[Z06] Engine temp vs. E.T. and MPH?????
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Engine temp vs. E.T. and MPH?????
Got a drag racing question here maybe someone can answer.
Does the 02-03 Z06 run better when the engine is cooler? Would it be of benefit to go to a 180 or even a 160 stat with a programmer to turn the fans on sooner? I think ranger said it was best to run the car at 190 coolant temp.
Anybody have any good data on a car running faster with lower coolant temp not just lower ambient temp?
Thanks...
Does the 02-03 Z06 run better when the engine is cooler? Would it be of benefit to go to a 180 or even a 160 stat with a programmer to turn the fans on sooner? I think ranger said it was best to run the car at 190 coolant temp.
Anybody have any good data on a car running faster with lower coolant temp not just lower ambient temp?
Thanks...
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 32
From: Central Florida
With stock PCM, the car runs produces best power at 190-194 degree.
Turning on the high-speed fans using a switch will permit hot-lapping a few back-to-back passes before the clutch becomes heat-soaked.
If you want hard data, good luck. Hardly anyone on this board seems to keep a detailed drag log. I do, but once I figured out the optimal temp for my stock Z06, I no long felt it necessary to experiment with higher or lower water temps at the line.
Some folks (often those with prior C4 experience) state their cars run best at low water temps. Neither my 01 or 02 did. And I tested that with dialed-in driving.
Ranger
Turning on the high-speed fans using a switch will permit hot-lapping a few back-to-back passes before the clutch becomes heat-soaked.
If you want hard data, good luck. Hardly anyone on this board seems to keep a detailed drag log. I do, but once I figured out the optimal temp for my stock Z06, I no long felt it necessary to experiment with higher or lower water temps at the line.
Some folks (often those with prior C4 experience) state their cars run best at low water temps. Neither my 01 or 02 did. And I tested that with dialed-in driving.
Ranger
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,649
Likes: 32
From: Central Florida
Simple test.
(1) get your driving dialed-in, e.g. consistent.
(2) run two passes with a water temp at the line of 155. Then two at 165; then two at 175. Then two at 185. Then two at 195. Make the shifts at same rpm and same strength each pass.
Average the the trap speeds for each temp. See which temp produces the best trap.
Most testimonials are anecdotal based on a couple passes with undialed driving.
For an alternate view, try PMing "Power Shifter." He favors a lower temp. But I believe that his times might have matched mine, except for his low-temp error.
Ranger
(1) get your driving dialed-in, e.g. consistent.
(2) run two passes with a water temp at the line of 155. Then two at 165; then two at 175. Then two at 185. Then two at 195. Make the shifts at same rpm and same strength each pass.
Average the the trap speeds for each temp. See which temp produces the best trap.
Most testimonials are anecdotal based on a couple passes with undialed driving.
For an alternate view, try PMing "Power Shifter." He favors a lower temp. But I believe that his times might have matched mine, except for his low-temp error.
Ranger
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 18,484
Likes: 1
From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Originally Posted by Ranger
With stock PCM, the car runs produces best power at 190-194 degree.
Turning on the high-speed fans using a switch will permit hot-lapping a few back-to-back passes before the clutch becomes heat-soaked.
If you want hard data, good luck. Hardly anyone on this board seems to keep a detailed drag log. I do, but once I figured out the optimal temp for my stock Z06, I no long felt it necessary to experiment with higher or lower water temps at the line.
Some folks (often those with prior C4 experience) state their cars run best at low water temps. Neither my 01 or 02 did. And I tested that with dialed-in driving.
Ranger
Turning on the high-speed fans using a switch will permit hot-lapping a few back-to-back passes before the clutch becomes heat-soaked.
If you want hard data, good luck. Hardly anyone on this board seems to keep a detailed drag log. I do, but once I figured out the optimal temp for my stock Z06, I no long felt it necessary to experiment with higher or lower water temps at the line.
Some folks (often those with prior C4 experience) state their cars run best at low water temps. Neither my 01 or 02 did. And I tested that with dialed-in driving.
Ranger
I have struggled with weather to put a 160 in mine since I got it, but am going to go with just the fan change for now (I think) and see how it goes.
WHen I had my LT-4, it did benefit from a 160 stat and fan reprogram. It was worth nearly a .1 and 1 MPH - or it seemed.
I just can't get over what I learned when I bracket raced in my old Nova. It seemed like every 406 I built ran best between 160-170 - and that is with well over 5,000 runs documented and noted. Car just seemed to fall off once the car got hotter than that. At least I knew to dial up a couple hundreths.
