operating Temp range
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Melbourne Victoria
operating Temp range
Hi Guys my 88 C4 will run at 180 deg all day everyday , until I turn the Air Con on then it'll run as high as 225 deg in traffic . I recently did a 2800 mile round trip no air con and it ran at 180 deg all the way ...should I be concerned with the high temp with the air con operating ????
Thanks Ray from the land down under ....
Thanks Ray from the land down under ....
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,580
Likes: 504
From: Indianapolis IN
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
C4 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
Your temps (both with and without A/C) are all good Ray. Your fan isn't even programmed to kick on until your temp hits 226°...so at 225° you're safe. 
Dave
Dave
Last edited by Red86Z51; Dec 5, 2013 at 07:35 AM. Reason: Correction: Fan operation temp is 226°, not 228° as originally posted
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,556
Likes: 12
May be time for some over due cleaning
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...post1583165063
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1570992791-post1.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...post1583165063
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1570992791-post1.html
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,439
Likes: 23
From: mesa az
I suggest you invest in a 2 row all aluminum radiator. Here in the states you can buy a chinese made radiator for $180 shipped to your door. Ebay American Eagle but I guess it has another name as well ? I inspected it when I got it and amazingly it is well made. I also installed a Dewitt fan that cost me $230 shipped. It helped here in the desert temps at traffic lights where my temps would climb. Our temps are similar yes ? 110-120 from June to Sept. The street temps are over 150 on the black top.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,580
Likes: 504
From: Indianapolis IN
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
C4 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
I suggest you invest in a 2 row all aluminum radiator. Here in the states you can buy a chinese made radiator for $180 shipped to your door. Ebay American Eagle but I guess it has another name as well ? I inspected it when I got it and amazingly it is well made. I also installed a Dewitt fan that cost me $230 shipped. It helped here in the desert temps at traffic lights where my temps would climb. Our temps are similar yes ? 110-120 from June to Sept. The street temps are over 150 on the black top.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Temps, idle and low speed, should be lower with a/c than without. I don't know how you've achieved 180 without a/c as the threshold for non a/c fan (stock) is 226 degrees. The threshold for the fan with the a/c is about 220 psi (about 120 degrees with subcooling at the Condensor, or if you want to see what it is, stick a digital thermometer on the Condensor outlet). That's well below the 195 degree (stock) thermostat. Pressure is instantaneous so the fan comes on sooner and runs longer. The thermostat maintains appropriate coolant temps. Your Vette either has an airflow problem, maybe a non stock thermostat, a cooling fan that's running too long for proper a/c operation, or a missing or defective a/c fan switch. What is the Center Vent temp (can't imagine that it's as cold as it could be with Coolant temps in the 220's)? What gas are you using? What are the high and low side pressures? You need to hook up a manifold gage set to check everything out.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,226
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I go by +/-5 degrees of the t stat rating while going down the road. So if you have a 195 stat, the hottest is 200 & the coolest should be 190. Like I said this is going down the road. 225 while going down the road is too hot. There's an air flow problem for sure, maybe others too.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Melbourne Victoria
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,580
Likes: 504
From: Indianapolis IN
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
C4 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
You're welcome Ray.
vetteoz does bring up a very good point about radiator cleaning. In your free time, if you have never done so, it would be worth your time to make a visual check in between the radiator and condenser. That area is "fairly" contained and debris (leaves, tree fuzz, etc...) can get trapped in there and start to block the radiator.
I simply loosened the top radiator shroud/support on mine and moved it out of the way to allow enough room to clean out in there. I used a shop-vac for the bottom area, and a dryer vent brush and compressed air to clean the radiator face itself.
vetteoz does bring up a very good point about radiator cleaning. In your free time, if you have never done so, it would be worth your time to make a visual check in between the radiator and condenser. That area is "fairly" contained and debris (leaves, tree fuzz, etc...) can get trapped in there and start to block the radiator.
I simply loosened the top radiator shroud/support on mine and moved it out of the way to allow enough room to clean out in there. I used a shop-vac for the bottom area, and a dryer vent brush and compressed air to clean the radiator face itself.