Cooling system temperature

[ytt105]

Further to the radiator cap saga, I purchased an Engine Guardian 2 Temp monitor.

Now the question is What temps should I use.

The system has an Initial Warning Temp (default 90c) and a Warning Temp (default 95c).

Regards
Trevor

[glenhendry]

This is a good question. I normally cruise around at about ~85-90deg, but it can easily (and often) sit at 95deg with any load or stress. Idling on a hot day it can hit 100. In fact, yesterday, while wheeling on a 34dec hot day here in Brisbane, my OBDII scanner (Kiwi BT OBDII adaptor + Android Torque app) was reporting in real time that I was getting up to 110 at times, but normally about 105.

I should add that my engine hasn't used a drop of coolant in 2 yrs and seems in great shape. With it at 105deg I opened the bonnet to check everything and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Both air con condenser fans were running.

The reason we use coolant (and a pressurised system) is to increase the boiling point past 100 though, so this seems ok to me?

Rave says thermostat is closed under 80, and is fully open only at 96.

[FiveSPDDisco]

Rave says thermostat is closed under 80, and is fully open only at 96.

We see most of the rebuilt motors we do run at 87-90

[benji]

Good to know 110 is fine - rests my mind greatly! Mine is close to a 50:50 coolant: water mix - makes a big difference to running temp. On anything under a 30 degree day it'll run 89-93 around town, and 89-91 on the highway. On a 40 degree day it'll run 94-96 around town 100 whilst waiting at the lights, and 93-97 on the highway.

A while ago Bendigo had a 44 degree day,where I had the car idling for about 20 to keep the kids cool. The temp crept up to 2/3 which I though was unusuall, as my 93 wouldn't budge whilst doing that even on a 53 degree day.

I do think my water pump is on it's way out though.

I've got my warning set at 97.

[glenhendry]

I do think my water pump is on it's way out though.

Hey Benji, how do you figure? ie, How do I tell? I have no idea of the state of my water pump, and I worry about it. I have good confidence of all of my fixes, but I have no history from the PO.

[Keithy P38]

Peek into your expansion tank with the engine running, if there is bugger all flow coming from the small hose from the radiator them your water pump is probably on its way out.

[jsp]

I have the alarm set for 108 on my P38 - as the needle goes to about 1:30 oclock when sitting at lights on a 35 plus day, and it never gets over about 106 on the temp probe, but once it hits 107 it never comes down and slowly just keeps rising without pulling over or doing a fair run of non stop driving.