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| parker | Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Guru Newb
 
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i recently purchased a 1988 corvette with a 4+3 and L98. i need a new clutch system and tranny rebuild or replaced, but anyways im wondering how hot the car should run. i have never had electronic gauges so i have never seen exactly how hot the car was. i no that 220 is kinda standard temp and corvette run hotter. I was driving in traffic and it got up to 243. but the highest i have seen it go was 247. how high is hot where i might want to start worrying. i dont want to warp my heads in the summer if this is hot for the winter.(im in sacramento CA so its like 79F here atm gets about 101F in the summer) any thoughts on this?
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Posted on: 2008/3/9 22:52
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| red_johnny | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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On Sabbatical
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Well 220 is the norm operating temp. I would think that 247 is high but tolerable. I would not be too worried and if you were you can put a lower temp thermostat in.
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Posted on: 2008/3/9 23:18
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| parker | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Guru Newb
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any idea where i can get a lower temp thermostat?
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Posted on: 2008/3/9 23:26
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| xccter | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
 
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I also have an '88, but it's a Z52 A4 coupe.
220* is NOT standard temp when you're driving down the road. Anything over 240* at any time is cause for concern in my book. I did a long post on another forum about how to clean out the area between the radiator and condenser of debris without removing any hoses or the radiator or condenser. You'd be shocked to see the garbage that collects there over the years and can cause a loss of cooling ability. Here's the part about standard temps on a C4, and a pic at the bottom of the crap I removed from in front of my radiator, not the can. Remember that all that stuff went through my vacuum and was reduced in mass dramatically. Anyway... When I start the engine the temp goes up to around 193*, and then the thermostat opens (190*). Next the temp drops to around 183-4* as the coolant that has been trapped in the radiator is free to flow through the engine. It then slowly climbs up to 194-5* again and stays there unless I'm stuck in traffic. Remember, these are SUMMER temps in the 90s. During winter months with temps in the 40-50s, the normal driving temp is more like the upper 180s. Stop and Go traffic (or sitting at idle in the driveway) gets me a slow climb to 228* at which point the main cooling fan turns on and quickly brings the temp back to around 213*, then it cycles off until 228* again and so on... Just as it was designed to operate. If I'm stuck in traffic (or sitting at idle in the driveway) with the a/c on, this runs the main cooling fan and it hovers around 216-7 as the fan will not cycle off with the a/c on. I have never seen my aux cooling fan (in front of condenser, B4P RPO) turn on at all. I have tested it and the associated relay (on fan shroud) and the temperature switch (left side head), and they all work fine. Haven't figured out yet at what temp it should turn on. I've heard 240*. [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii12/xccter/DSC01019.jpg[/IMG] |
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Posted on: 2008/3/9 23:31
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´71 350/270 L48 Coupe Numbers Matching Ontario Orange 4 spd, Mid-year side pipes, deluxe black leather, ac, ps, pb, pw, tilt/tele steering wheel. 93k miles. Original rotors still riveted to the hubs! NCRS #48337 |
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| xccter | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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I forgot to ask, since you said you're a new owner...
Have you ever seen your cooling fan turn on? Check the fuse? Open the passenger door and look on the end of the dash. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 0:34
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´71 350/270 L48 Coupe Numbers Matching Ontario Orange 4 spd, Mid-year side pipes, deluxe black leather, ac, ps, pb, pw, tilt/tele steering wheel. 93k miles. Original rotors still riveted to the hubs! NCRS #48337 |
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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ive seen the radiator fan on. where is the cooling fan. i no i have a huge leak in the coolant tank(toward the top so it dosent empty all the way). but the radiator is always full of coolant.
oh btw im parker somthing was wrong with my old account so i made a temp account. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 0:38
Edited by brian on 2008/3/10 0:59:58 |
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| red_johnny | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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On Sabbatical
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I had mine go up many times past 220 and there was nothing wrong with it. But I do have to agree that it should not go that hot. City driving I would expect it to hit 230 or so and on the highway it should hit around 200 or less. You can get lower thermostats at any part store.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 1:06
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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ok thanks. how easy is it to change the thermostat in a corvette cause changing it in my moms Saturn you have to take so much stuff off. ill watch the temp more clearly to see how hot it is geting on the freeway
yesterday a cop pulled me over for going 91 on the freeway and the temp was 190 i remember looking for some reason well he was writing me a ticket. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 1:11
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| Livin_the_dream | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Quote:
:me2: You will be amazed at what you will find. I did not have a overheating issue and it looked like this  |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 1:18
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| red_johnny | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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On Sabbatical
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Honestly then I dont know if you really need to lower the thermosat temp, you may just need to check for blockages on the radiator and check to see when the fan kicks on. A thermostat is probablly the easiest thing you can change, a few bolts to pop off the goose neck, scrape off the old gasket and put the new stat in with gasket and put the goose neck back on.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 1:19
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| Oaklands | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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If you see it getting that hot, turn on your A/C while in the traffic. It will kick the fans on and drop the temp for you.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:06
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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a/c??? i always thought it was turn on the heater. cause it takes the heat from the engine and blows it into the car.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:09
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| MAXXWRENCH | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Quote:
IN VEHICLES WITHOUT ELECTRIC COOLING FANS THIS IS CORRECT BRIAN...HOWEVER IN YOUR CAR WHN THE A/C IS TURNED ON IT ALSO KICKS FANS ON TO HELP MAINTAIN A COOLER ENGINE TEMP DUE TO THE ADDED A/C LOAD |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:13
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ONE SHOT, ONE KILL, I WIN |
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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oh wow i didnt no that. thanks for the info. so in the summer it will be ok to turn the a/c on HIGH :D. i had a ford thunderbird that would heat up high when i would drive home from work. so 30mins in 105F temp i would have the heater on full blast. i would sit on towels so i didnt mess up my interior with sweat
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:18
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| MAXXWRENCH | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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WHETHER THE A/C IS ON HIGH OR LOW DOES NOT MATTER SO LONG AS IT IS ON
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:27
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ONE SHOT, ONE KILL, I WIN |
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| xccter | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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Consider this about temperature controlled electric cooling fans...
If everything is working as designed, and you never get stuck in traffic, and you never used your A/C... The cooling fan(s) would never come on. The fan(s) only come on when there is insufficient air flowing through the radiator to keep the coolant below 228*, or if you turn on your A/C. Under ideal conditions, you can go months or even years without ever having the cooling fan turn on. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:32
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_________________
´71 350/270 L48 Coupe Numbers Matching Ontario Orange 4 spd, Mid-year side pipes, deluxe black leather, ac, ps, pb, pw, tilt/tele steering wheel. 93k miles. Original rotors still riveted to the hubs! NCRS #48337 |
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| MAXXWRENCH | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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THAT IS RIGHT XCCTER
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:36
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ONE SHOT, ONE KILL, I WIN |
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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thats for the info guys. im really learning alot.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 2:39
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| runner140 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Master Guru
 
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First fix the clutch and tranny. Think about replacing your radiator cap, top and bottom radiator hoses, clean the space between the rad. and the A/C condensor, do a full system coolant flush, install a new tstat, consider buying a "big mouth air dam", use a good synthetic oil and change it regularly.
The above should get you in the 180's and keep you there. If that's too cool for you, throw some trash back in front of the radiator. (just kidding) |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 12:04
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96, white and a ton of miles. Somewhat stock. |
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| xccter | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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Runner140 said...
"The above should get you in the 180's and keep you there." Unless you get stuck in traffic, then it doesn't matter whether you have a 160 or 190* thermostat. No air flow means temps will rise until 228*, and the fans start their cycling. Just the nature of the beast. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 13:15
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´71 350/270 L48 Coupe Numbers Matching Ontario Orange 4 spd, Mid-year side pipes, deluxe black leather, ac, ps, pb, pw, tilt/tele steering wheel. 93k miles. Original rotors still riveted to the hubs! NCRS #48337 |
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| runner140 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Master Guru
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Quote:
My 96' got up to 220 once in very heavy traffic (in south Florida at 90 ambient temp. Its driven every day, 25 miles each way to work. Can we agree not to have a pissing contest? |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 14:41
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96, white and a ton of miles. Somewhat stock. |
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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Ok thanks for the info. ill look into cleaning that radiator out soon.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 18:12
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| sprint7677 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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My 84 would climb up to 240 in heavy traffic, the fan was on, I turned the AC off did not help much. Place it in netral while sitting that helped a little.
that was with a 160 degree Thermostat. Clean everything out over the winter, replace the water pump, added a 180 degree Thermostat, added a fan switch to come on at 190 instead of 220. Don't think all that is going to make a big difference, think I should add a double wide radiator |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 18:25
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1984 Corvette mostly stock, many new parts |
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| xccter | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Quote:
I didn't know we were having one. Sorry.  |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 19:13
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´71 350/270 L48 Coupe Numbers Matching Ontario Orange 4 spd, Mid-year side pipes, deluxe black leather, ac, ps, pb, pw, tilt/tele steering wheel. 93k miles. Original rotors still riveted to the hubs! NCRS #48337 |
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| MK 82 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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Quote:
If you think that is a pissing contest, you have led a sheltered life! Threads about temps, fans, and thermostats are the worst. Everyone has an opinion and everyone's stink but their own. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 20:00
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96 CE Roadster LT4 |
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| red_johnny | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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On Sabbatical
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I forgot to tell you I had by-passed the regular switch and added my own switch to the fan to kick on around 175 or so.
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Posted on: 2008/3/10 20:17
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| brian | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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ok so on the freeway it gets up to about 205F. around town and stop and go traffic i goes up to 240-245.
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Posted on: 2008/3/11 1:40
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| RollaMo-LT4 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Trivia Winner
 
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Quote:
Your freeway temps there are close to normal. 240-245 is a little on the warm side for stop and go traffic. Your electric cooling fans should come on before then. Around 220-228 depending on year and fan configuration. If your still getting up to 245 with the fans running, then they are not doing there job quite as well as they should. With the fans running, you should be able to sit and idle at a stoplight and not see the temp climb much over about 5 degrees of when the fans kicked in. Even if you sat there for 30 minutes or longer. For my 1996, that temp. is 228-235. It won't get any hotter than that, even if I sat for 30 minutes. |
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Posted on: 2008/3/11 1:53
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| dan0617 | Re: Tempature of the corvette | ||
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Senior Guru
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On mine, cleaned the junk out in front of the radiator, put in a 180 thermostat and had the fan programmed for on at 200 and off at 185. I like it. It never goes over 201 even if I sit in traffic all day. As soon as the fan kicks on the temp comes down. It stays between 185 and 200, but when I drive down the highway it will drop as low as 180 before it starts climbing. This works for me and is what I like, but anything under 230 is considered acceptable. That is just hotter than I prefer. If you are seeing higher than 230 I'd be looking to change something to keep it running a little cooler. Don't change the thermostat without reprogramming the fans or, like some have already said, you will not run any cooler than you are running now when idling in traffic.
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Posted on: 2008/3/11 14:00
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´89 Vert, 383, 230/236 cam, AFR 195's, LT Headers, HSR intake, 2800 stall, Zex 200 shot, ET Street Radials, tune by me. Runs were with D36 3.07's. On spray, 10.55 @ 132.78, 1.55 60 ft. On motor, 12.08 @ 113.15, 1.66 60 ft. |
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