Question about water temps [Merged 5-8] temperature coolant running

[dsmtrance]

What is considered getting too hot? I have heard diff. #'s. I ask b/c I noticed that my car got up to 212 at idle last night after a few hard runs (check out my other posts for more info on my car's rebirth!!!). At a "start-up" idle it'll stay between 194-197 though. FYI, I have a 16psi rad cap, 180 deg. therm, 12" 1400cfm rad fan, and a Fluidyne rad. I'm just wondering what would cause it to run hotter at idle like that (didn't before with the RRE kit....has the IRC street kit now). Any ideas???

 

[kmoore]

Depends on the outside temp obviously, but I have seen as low as 180F while cruising and the max I've seen is 210F at idle (Love my radiator).

 

[slowgsr]

Depends on the outside temp obviously, but I have seen as low as 180F while cruising and the max I've seen is 210F at idle (Love my radiator).

What kind of rad are you using?

Im wondering if my 2 slim fans are designed to be pushers instead of pullers and are not moving air to their full potential.

I see 180-190 when driving.. But in traffic or when i get every red light 210-220+ is common.

At the dyno im going to pull the bumper cover off, and then build some small pieces of ducting to try to help direct airflow to the radiator.

Damn.. I can't believe im getting temps this high (220+) in this weather since its not even that hot yet.. (25ish C).

Maybe i still have some air left in the coolant, have to see tonight.

 

[housegsx]

The highest I ever see is 203. This is with one fan set to constantly run, big fmic, and no A/C.

 

[The_EE]

+1 for this thread, its been so long since I drove my car or logged anything I could not remember what normal was for coolant temps. At least now I know for sure what normal is, until my car is down again for 5 months hehe. Unemployment FTMFL!

 

[95eclipser]

yea im seeing about 195-210 daily but if i idle it will rise cause of no air coming in

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Not completely true, your car needs to be above 179* for it to get into learn mode, above 206* it pulls 1 degree of timing, and above 224* it pulls 2 degrees.

Thanks for more exact numbers. For some reason I'm surprised that it takes an extra 20*F to pull 2 degrees timing.

turbosax2, thanks for the chart!

 

[slowgsr]

Well guys, i figured it out.

Turns out, i have 2 slim fans a 12" and 10". The 10 being right infront of my turbo and manifold... etc.

Both fans were purchased from the same guy, black and blue wires, black being negative... So thats how we hook it up.

Check.. Damn the 12" is not pulling, its blowing! So we switch them and check and the 12" is good.. Never checked the 10, just assumed since wire colors were the same etc.

Turns out the 12" was pulling and the 10" was blowing hot air from the exhaust right into my rad!!!

So the fans are both different as far as negative and positive with the wiring colors.

Now my temps are 182-185

 

[meliketoball]

slowgsr: Cool! Make sure you got some radiator fluid in your car as well...

 

[Ajax]

Run around 180 driving 200 idling. Does anyone know which sensor throws the idiot light for coolant being hot on the 1997 GS. Is it the same one that works the gauge, or is it the one that runs to the ECU?

 

[dsm-onster]

I believe once the ECT (the one that runs to the ecu) reaches a certain temp, the ecu throws a CEL.

 

[MASMORE]

Not much to the brand, temperature gauges are pretty low-tech and dependable. Go with the one that looks best to your eye.

Higher temps with a FMIC are as likely to be from the warmer air as the restricted air flow. The radiator on modern cars are over-sized, and cooling is controlled primarily by the thermostat.

*** If this is so how often should one replace the thermostat!?

 

[BUCK]

*** If this is so how often should one replace the thermostat!?

& when Thermostat questions come up I always recommend using the VENTED one with the little bypass hole in it.

 

[Defiant]

They all are, Buck. The ones without a specific hole, or hole and check valve, have a dent on the edge of the valve disc to act as a vent.

 

[mnetwork]

I am currently getting ready for spring and fixing issues that I had last year such as knock and coolant temp issues. In the summer heat I would get temp well above 200 in the sun. I would also get temps that would go to 206 - 212 very easily while doing tuning pulls at night. The car currently seems to go no higher than 200 with the cold. The car also seems much faster and has much less knock right now. I have a Punishment rad, fan, and shroud kit on the way. My car idles no less than 193 even in the freezing cold, even with the fans on. I was never sure what exactly the car was supposed to idle at. What temp is the car supposed to idle at? What should it be kept under (besides the 206 degree number)? I seem to get knock even when it is a bit warmer out and after doing a bunch of pulls. I can also notice a loss in power. I have not had the chance recently to log these warmer pulls and do not know what the temps are when this is happening.

I also would like to know what the intake temps should be to prevent timing from being pulled. I never knew the answer to this. I plan on making a CAI for my existing intake this spring to help with that issue.

 

[PIMking]

It's going to have a hard time with knock when the motor is warm like that.

Those are normal temps to tell you the truth. You can always hook your fans up to a toggle switch and turn them on when you want.

With the car getting that temp when it's freezing cold quite frankly that means your system is working ok. Your thermostat is working right and getting the temps up to were the normal operating temps are.

 

[Rob10_99]

I assume 3rd gear pulls to 100mphish(ON A TRACK) ?
If you don't get over 200deg coolant your doing good. Your temp will be spiking after a run anyway.
As long as your under 215* on a high hp pull you are fine in the summer at least. A good fan is must, dual electric is definitely worth the investment.

after rereading,

I would suggest the 160* thermostat, and for sure coolant flush. What are you running, mostly water?

 

[mnetwork]

Well, in the summer I run all water with Water Wetter. Still was getting very hot this past summer on the hot sunny days. The rad with shroud and dual fans should help a lot. I also bought a 170 degree tstat from NAPA. I'm going to throw everything in hopefully this weekend if it warms up like it is supposed to. Is it normal for the car to never run below 193? Do these cars ever run in the 180's?

 

[Defiant]

A colder thermostat will not make the engine run any cooler. You must have more cooling capacity for that. Thermostats keep engines warm.

DSMs run hot, and are meant to.

 

[mnetwork]

The car neve runs below 193. Shouldn't I be able to get in the 180s in the freezing cold?

 

[Dsmj89]

Another solution people do in the hot areas like south florida is take out the thermostat for good.
Yes warm-up will take quite sometime but the coolant will flow much better and help keep the temps down.
One of my friends have done it as well as a racecar mechanic that i go to and never have they encountered any overheating issue.

 

[underradar92]

Is is entirely possible that there is a 195* thermostat in there and its doing exactly what it's supposed to, give or take 3 degrees. Your Punishment radiator should make a large difference in summertime temps.

 

[mnetwork]

I have an OEM one in there right now. Is the OEM 2g one 180 or 190?

 

[underradar92]

Most late model vehicles spec a 190-195ish thermostat for emission reasons, so I'd guess ours are in that range.

 

[mnetwork]

Most late model vehicles spec a 190-195ish thermostat for emission reasons, so I'd guess ours are in that range.

I always thought 2g OEM was 180 for some reason. Can anyone else also verify this?

Found this: DSM Forums: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Plymouth Laser, and Eagle Talon Forum: DSMtalk.com - View Single Post - car Underheating????

 

[turbosax2]

That's correct.