good operating temp??

[wagoon 2,429]

I finally got a water temp gauge in my wagon. When the air temp is low to mid 20's °C like when I drive to work the engine temp is under 170°F this is highway and suburban driving. Then on the way home from work air temp is over 33°C car temp is 180-190°F. Went for a drive today, its raining and air temp is low 20's°C car temp was 160°F. Engine is 200 with 4 speed and no AC, has standard narrow 2 core radiator. Is the 160-170 running temp to low and using more fuel because its to cold?

[ando76 4,354]

I would be going for a 180F thermostat if it were me.  Then I would be doing a plug read and looking at the temperature range to get a good burn. 

[Clevo120Y 815]

I agree 180 to 190 is ideal temp

[wagoon 2,429]

Thank you gentlemen

[wagoon 2,429]

Ok time to bring this one back up. A couple of months ago now I changed the thermostat over to a 180F, and even still on cool morning during summer the car would run cooler than 180F. Now I know the factory gauge and the aftermarket temp gauge work cause the do change with each other and they always seem to be at around the same position as each other. I know the thermostat is working cause in the afternoons the car sits at 180F on the way home (half an hour drive 15 minutes suburban then 15 minutes highway) then I stop and pickup my son get back in the car and both temp guages are up aftermarket reads 200-220 depending on the heat of day. Then I drive the less than 1 km to home and the temp is back down at 180F by the time I get home.

So I am wondering is it possible that there is something else going on here. I have tried putting a towel in front of the radiator (it gets sucked to the radiator by the suction of the fan and doesn't move until I peel it off) to block airflow and that doesn't work. I have read through the overheating threads on this forum and most people mention that the timing is right a lot, is it possible that the timing on my car is out causing it to run cold?!?

[wagoon 2,429]

I will add that now it is winter the morning running temp is 160F (takes a while to get there as well) and the afternoon running temp is 170-175F

[slydog 7,873]

Mine have always ran cold too. 

[ando76 4,354]

Ryan if you are still running the engine driven fan (even with the viscous hub) you will be chasing this continually.  The only way to truly rectify it is to fit a set of thermo fans and trigger them with a thermatic switch in the head. 

 

That way the fans will only work when the temp reaches 195f and go off at 185f.  You can get a variety of switches to trigger at whatever temp you want but that is the one I would go for in your application. 

 

The bonus is that you will pick up a bit of HP as you are not having to turn the fan - even with the stupid viscous hub.  Yes is does take power to turn the fans and they do load up the alternator - but only when it is needed.

 

If your not towing all the time and don't live in FNQ that is what I would be doing.

[bear351c 10,270]

yep, this ^ ^ ^.

 

So many things affect your coolant temp, Having a fan shroud, aftermarket radiator, thin walls in the block, wrong thermostat, ignition timing, type of fuel used, water pump condition,...... Get some thermo's as suggested, and a variable switch from Davies Craig or similar. Set the temp to what you want. You only really need an engine fan when stationary, at the lights and in car parks etc. rest of the time they're like an ashtray on a motorbike.

[wagoon 2,429]

Mine have always ran cold too. 

Yeah but you have -3

 

So many things affect your coolant temp, Having a fan shroud, aftermarket radiator, thin walls in the block, wrong thermostat, ignition timing, type of fuel used, water pump condition,......

Yeah I figured this but I have no fan shroud as I removed it to make the flow less efficient, standard crappy radiator, motor has only done 180,000k genuine (car had factory riveted ball joints when I bought it at 170,00k) thermostat is 180F, use regular unleaded and i replaced the water pump and fan clutch at the same time around 8 months ago just after I put it on the road. The only thing I don't know is the timing thing that's why I posed the question.

 

I have a thermo fan for my sedan so looks like I will have to get one for the wagon. Do any thermos fit the narrower radiators (xe?) as the thermos I have for the sedan (off an xh) have to be fitted to the wider xf radiator.

 

 

Is there any harm in running them cooler? When it is hot like plus 40 with humidty really high the car runs at near 200 on the way home from work but other than this it runs at 180 on the way home, it's only on the way to work that it runs cool.

[ando76 4,354]

I would not be worried with 200F at all.  Id by happy to have than temp.  Coolant water under pressure boils at 118c so you are off that.  From memory the v8 supercar boys target around 190F to get the most HP and fuel efficiency.  must be something in it.

 

Check your base timing with specs if you are worried and leave the timing light on there and give it a rev to make sure you are still getting advance.

[wagoon 2,429]

Not worried about timing just dont know. I still suspect the engine has a cam in it and with the standard exhaust and standard inlet manifold with all pollution gear on it I was wondering if it plausable that the timing was wound down by the previous owner. Im guessing the car had an exhaust and at least a holley on it, but since I didnt buy it from the guy that did the work its all guess work. I have to buy another timing light so this is just a good excuse for it.

As for the temp yeah Im not to worried just curious as to whether the low temps will cause an issue. It got to near 200 less than a handful of times and they were 45ish degree days were I know any car will run hotter on those days. Day time running temp is just about spot on for queensland summer it just runs cooler under 25 degree temps

[broken-wheel 659]

have you bypassed the water going through the IM?

[wagoon 2,429]

Nah still all hooked up and the heater works so assuming its not bunged internally. The engine presents as 100% factory standard.

[TUFE 284]

So ive had mine at around 220f at winton doing skids around the track etc etc. Thats with a turbo 250 on lpg with 3core and el fans. Puked a little bit into the catch tank but its nothing serious. Normal cruising at 100kph itll sit on 185f with one fan turning. Just thought I'd share my info

[PRO250 1,506]

This is why ford did not fit aftermarket gauges people like us look to much at them

my ute sees anywhere from 150f to 220f but mostly sits on 178 the factory dash never moved that much but

tufe is your turbo water cooled? mine is and on a full song run it will pull the temps up some, I did think for a while it was tune but after a wideband and a lot of driving I ruled that one out

[wagoon 2,429]

Haha I do look at it to much but the factory temp gauge never gets to half unless the aftermarket gauge is reading near 200F. When it's running at 160F which is in the morning now it is less than a 1/4 on the factory gauge.

[NZXD 2,328]

I watch mine like a hawk. I do have an aftermarket gauge but for some reason isn't reading.

 

Anyway with the Windsor, wide XF radiator it sits at about 3/8 on the gauge.

 

Goes up quick if you throw a belt like I did the other day.

[Thom 6,650]

Be interesting to see how it goes when you move

[wagoon 2,429]

Be interesting to see how it goes when you move

Yeah definitely as the weather i get now is just about new zealand summer weather(low single digits) and my summer weather is just about darwin's winter temp (mid 40's)

[bear351c 10,270]

Is there any harm in running them cooler? When it is hot like plus 40 with humidty really high the car runs at near 200 on the way home from work but other than this it runs at 180 on the way home, it's only on the way to work that it runs cool.

 

If you run your engine too cold, it will make your oil sludgy, and leave deposits in your engine. Also makes a big difference in fuel consumption, and emissions.  200* F is good, water boils at ~212*F, coolant boiling point is higher, coolant under pressure is higher still.

[TUFE 284]

This is why ford did not fit aftermarket gauges people like us look to much at them

my ute sees anywhere from 150f to 220f but mostly sits on 178 the factory dash never moved that much but

tufe is your turbo water cooled? mine is and on a full song run it will pull the temps up some, I did think for a while it was tune but after a wideband and a lot of driving I ruled that one out

Oil cooled only, fairly sure lpg tends to run hotter than petrol. Shouldnt matter once i have water/meth injection setup.

[wagoon 2,429]

Thanks for that bear, explains a few things.

So does anyone know if there is a factory thermo fan that will fit the smaller xe radiator? Would rather not have to get a different radiator and thermos if I can help it. Would one of those single thermos do the job since the car is running cool?

[NZXD 2,328]

Be interesting to see how it goes when you move

 

Yeah it's on the to do list. Just got to find one that suits.

 

The average temp for the following week is 33 in Darwin.

[slydog 7,873]

Thanks for that bear, explains a few things.

So does anyone know if there is a factory thermo fan that will fit the smaller xe radiator? Would rather not have to get a different radiator and thermos if I can help it. Would one of those single thermos do the job since the car is running cool?

 

I only ever ran a single 12" fan with the EWP before Q or someone got me onto the EF units on it now. I'll check if it's in the shed if you like ?