. Also the Oil Temp will get as high as 244 degrees. Is this anything to worry about? How hot do some of your vetts run?

Thanks
-james

 

In the summer here my L98 will get past 220. Although my oil temp seems to stay under 200. Is this normal?

 

The fan is turned on by the PCM at 230 (LT1, not sure about the L98) or when the A/C Compressor is pulled in. Seeing those temps always creeps me out especially with aluminum heads but according to GM is completely normal. Lots of people on the forum put in a lower temperature thermostat and reprogram the fan on/off temps or rewire the fans altogether. I haven't got around to that yet, but I am using nearly straight water with redline wetter to keep it 10-15 degrees cooler.


[Modified by rocketfinger, 11:20 PM 6/12/2002]

 

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the LCD display shows your coolant temp, not the actual engine temp- which could be higher. Take a look at the analog gauge to the right- if it is near the caution area, I can't imagine it's good.

My 93 ran the same way till I put in a low temp T-stat and a chip to turn on the fans earlier. Now runs nice and cool even in 100 degree Atlanta traffic. A Ram air, Water Wetter, and (most imprtantly..and the cheapest) cleaning out that radiator will help, too.

 

From everything I have heard, and read, these cars are ENGINEERED to run at those kind of temps, and it is nothing to worry about. However, it seems to be reasonable that the car SHOULD run a bit cooler, say around 200, rather than 225. Someone on an earlier post mentioned something about the higher temps actually reducing engine wear, and installing the low temp T-stat causes more problems than it solves. I believe part of the reason was that cooler temps don't allow moisture to boil out of the engine oil. Regardless of coolant temp, I'd still like to have cooler AIR entering the engine, as we all know that helps to develop more ponies. Maybe I'm an idiot, but I would not mess with it. :confused:

 

Even after all of those mods, I still run @ 200 degrees. It just doesn't get much hotter than 205 or so. I figured that running around this temp range was where it is supposed to be. I didn't like sitting in traffic with my temp gauge going into the red. Making the car run cooler is still probably better than overheating that engine...

..and yeah, scooping in outside air with the ram air mod is a great thing to do, imho. At least you aren't sucking in that 200+ air from under the hood!

 

:D :D :D Here we go again! :D :D :D

Heat kills! Those High Temps are GM's answer to getting past the pollution ratings!

Has has been mentioned here, clean the radiator (remove to clean properly), lower thermostat is nice, but not necessarily the answer at the high end of the temp range...once the thermo opens, it is open. A 180 thermo is open from 180 up. Getting the fans on earlier is a definite plus. Lots of folks sell swithches, chipsw, etc.

This debate rages here every 6 months or so and someone will predictably respond that if heat is so great, install a 250 theremo :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :D :D :D

Personally, I have been running small block chevys for almost a million miles and have alwasy kept them around 180

:seeya Jack

 

I hit 235 today .. as soon as my engine cools, I'm pulling the radiator. :yesnod: :yesnod:

 

I had cooling issues on me vette so I did a lot of research which included talking to a few topnotch vette wrenches..the fans come on at 228 degrees and at 230 yours should be on..even in traffic they should drop the temp a bit...if your not staying above 230 your fine..a lower setting stat won't lower the coolant temp...turning on your fans sooner will...bottom line is.. do you want to run the fans a whole lot more or let the engine function as designed..whatever you are comfortable with...your choice...good luck

 

In new York we have been having very hot and humid days. My temp has been seeing 230 in traffic and the oil has been up to 230. As long as you use good oil and the oil level is not low you will be OK.

 

I think 230* is hot, but not horrible. What I think is horrible is the range of temperature allowed.

With aluminum heads and intake manifold on a cast iron block, the movement between these parts with different expansion properties must be extraordinary with the heat range allowed in our engines. There is no question why intake manifold and head gaskets fail.

So I think the absolute temperature is less important than the range allowed in every day driving. Thermostat set the low temperature allowed after warmup. Radiator size and fan turn on set the high temperature limit. I have no trouble with my stock (clean) radiator keeping my L98 below 207* at the worst. My High flow Robert Shaw thermostat (180*) allows 168* temps with lots of air flow on a cool day, but radiator will limit to about 185* on a very hot humid day.

Fan turn on temp is everything. Stock values in the ecm are for whatever purpose GM thought about at the moment, most likely HC emissions (but this was way before NOx was being tested on treadmills and long lines to wait for a test). My main fan turns on at about 196* (thanks Craig) and the aux fan (200* aux fan switch) around 200*.

I think I'd like a high flow 190* thermostat, that should keep me cool enough (still 207* max) and yet my range would be limited to somewhere in the 180* low end.

Long story to get to an answer, but I don't like 230* either, but I dislike the range of temps more. This answer has nothing to do with absolute performance or gas mileage, but my opinion on the best street operating temperature range for my engine.

Final note on oil temp and every post that says you have to keep oil above 212* to boil off water and what not in the oil. Folks, there are lots of places in the engine that the oil runs at least 50* hotter than the oil temp reading, notably in the rocker arms and main / rod bearings. This is not an issue to worry about!

Pete

 

See-I am an idiot!?! :conehead

 

hi captain kaboom how much cost to reprogram your vette fans?

 

You expect a reply from someone who posted almost 12 years ago??



Start your own thread asking for info on doing the reprogram..

 

Plus the guy hasn't been on the forum since 2009...These new guys need to start looking at dates before they post.......WW

 

Forums should lock and archive old post (say over 2 years old)...I see this happening on a lot of forums!