Operating Temp

[aviscomi]

I am a newbie to the Vette world and I was wondering what the normal/average water temp should be on a 60 degree day? My 89 seems to be between 200 & 220 in the city (stop & go).

Thanks!
TONY

 

[NC2Stay]

Yes, that is about right.

The issue is the electric fans on the radiator. There are two, and the first comes on about 220 or so, and the second in the 230's. Search around - somebody will have posted the exact numbers here sometime.

If you have the a/c on, the fans run all the time, so the odd thing is that she will run cooler when the a/c is on! With the a/c on, she should be around 195-200.

Bob

 

[vette-dude]

Yes, that is about right.

The issue is the electric fans on the radiator. There are two, and the first comes on about 220 or so, and the second in the 230's. Search around - somebody will have posted the exact numbers here sometime.

If you have the a/c on, the fans run all the time, so the odd thing is that she will run cooler when the a/c is on! With the a/c on, she should be around 195-200.

Bob

I'm not so sure that is correct. The LT1 in the 94 runs that hot but the L98 in this guys vette should not run those temps. My 91 L98 never goes above 180 even in traffic on a very hot day. I think his vette must have debris in front of the radiator or plugged up cooling fins. Another possibilty is somone has put in the wrong T-stat or it is sticking closed. Also should check the radiator cap for proper operation. I could be wrong here but I have owned both a 94 LT1 and the 91 L98 and there is alot of difference in operating temps on the two different engines.

Randy

 

[NC2Stay]

Randy, I stand corrected. I keep thinking LT1 since I have one!

Apologies, Bob

 

[vette-dude]

Randy, I stand corrected. I keep thinking LT1 since I have one!

Apologies, Bob

No apologies needed and Thanks for the reply.

Randy

 

[Aurora40]

IMy 91 L98 never goes above 180 even in traffic on a very hot day.

Does your car have a non-stock thermostat? I believe the stock one is 195F, so the car would for sure get to 195-200 pretty much all the time. I'd guess you either have a non-stock thermostat, or an inaccurate temp sender.

 

[vetteboy86]

Okay here is the deal on the L98. The T-stat stock is a 195, therefore unless you have a lower temp T-stat the car should'nt run cooler then this temp. The primary colling fan comes on at 208 or 210, something crazy like that. If you have a booster fan in front of the radiator, then that will kick on at 220.

Most L98's run hot, this way the emissions are not as bad, they were designed to run hot. Most people do not like this, so they put in a cooler T-stat, most popular is a 160, or 180. Then they by a chip, or have a switch to turn the cooling fans on earilier. Personally, for me this is the only way to go. I have a 160 T-stat in my car, and the fans come on at 175. My car runs good, not too hot, and not to cold.

As mentioned before, cleaning the radiator is very important, as is flushing the system periodically.

 

[tigmaned]

also depends on what temp the cooling fans come on. i have a 195 stat in my 86 L98 and my fans come on at 170 and it stays at 170. which to be honest i think is to cold and i am going to change it for colder weather and save this 170 switch for just summer.
so i would say open the hood and look at your gauge to see what temp your fans are comeing on. midvet has diff temp switches for the cooling fans to come diff then factory.
but also check the condition of your cooling system, is coolant still good, cap still good and hooding the right pressure. clean in between the rad and a/c condsenor.

 

[vette-dude]

Does your car have a non-stock thermostat? I believe the stock one is 195F, so the car would for sure get to 195-200 pretty much all the time. I'd guess you either have a non-stock thermostat, or an inaccurate temp sender.

Yep!! 180 degree Tstat and I have checked the opening temp (OT) and the gage and the OT are correct.

Randy

PS: An L98 still shouldn't run 220 degrees unless there is a problem somewhere. Maybe his gage is inaccurate??

 

[aviscomi]

Okay here is the deal on the L98. The T-stat stock is a 195, therefore unless you have a lower temp T-stat the car should'nt run cooler then this temp. The primary colling fan comes on at 208 or 210, something crazy like that. If you have a booster fan in front of the radiator, then that will kick on at 220.

Most L98's run hot, this way the emissions are not as bad, they were designed to run hot. Most people do not like this, so they put in a cooler T-stat, most popular is a 160, or 180. Then they by a chip, or have a switch to turn the cooling fans on earilier. Personally, for me this is the only way to go. I have a 160 T-stat in my car, and the fans come on at 175. My car runs good, not too hot, and not to cold.

As mentioned before, cleaning the radiator is very important, as is flushing the system periodically.

I just spoke with "top notch" mechanic and he made the same statement as you. Most L98's run hot, this way the emissions are not as bad, they were designed to run hot.

Thanks to all!
TONY

 

[eleebid]

Clean your radiator

Clean you radiator. I was running 210 to 215. I pulled the radiator and cleaned 13 years of crud from the surface. It looked like someone had crammed a cat into the fins. Cigarette butts and wrappers. Bird feathers and lots of hair. If I knew how to post a picture it would scare you. I replaced all hoses, coolant, t-stat, and cap while I was there. It now runs between 194 and 205.

 

[Jeff Henning]

Tony,

Your expert is exactly right.

Many of these guys don't like them running that hot and I admit that when mine first went past 212 I almost paniced.

I adjusted to it and was also told by a very knowledgeable guy to leave it alone, it was designed that way.

The only other factor is performance. I have noticed that with the air off the car performs much differently when the outside temp is lower. When it's hot outside it doesn't feel as strong. Below about 60 deg outside temp it feels almost twice as strong. Some folks feel that using a 160 deg stat gives them this performance all the time. I really don't know because I decided to leave it stock.

Jeff

 

[C-4 Now]

I agree my 89 will run 195 on 60 degree day. Been a few years since i pulled apart to clean but probably due again as I noticed this summer hot days in traffic was getting back up to 220+ Have played with 195 and 180 stats haven't notice alot of difference. Ike

 

[tyrel]

220° isn't inordinately high, but it's all relative I guess. I would start to worry if it goes over 240°, then you know something's wrong. As others have said, it's important to pull and clean your radiator every once in a while, maybe every couple of years or so, all kinds of stuff gets sucked through the fan shroud: leaves, plastic bags, other gunk. I have a hunch that a lot of high coolant temps that people complain about can be solved by performing this simple procedure. While you have the radiator out, blow out the a/c condenser fins with a garden hose, since stuff gets stuck in there too. Your car will love you for it. Here in Honolulu in stop and go traffic with my a/c on full blast, I never go over 220°.

 

[aviscomi]

220° isn't inordinately high, but it's all relative I guess. I would start to worry if it goes over 240°, then you know something's wrong. As others have said, it's important to pull and clean your radiator every once in a while, maybe every couple of years or so, all kinds of stuff gets sucked through the fan shroud: leaves, plastic bags, other gunk. I have a hunch that a lot of high coolant temps that people complain about can be solved by performing this simple procedure. While you have the radiator out, blow out the a/c condenser fins with a garden hose, since stuff gets stuck in there too. Your car will love you for it. Here in Honolulu in stop and go traffic with my a/c on full blast, I never go over 220°.

Let me pose this question? Why is cleaning the radiator on a Corvette any more important that keeping a radiator clean on any other auto?

 

[vetteboy86]

It is important on other auto's but since our cars are bottom feeders (i.e. cool air enters the radiator shroud from underneath the nose) is is especially important. If you think about the cooling systems on our cars, you may think it isn't as effective as others out there. This may are may not be true.

Another reason it is important, is because it is a proven fact here on CAC. Many people have good experiences with this routine task.

 

[NC2Stay]

Right. I just had mine done, and you wouldn't believe the pile of muck that was in there.

Bob

 

[copsvet]

220° isn't inordinately high, but it's all relative I guess. I would start to worry if it goes over 240°, then you know something's wrong. As others have said, it's important to pull and clean your radiator every once in a while, maybe every couple of years or so, all kinds of stuff gets sucked through the fan shroud: leaves, plastic bags, other gunk. I have a hunch that a lot of high coolant temps that people complain about can be solved by performing this simple procedure. While you have the radiator out, blow out the a/c condenser fins with a garden hose, since stuff gets stuck in there too. Your car will love you for it. Here in Honolulu in stop and go traffic with my a/c on full blast, I never go over 220°.

hey brother, was just wondering if kahakai drive still exist on the big island, thats where i use to live, way back when, would really enjoy driving my 89 vert. on the big island . got to be breathtaking.

 

[ltmark]

I've written thsi several times, but each time I read something about c-4 temps, I can't keep my fingers from typing. The experts may say they are built to run hot, but I don't like it! It may not hurt the engine, but the high temps ruin everything else in the engine compartment. Hose, connectors, etc. all go to hell a lot sooner than they should! And, I hate the "hot" smell/odor that comes from the engine.

Heat and friction are a cars worst enemy. Why manufacture and engine to ruin abnormally hot. And, if it's such a great engineering idea, why don't they manufacture ALL vettes to run hot?

I said it yesterday, I repeated it today and I will say it again tomorrow.....they run TOO hot and it isn't good for the engine.....

 

[MBDiagMan]

You are correct when saying that all the non engine components in the engine compartment suffer from excessive heat. You are NOT correct, however, in assuming that if the engine itself runs cooler, that it will last longer.

It was proven a hundred years ago that an engine that runs TOO cool will not live as long as one that runs hotter. Mainly because fuel is more easily atomized and does not hit the cylinder walls in liquid form, dilluting oil and causing premature cylinder wear.

To confirm this, all you have to do is mic the cylinders in most ANY high mileage engine. You will find the interior cylinders with a cylinder on either side of them will have LESS wear than the end cylinders which run cooler because they do not share cooling fluid with both adjacent cylinders.

Have a great day,