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Engine Temperature Concern!

Old Feb 15, 2009 | 11:53 AM
  #1  
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Default Engine Temperature Concern!

I have already posted a couple of posts on this, but now I did some testing and I am going to post my results for everyone to look at and give me their opinions. I am concerned about my engine running hot after my headers (coated) installation and tune. It seemed that my car was running a little hot last week. Anyway here are the results from todays testing (40 degrees outside) I drove the car for 30 minutes at low speeds, 30-60mph then came home and let idle in drive for 10 minutes. Ok, so with the car running at the low speeds heres what I got
  • Oil Temp 210, Coolant 207, Trans Fluid 147
Now, after the idle
  • Oil temp 212, Coolant 212-217 back and forth but never over 217, trans fluid 176

Do i have anything to worry about. is it running a little hot? Will it run even hotter in summer when it gets to 90-100 degrees outside?

Please give feedback.

Thanks
Neil
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 12:02 PM
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I have a bone stock 2003 Vert. I'm taking my car oout today (been covered and garaged for the last 2 months) and I will check my numbers --- But I think they will come in around what you are reading. I think you can lower them with a cooler (180 deg) thermostat and reprogramming the fans to come on at 180 deg ---. I don'tknow how to do this, but maybe some Forum member will chime in with pictures on how to do this. I thinik I'd like to have my engine running aroung 180-190 deg also.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 12:09 PM
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Yours is running cooler than mine and mine has a 180 t-stat. To make the fans come on sooner you will have to have the tuner to do that. They say the ls2 makes best hp around 200 degrees.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 12:16 PM
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For 40 F your cooling #'s are fine. Stop worring and enjoy th car.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Suttie
For 40 F your cooling #'s are fine. Stop worring and enjoy th car.
Exactly...My car is stock and runs a little hotter than that.. Your just fine.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 01:13 PM
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Default temps....

Originally Posted by ntrimm
I have already posted a couple of posts on this, but now I did some testing and I am going to post my results for everyone to look at and give me their opinions. I am concerned about my engine running hot after my headers (coated) installation and tune. It seemed that my car was running a little hot last week. Anyway here are the results from todays testing (40 degrees outside) I drove the car for 30 minutes at low speeds, 30-60mph then came home and let idle in drive for 10 minutes. Ok, so with the car running at the low speeds heres what I got
  • Oil Temp 210, Coolant 207, Trans Fluid 147
Now, after the idle
  • Oil temp 212, Coolant 212-217 back and forth but never over 217, trans fluid 176

Do i have anything to worry about. is it running a little hot? Will it run even hotter in summer when it gets to 90-100 degrees outside?

Please give feedback.

Thanks
Neil
With a stock stat and stock fan settings , those temps are spot on. If you want lower idling temps, a 160* stat and a cooling fan reprogram would give you idling temps of 192* to 196* and cruising temps of 176* to 180* That is how my 06 is set up , as well as many others here on this forum. { including forum vendors/ engine builders }
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 01:35 PM
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Sounds normal to me.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 01:43 PM
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Originally Posted by VET4LES
Sounds normal to me.
Those numbers appear quite normal, especially for an LS3 which I've noticed do often run slightly warmer than the LS2s do.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 04:49 PM
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My stock 2008 LS3 runs the following temps on a typical 60 - 70 degree day.

Coolant temp on freeway: 192 - 196 degrees.

Coolant temp in city or stop and go traffic : 198 - 220 fan kicks in at 220 - 225 and the temps drop to 194 - 196. This cycle continues in city driving.

The coolant temps continue to run at the above ranges no matter what the outside temp is. The cooling temps stay at a very controlled range.

Your oil temps of 212 are very much in the normal range. Of course more aggressive driving will perk those numbers up. It would be interesting to note how much the engine oil cooler reduces temps for the Z51?

Last edited by Mike's LS3; Feb 15, 2009 at 05:01 PM.
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Old Feb 15, 2009 | 07:01 PM
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sound normal for Ls3, my Ls2 runs a lot cooler, I run a 160 tstat, but
I lost MPG.
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Old Feb 16, 2009 | 07:41 AM
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Originally Posted by VET4LES
Sounds normal to me.
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