How hot is Hot

[garys86]

Hey, I just bought a low mile 86 coupe 62,000. I've noticed the temp reading when I'm on the road in hot conditions 100 degrees and I'm bumper to bumper traffic that my temp shows 230 degrees at times. Then as I get going it comes down to high teens to low 20's. How hot is normal range?

 

[1stC3Vette]

My 89 gets as high as 235 degrees and I am located in Michigan. However, when I am driving for an extended period of time, it drops down to 180 degrees and then bounces around based on traffic.

 

[c4cruiser]

230 is getting on the warm side in heavy traffic but 195-205 or so should be OK for cruising on the freeway. Does your car have the secondary cooling fan? It would be located in front of the A/C condenser and is visible by looking up under and behind the front license plate. That fan turns on when coolant temps reach 224 or so and will drop the coolant temp fairly quickly. If you have the fan, turning the A/C on will force that fan to run regardless of coolant temp.

C4's are famous for catching debris and clogging the radiator. Use a garden hose to direct a stream of water from the back side of the radiator to push debris out toward the front of the car.

 

[vetteboy86]

I hope the 100 degrees was a typo. You probably meant 200 degrees? That is pretty normal if you have a stock setup.


Craig

 

[MoeJr]

My 84 in traffic gets to 228 and the fan comes on and cools her right off. Sounds like your 86 is perfectly normal.

:bar

 

[Daryllawman]

88 runs between 185 and 195 going down the road and sitting in traffic goes to 200 and then it goes back to 190 or so

 

[vader86]

Your temps are normal for a stock setup

 

[trrgod]

Clean debris from between the radiator and the A/C condenser. Leaves, paper and cigarette butts gather there and cut off air to some of the radiator area. The debris gathers mostly in the bottom left and right hand corners or the radiator. You would be surprised how MUCH stuff collects there.

 

[garys86]

Thanks Guys, I think I'll flush my radiator, should I put a lower thermostat in? Say a 160. I don't know what stock is till I remove the existing one. Thanks

 

[Edmond]

Fresh coolant would be good for it. I would also add a couple bottles of Water Wetter to the system. It will help cool the engine faster when you get moving.

You could also have the chip reprogrammed to have the fans come on sooner.

I think stock thermostat is 180 but I'm not 100% sure.

This would also be a good time to check the hoses and such to see that they're still in good shape. It's actually not to difficult to take the radiator shroud off and take the whole radiator out so you can clean the whole area where the radiator sits.

 

[garys86]

Thanks Edmond

 

[hAZcAT]

186 to 226 is what the 85 runs,

 

[brimis]

Sounds about right.