Hello guys,

My 94 coolant temp runs around 205-230 when driving and will go up to 240 when traffic and/or stopping frequently. I live in Vegas and it's 110F + everyday right now!!!!

Fan will kick on when AC on, fluid level ok, fan fuse ok as well.

I'm wondering if the water pump is ok because t-stat is not old at all.

Any suggestion on how to fix it?

Thank

 

your temps are ok, in traffic your fan does not come on till 238 and that is the only thing pulling air across the rad to cool the cooleant sense you are not moving fast enough too push air thru

 

Nothing to fix. Those coolant temps are typical of later C4's and work fine

 

Temperatures seem ok, but make sure that both fans come on when the engine heats up. I had a bad motor on the second fan. After I replaced it, I noticed a big drop in temps when in stop and go traffic.

 

[240°f] in traffic on an hot Vegas day [110°f] with a stock radiator (presumably) is not bad.

 

Hate to disagree but I think you're temps are a little high. 240° is reaching toward the top of normal design temps.

My suggestions are two-fold:

1. Pull the radiator shroud and clean out any trapped debris.

2. Flush your cooling system.

Here in Florida, we're in the 90's every day at this time of year and rarely see 32° in the winter. Since water cools 140% better than ethylene glycol and 60% better than a 50/50 mix, I run an 80 / 20 water to DexCool mix with two pints of No-Rosion corrosion inhibitor. My engine runs 5-7° cooler in all conditions and it hasn't exceeded 210° since I made the switch... even in start & stop traffic.

If you really want to maximize your engine cooling, following is a link I think you'll find very interesting. It's proprietary but the info is sound.

http://www.norosion.com/tech_coolant.htm

 

Flushing the cooling system includes removing the two knock
sensors from the bottom of the block, not just draining the radiator.

 

You ever spent a nice July afternoon in Vegas traffic ? ??

his temps are actually quite GOOD for those conditions ! ! !

My engine would have gone to 250 at extended idle with a/c running and an ambient of 110...It did that daily when living in Phx Az for several years. Always cooled down to "normal" once moving again. No harm done.

actually, yesterday in the frigid Tx coastal area where we touched 98* and 99% humidity yesterday, mine went to 238 while sitting and watching a red lite cycle 3 times as people picked their nose and did ANYTHING but pay attention to the damn signals.........

The key to these temps is simple. Its NOT a matter of how hot it will get when sitting still at a stop lite....its MORE a matter of how quickly it will cool down once you are moving again.

Ex:
mine hits 240 at the red lite. I get to move again and able to roll up to 55 mph. After about 30 seconds, mines drops 1 degree every few seconds until its once again down into the "normal" range of 200-210. That's where I like to keep it for longevity and good engine health. An engine that hits 240 and does NOT want to cool down after movement and airflow has been restored is a sick engine....something is wrong and needs to be investigated.

Remember, its US that are uncomfortable with these temps. the engines rolled off the factory floor designed to run at these numbers....

JulienF...

Your car is fine ! Nothing to be concerned about.

People thinking they can go against the ambient and what is called a "temperature differential" that's necessary for any cooling effect, are just plain dreamin...
the less the differential the greater the exchange rate must be to compensate.(again, air flow)

IE: when its 110+ outside and you are adding even MORE heat by running your a/c....the engine temp IS going to rise when you reduce the heat exchange (air-flow). fact of life folks !

 

i posted and had this same problem with my 1994 just a couple weeks ago. Start your car in the driveway with the hood open and watch your digital coolant temp display. At round 238 the fans will kick on. If they don't at the front of the motor right beneath the intake around the water pump there is a sensor there. Unplug this sensor and start the car. Fans should kick on. If they do replace the sensor and retest. I had to replace the sensor and mine is fine now. In my 1994 the fans kick on around 238 by the digital display and cool it right down. It is completely normal for the car to run that hot. Also ignore the dash temp gauage the needle one i mean. They are very inaccurate.

 

Thanks guys for all your responses.

Glad to hear nothing is wrong with coolant temp. I'll keep an eye on it and make sure fan kicks at 238. A flush and good cleaning might help too.

I'm wondering if I should not buy a 180 t-stat to run a little cooler. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks again .

 

Do you use 91 octane fuel?

 

no to the stat it is doing just fine just as it is

 

Yes, always chevron or shell 91

 

T-stats are for controlling the "Min" operating temps only.. cooling fans and radiators are for controlling the "Max" operating temps.

 

No need for a lower t-stat then thanks

 

The T-stat stuff is a MYTH. Think it thru.....

the thermostat only controls the MINIMUM engine operating temp.....NOT the Maximum. Once the engine is warmed up, most t-stats can be thrown away. They do nothing after the initial warm-up.

the ONLY thing they do after warm up (any size) is to keep some tension on the fluid so there are no dry pockets in the manifold or upper block (hot spots) from the coolant running out too easily. It acts as an orifice to some extent.



240 idling in traffic with the a/c running in Vegas in July is as common as the sunrise...

Nothing to worry over,. really.
If you need more peace of mind, have all the hoses checked and the rad flushed and serviced. That's not going to lower the temp any but it WILL make YOU feel better about the numbers you see.

 

If you are circulating 'mud' in the cooling system, a flush should
lower temps by 5-8 degrees.

 

Have you thought of installing a lower coolant temperature sensor that turns the fans on sooner.

 

Clear out all the garbage from the front of the a/c condensor and between the radiator and condensor. Flush out all the dirt and debris with a garden house (be CAREFUL not to get the Opti wet!!!, located below the water pump) I found all kinds of leaves, cigarette butts, a small plastic grocery bag and lots of bugs, and more leaves. My cars temp on a 90 degree day is now around 200-210, driving 55-60 mph. It was up around 214-220 beforehand.

 

I think youre right. Temps are normal but I'm going to clean debris and everything around radiator, flush coolant and put some fresh fluid and I'm sure it will make me feel better. It just get very hot out here (115F today!!!) and temps go up quickly. Will double check water pump, t-stat, sensor and I should be ready to go