How hot is too hot???

[bradleyem]

Outside air temps here are starting to reach 90+ and it isn't even June yet. So, my Engine Coolant Temps are rising again. Today it was about 90 out, and my coolant temps were around 220 with the A/C on. Intake air temps were running around 120. Typically, without the A/C on my coolant temps stay around 196-198 in 90 degree weather. So, the A/C adds about 20 degrees. Of course, the temperature gauge on the cluster is basically an idiot light, so it doesn't even move over center until temps reach around 240. So, how hot is pushing it? My car has almost 114,000 miles on it and I'm trying to make it last while I put together a built motor for it. I'm trying to come up with ideas to reduce coolant and IATs as much as possible. I'm considering installing a 12+ GT500 vent in the hood or an aftermarket hood. I'm also considering an engine oil cooler (air based, not coolant based). I'd also like to upgrade the radiator.

I really don't like how "Cold Air Intakes" are basically just the opposite....they pull in hot air from under the hood. I wish that someone would design one that actually pulled in cold air from outside the engine compartment.

Also, what about the front grille? I have heard people say that aftermarket grills flow more air and cool better. I actually wonder about going ala '13+ GT500 style and having an open grill. Either no grill at all, or basically a trim ring that is open in the middle. Delete the fog lights and move the connectors and also move the horns. Paint anything that sticks out visually flat black.

 

[Riptide]

Kenne bell made one that pulls air in from outside the bay. Lotta good it did them though. :/


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[W3bb3r04]

I would assume putting a billet grille on the car and an oil cooler would help you some. Get some more air flowing through that radiator.

 

[Fullboogie]

Well, what thermostat are you using?

 

[skwerl]

You (or your tuner) can change the settings for when the fans come on, both high and low speed. Dropping both settings by 5-10 degrees can make a big difference.

 

[bradleyem]

Kenne bell made one that pulls air in from outside the bay. Lotta good it did them though. :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatwat

What was the problem with it? Of course, that's probably different anyway since I assume it was a boosted application.

Well, what thermostat are you using?

Stock

You (or your tuner) can change the settings for when the fans come on, both high and low speed. Dropping both settings by 5-10 degrees can make a big difference.

I changed both the low speed and high speed fan settings to the lowest available. That is one thing that I found with my toons last year....the fan settings were way too high in the toon, so I just manually lower them when I load the toon....it helped a lot. Of course, that was when the outside air temps were lower too. I also verified that the fans are working and coming on at the set temps, since there have been problems with the fan controller/resistor/connectors.

 

[BruceH]

Outside air temps here are starting to reach 90+ and it isn't even June yet. So, my Engine Coolant Temps are rising again. Today it was about 90 out, and my coolant temps were around 220 with the A/C on. Intake air temps were running around 120. Typically, without the A/C on my coolant temps stay around 196-198 in 90 degree weather. So, the A/C adds about 20 degrees. Of course, the temperature gauge on the cluster is basically an idiot light, so it doesn't even move over center until temps reach around 240. So, how hot is pushing it? My car has almost 114,000 miles on it and I'm trying to make it last while I put together a built motor for it. I'm trying to come up with ideas to reduce coolant and IATs as much as possible. I'm considering installing a 12+ GT500 vent in the hood or an aftermarket hood. I'm also considering an engine oil cooler (air based, not coolant based). I'd also like to upgrade the radiator.

I really don't like how "Cold Air Intakes" are basically just the opposite....they pull in hot air from under the hood. I wish that someone would design one that actually pulled in cold air from outside the engine compartment.

Also, what about the front grille? I have heard people say that aftermarket grills flow more air and cool better. I actually wonder about going ala '13+ GT500 style and having an open grill. Either no grill at all, or basically a trim ring that is open in the middle. Delete the fog lights and move the connectors and also move the horns. Paint anything that sticks out visually flat black.

And what are the iats when driving with airflow? Should be right at ambient at the filter.

Are you having issues with anything? Timing being pulled, boilover? Do you have a coolant temp sensor or are you reading the obd? Obd extrapolates coolant temp from the head temp. IMO 220 is too hot for a 4.6. Were you doing a lot of stop and go driving? City traffic?

How old is the thermostat and coolant? Has it been flushed? Has tap water ever been used in the coolant system?

There has to be a reason Ford changed the thermostat location and crossover in 2007. Does anyone know if it was temp related?

 

[bradleyem]

And what are the iats when driving with airflow? Should be right at ambient at the filter.

Are you having issues with anything? Timing being pulled, boilover? Do you have a coolant temp sensor or are you reading the obd? Obd extrapolates coolant temp from the head temp. IMO 220 is too hot for a 4.6. Were you doing a lot of stop and go driving? City traffic?

How old is the thermostat and coolant? Has it been flushed? Has tap water ever been used in the coolant system?

There has to be a reason Ford changed the thermostat location and crossover in 2007. Does anyone know if it was temp related?

I'm reading coolant temp from my Livewire. Temps were ranging from 206 to 220, with 220 sitting in traffic. With airflow on the freeway it stayed between 206-208. Having the A/C on made for about a 20 degree difference. I also noticed that the temps changed quicker then normal with the air on. I'm just not sure at what point I should start getting concerned. With a 190 degree thermostat, I can see temps getting 10-20 degrees over the 190 opening point, but IMO much higher than that and I should start taking steps to try to reduce temps. This was not even getting on it at all, just normal driving. If I take a trip to the drag strip or road course on a 95-100 degree day, I'll probably be overheating unless I do what I can now. I'm not seeing any problems...timing being pulled, etc. The coolant was just replaced about 2 months ago with a 50/50 mix. Tap water has never been used. The thermostat is the original AFAIK, but it does appear to be working properly, because during cooler days I can see the temps go to 190-192, then drop or stay steady as if the thermostat is opening.

And IATs are typically about 10-15 degrees above ambient according to the Livewire. Today I was seeing IATs over 120 with ambient being right at 90.

 

[BruceH]

How old is the coolant? Have you tested it lately?

 

[bradleyem]

Coolant was changed a couple of months ago. Haven't had it tested.

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[Marc s]

On the race track, my coolant temps on my Autometer gauge would read 240-250.

 

[nickk678]

I work as a Thermal System's Engineer for a cooling module supplier. Most of the OEM's set their goal temperature at rad inlet ~245F when running the cars out in the desert (up grades, trailer tow if applicable) and will abort the test due to high temp ~260F. Haven't worked too much with Ford though, so not sure where they float at.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Your car will live forever with coolant temps at 215-220deg. NASCAR’s have theirs running at 250-260 on purpose! For up to 600mi WOT! Yes, they are different motors, but, that is a lot of heat for a long time getting its guts rung out.

That said if it were my car I would like to see lower temps.

A bigger radiator will absolutely help, and there are some very inexpensive options out there.

If you put grills with larger openings on they will not help at “surface street speeds”. And they will only help at higher speeds if you can evacuate the additional air you are pushing into the engine compartment. If there is nowhere for the air to go, more will not flow through the coolers.

Hood vents never hurt, the bigger the better.

You can also try running as less coolant/more water. I have my blue car set up at 25% coolant/75% water and it is still good to 10deg F I think. You can also add Water Wetter, I run it in everything thing I have that is “performance”.

A Meziere electric water pump, while expensive does work. We are running them on all of out cars now. We even managed to “cheap out” and get the ones without the pulley. All we had to do was re-route the belt/use a shorter belt and they work great.

Yes an oil cooler will help. But they get expensive fast, aren’t cheap, not a true “bolt on” and they will only be effective with air moving through them. So at slow speeds it will have a small effect.

Hope that helps.