"normal" operating temps? and hot center console

[rrubel]

Two questions for the price of one post!

1. What are considered to be the "normal" operating temps for coolant and oil? I've done a search of the forum and found that the thermostat doesn't turn the fan on until the coolant reaches 220, but is it OK to let the engine run at the 220-225 range? Doesn't coolant boil at 250? Also, haven't found any data on what a good oil temp is. I installed the factory oil cooler, so the temps vaguely mimic the coolant temps, but I don't know what's good or bad. Running Mobil-1 10w30 synthetic.

2. My center console around the shifter and cup holder has been getting H O T lately (as the weather warms). Is this normal? It feels (back of hand measurement) to be about 120-125 f.

Thanks...
[RICHR]

[Ken]

Originally posted by rrubel
1. What are considered to be the "normal" operating temps for coolant and oil? I've done a search of the forum and found that the thermostat doesn't turn the fan on until the coolant reaches 220, but is it OK to let the engine run at the 220-225 range? Doesn't coolant boil at 250? Also, haven't found any data on what a good oil temp is. I installed the factory oil cooler, so the temps vaguely mimic the coolant temps, but I don't know what's good or bad. Running Mobil-1 10w30 synthetic.

It's normal for the L-98 to run in the 220&#176 range; coolant will boil at 212&#176 if it is not in a pressurized system, and you can change the boiling point by adjusting the pressure on the sysytem.

You can install an aftermarket temperature sensor to turn your fans on sooner and you can also install a lower temperature thermostat to lower your running temps, but I'll not get into the pros and cons of that here; I'll leave that to those who are sure to follow with their suggestions as to how to approach that issue.

2. My center console around the shifter and cup holder has been getting H O T lately (as the weather warms). Is this normal?

In a word - YES! Do as Len is going to do, add the layers of insulation. Oh, and don't spend mucho dinaro for that thin "space-age" stuff; it may lower temperatures, but it don't do squat for sound deadening, and you pay an arm and a leg for it!

_ken

[c4ever]

With StageII chip and 160 stat I run 180 moving and 190 in traffic. On a real hot day(FL) 200 tops in traffic. Fan turns on at 174.
Oil temps are about 180-190 and can rise to about 215 on a hot day in traffic.

Before the chip change I ran at 220 to 230 all the time with fan kicking in at 228. Way too hot for my liking. Oil ran hotter also.

Some will argue the car was built to run that hot. Every man must choose his own path.

[rrubel]

Originally posted by c4ever
Every man must choose his own path.

The zen of engine maintenance... that says it all right there


Thanks for the replys, folks. I think I'm going to look at a 180 thermostat and some of that insulation stuff. It gets relatively hot and humid here in the summer.
[RICHR]

[Ken]

Hey Rich, any time you can add some insulation to the cockpit of the Corvette, you'll thank the gods you did it and wonder why it took you so long.

_ken

[Red73BB]

Rich, my console would get so hot , my wife wouldn't have to shave her left outside leg for a month.
I bought a heat barrier kit from Smart Parts (217-482-3393) last year at Blooming Gold for $70 +tax. like Ken said "you'll thank the gods you did it and wonder why it took you so long" Now I can drive to work (40 minutes) and the console is just warm to the touch. A huge difference with inside the cockpit temperature.
Gary

[Edmond]

My coolant runs at about 189 when I'm moving and usually gets up to 214 or so when the fan kicks in. My oil temp. is usually in the 170 area.

A little off the subject, but I notice that when my fan turns on to cool the engine, the tach starts jumping. Any suggestions? It jumps so high that the little red engine oil pressure warning light comes on!

[Ken]

Originally posted by BullWinkle
It jumps so high that the little red engine oil pressure warning light comes on!

Ya got me!

_ken

rruble

You need to keep your engine hot enough to boil out any moisture that collects in the crank case. When the coolant temp is around 180 to 200 that is fine. any thing below 160 for an extended period of time is bad! The emissions work best when the coolant is between 200- 220. thats why a stock Vette runs in that range.

A cooler engine keeps the engine compartment and intake manifold cooler. For every 1 deg of intake air temp that you decrease you get a 10% increase in total power. Too cool and you start to promote wear and tear inside the engine and loose power because your combustion chambers are too cool to be efficient. 175-185 is what I like. 200 in dead stop traffic!
Using Mobile 1, I wouldn't worry too much about the oil temp as I would about the coolant temp. That oil can withstand alot of temp before it starts to break down. 220 won't hurt it one bit.

There is such a thing is TOO cold of an outside air temp. I drove my 98 to an inside swap that was about 100 miles away. This was in January and it was 4 degrees outside when we departed that morning. The car got 5-6 MPG less on the trip because it had to inject a lot more fuel into that DRY, COLD air to get the same air to fuel ratio. Wide open throtle didn't seem to have as much power. I guess the injectors were working as hard as they could to keep up with the exter demand!

Bill

Like RED 77BB said! The extra insulation is WELL worth the effort!!

Bill

[Redbob]

Rich:
FWIW, at 70 MPH, level road, my oil temps are 105F higher than ambient. That is, if it's 70 out, oil is at 175F. If it's 105 out, oil is at 210F.
The temp differential is greater at higher speeds, less at lower speeds.

And regarding coolant boiling points: contrary to what you might have read elsewhere, the only coolant that boils at 212 is pure water. Add anti-freeze and the boiling point goes up; increase pressure (like putting a cap on the radiator, for instance) and the boiling point goes up. Boiling point varies about 1 degree F for 0.3 psi increase or decrease in atmospheric pressure, over a narrow range of course.

[Trance_LT4]

I believe its for every 10 degree drop, you get 1% increase in power.......10% for every degree seems too good to be true.

The coolant boils at 262* in a pressurized system. 15 psi of pressure will increase the boiling point of a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze/water to a boiling point of 262* as long as there are no leaks in the system, ie. holes in hoses, cracks in heads or gaskets, ect.

In my vette I try to keep the temp at 170*, more or less. When it warms up the oil temp stays somewhere around 220* (+ or - 10*). This has been debated endlessly. Some say too low, but for my purposes it serves me best. I have a 160* stat in so my temps will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20* lower than the stock 180* stat/fan switch.

For what it's worth...
--Drew

[Redbob]

And of course there are variations between model years:
my '89 has a 190 thermostat, and the cooling fan comes on at the incredible temp of 228F ! if left to its own devices.
Not being able to leave bad enough alone, I switch mine on manually when it gets over 160.

[Trance_LT4]

My 96 suffers from the same problem, the cooling fans are lazy, and most times won't come on until 230. Once, when I suffered a coolant leak, they kicked on at 250 (and ran for 2 seconds while I ran from under the hood to the ignition to turn off the key). So I've ordered myself a hypertech programmer III and a 180stat, so I can manually set the fans at a much lower temp. It normally behaves, and sits around 205 right now, but it will sometimes get twitchy and wants to go up past 230. We'll see what happens with the programmer, 180 stat, and some redline water wetter.

[Redbob]

Almost sounds like there's a problem with your coolant temperature switch if the fan cut-in temp varies that much.
Also, I'd say good luck with the "Water Wetter"; I tried it with a thoroughly-flushed system, along with the recommended amount of antifreeze, and saw no difference in engine temps.
I have seen recommendations that you pull the rad and check for rat's nests and such blocking the airflow, and spend a few minutes straightening out any bent fins.