LS7 Coolant Temps with this HOT weather?
 

Living in the Southwest and the Temps getting to 108 here in Oklahoma, whats normal for the LS7.

I never drove my Z06 before Mallett loved on her, so what is hot for a stock LS7.

I ran 232 degrees in traffic:ack: today and back down to 197 on I-35 at 80mph
Is this due to the Mallett or is this normal? List ur Temps

thanks

232 degrees in traffic with the AC on (I'm guessing) doesn't surprise me considering the 108 ambient temperature.


Here is what I see in my car:
185-189*F just driving around normally in 80-95*F ambient
-Dewitts radiator
-World Challenge louvered hood
-AC delete
-160*stat
-50/50 water/dexcool + Water Wetter

yes with AC on. I have Kooks headers and they are throwing mad heat. Thinking of some sort of vented hood might help,like the stock hood look tho.
thanks for the input, feel alittle better now:cool:

I can imagine. They're hot enough as it is at 95 degrees around here. A louvered hood will help A LOT. So will the other things in my list. I doubt you want to do the AC delete though.

103 out today... saw 212 while sitting at traffic light. once rolling back down to 192 she goes.

At 96 and 70% humidity with AC stop in go traffic, I will see temps around 210 max, then back down to 196 on hwy... so if you are at 108 ambient Temp those coolant temps sound about right:cheers:

I have yet to see anything over 205 in our car under any condition other then a track. Even in 105* California heat with AC on in bumper to bumper traffic, our Z06 stays ~ 190*. During hot laps of Auto-X or HPDE's it will creep a little higher, but never on the street.

I love this RSD Aluminum radiator bought from forum vendor "Steve@RSD". I run their Line Loc, cam and other goodies with great results.

:cheers: RICH

I'm stock except for adding the 2009 dry sump tank and my coolant temp never exceeds 210 except on the track. At Road Atlanta, in 100 F heat, running hard, I had coolant temps around 230-240F. Short shifting and 5th gear on the back straight would bring it down to 210 again in short order.

BTW, the A/C was off:D

:cheers:
Jim

Mine got up to 238 a couple weekends ago with ambient "feels like" temps well over 100. The temp gauge read 104-106 the whole time. Naturally, I was driving "spirited" with a few others. A/C running, uncoated headers (ARH), Vararam, 160 deg T-stat, decked heads - car held up exceptionally well, I thought.

But I am ditching the Vararam for a Callaway so it's not blocking the radiator (step 1). Step 2 is a DeWitts radiator. If it's still slightly elevated in the summer heat, a vented hood is next. When I upgrade the sump tank, I'll also upgrade the oil cooler. That should pretty much solve any extreme ambient heat issues. :thumbs:

I got the Vararam also, never thought about it till now blocking cool air. Makes sense tho. I see alot of u guys are upgrading the oil sump, whats that about. I have a 07.

I was kicking around the idea of getting a vararam but also read a few comments of people saying they were running a bit higher temps due to the vararam blocking some of the air flow. Not sure how big a difference it makes.

I was caught in stop & go (more stop than go) on I-210 in LA in 115+ heat last summer. When I was stopped it got so hot the AC would cycle off, then when moving temps would go back down to 199 and AC would come back on.

:willy:

i run a vararam here in vegas and in the summer time i saw a 30* increase over stock intake. it blocks the radiator and also remember our z's do not get air from underneath like the c6 only thru the grill. i do not drive the car in the summer anyway. the vararam is tits tho in the winter time sucking in chilled air:thumbs: i just purchased a wc hood so i will report if that disapates heat any

More efficient oil cooler and larger capacity sump tank (like with the 2009+ cars). I already have a Katech oil pump. Also looking at a pan baffle. Makes the oiling system overall more efficient and safeguards against oil starvation in extreme track conditions. Most people will never take their cars to that extreme (and not even sure if I could), but just like having the Katech oil pump installed last year and now Ferrea Super Alloy exhaust valves recently, it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm seeing 230-235 coolant temps while doing stop and go traffic with teh AC on as well. My AC will routinely cut out when first starting the car in this heat and then the compressor cycles back on once I get some air moving across the coils.

Jason, you mentioned a louvered hood would help a LOT. Any guess as to what kind of temp drops this would give? I've thought about a Dewitts radiator but a hood would be easier and look better and if I could lower the coolant temps be a huge plus.

Jay

I've seen 10-20 degree drops in similar conditions just by going with the World Challenge hood.

Something like that is also on my radar screen.

So many mods, so little time and money and spousal approval. :lol:

My car has never seen above 205 in this Texas weather yet. During normal driving, city/hwy I tend to run close to 186-190' and I will get close to 200 if I am sitting in stop and go traffic. At the track I think I did see closer to 210 or so for coolant temps, but that was about the highest I have seen.

The only cooling mod I have is the 160 thermo and the fans kicked on all the time. Stock radiator, stock oiling system, stock hood, etc... Not sure why some cars are running in the 220-230+ ranges while others are running in the high 180's.

Two reasons
A. Horsepower
B. Cooling system capacity


A. Heat is a bi-product of combustion. The more power you make the more heat you make. Some cars are making more power. Some cars are driven harder and are using that power for a longer duty cycle.

B. The cooling system simply transfers thermal energy to the atmosphere. It's ability to do so is contingent upon the following variables.
1. Ambient temperature
2. Humidity
3. Air in. Some cars have air intake systems that steal air from the radiator. That is air that would normally go through the radiator that is no longer working to cool the engine. Some cars also have license plates that block radiator air.
4. Air out. Some cars have louvered hoods. The faster you can get air out, the faster you can get cool air in. It's just like an engine. The more air you can get in and out, the more efficient it is.
5. Cooling system fluid. Different fluids are better conductors of heat. Water is the best. Mix in coolant and the efficiency goes down. Water Wetter also improves the fluid's ability to conduct heat.

We've had several days of 100+ temps with horrible humidty, my coolant temps NEVER exceeded 200 degrees even idling for extended periods. The norm has been 185 to 195.

Tom