LS-1 operating temperature?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,121
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
LS-1 operating temperature?
What temperatures does your LS-1 run at? Mine has recently started to run at 220f in traffic and drops to 215f once moving. I was wondering what other C-5 vettes run at. Does a 180 degree thermostat lower the operating temps much? Thanks
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 330
Likes: 33
From: Milwaukee WI
Mine will hit 220-230 idling in traffic. Drops to 200 or so when I get moving. Try turning the a/c on. It's not the intuitive thing to do, but it turns on the second fan and will drop the temp fast. Don't fool with the thermostat. It won't lower your temps if you are too hot. It just opens up sooner.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
The temps you're seeing are within the normal operating range. The T-stat only determines the temp at which the cooling system opens up and the coolant starts to flow. It does not lower the operating temps or control how hot the coolant temp gets.
See the following thread that made the rounds here a short while ago:
Welcome to HEAT, what are your temps?
See the following thread that made the rounds here a short while ago:
Welcome to HEAT, what are your temps?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 968
Likes: 12
From: Regina Sask
I have a 160*F stat, and lowered the cooling fan on & off temps. On the highway, the engine temp is ~172*F,
and in traffic, the engine temp is ~176*F-183*F.
Check for debris & bugs on the front side of the radiator.
Russ Kemp
and in traffic, the engine temp is ~176*F-183*F.
Check for debris & bugs on the front side of the radiator.
Russ Kemp
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 1
From: LEBANON PA.
ls-1 opreating temp.
HI There,
Yesterday the temperature was about 66 degrees outside kinda on the cool side.I was running 185 steady at highway speeds.I have a factory 186 degree stat. installed.In town traffic stop & go 195- 200 Check the front of your radiator for cleaniess
robsc501
Yesterday the temperature was about 66 degrees outside kinda on the cool side.I was running 185 steady at highway speeds.I have a factory 186 degree stat. installed.In town traffic stop & go 195- 200 Check the front of your radiator for cleaniess
robsc501
Last edited by robsc501; Jun 3, 2008 at 04:41 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Missouri City Texas
I get high temps also. In traffic with it being 90 some odd degrees out here in houston it will idle at around 220 and peak at 235. The fans come on and normally keep it around 225. When running on the freeway in the same weather it stays at about 192
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,121
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Engine temps
I guess the odd temperatures I'm getting seem normal, and the dealership said the same, but it just bugs me that all I did was change the coolant that the owners manual says to do at five year mark, and instead of running at 200 degrees to 210 which it has run at for the last five years in traffic, it now runs at 210 to 225 degrees. and all this simply by changing the coolant? i don't know it just seems to me as crazy?
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Mine runs at about 195 out on the road and around 220 when idling in traffic.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Schaumburg IL
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St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Unless you plan on major engine mods (heads,cam supercharger etc etc) I would leave your stock t-stat in. Waste of money to change it. One thing you can do, just as a pre-caution, check your radiator and AC condensor....lots of stuff gets caught in between the two, these cars are low to the ground and are like vacums
If you have a lot of junk in there, sometimes cleaning that out will help...but again you are well within the correct operating range.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,728
Likes: 142
From: Iowa
Mine gets up to around 220 when sitting in rush hour traffic or the engine is idling. When I'm moving, such as cruising along the freeway or driving normally...it never gets above 176degrees.
Even when we were returning from a car show on a 95+ temp day on an 85mi return trip and getting the car up to 120mph a few times, it never went above 180degrees.
Even when we were returning from a car show on a 95+ temp day on an 85mi return trip and getting the car up to 120mph a few times, it never went above 180degrees.
