Cooling woes

[Chris.94GT]

Car - '96 Cobra

My car likes to run hot in the heat, with the a/c on. With the a/c off it will run at a solid 200°. With it on it will continue to creep up and I usually try to shut it off by the time it reaches 220°.

This car has a Mishimoto radiator, brand new cooling fan assembly, a new (updated) condenser, and a new engine with water pump (old engine/water pump had same issue). Only thing that hasn't been changed yet is the thermostat. Would this cause it to get to hot with a/c on but be fine with it off?

Also my car does not have a valance/dam attached to the bottom of the core support to force air up into the radiator, should it?

 

[STAMPEDE3]

That is 100% normal if you didn't change the stock stat and fan settings.

Every car after 1986 is designed to run those temps for emissions and complete fuel burn.

 

[97snakebite]

That is 100% normal if you didn't change the stock stat and fan settings.

Every car after 1986 is designed to run those temps for emissions and complete fuel burn.

this... my average temp is 200 without a/c and 215 with.. this is with my procharger also

 

[Twisted2]

My '96 runs about the same. Seems like they were made to do that. It's a little unsettling though, agreed.

 

[Twisted2]

Car - '96 Cobra

My car likes to run hot in the heat, with the a/c on. With the a/c off it will run at a solid 200°. With it on it will continue to creep up and I usually try to shut it off by the time it reaches 220°.

By the way, if you still have the stock gauge connected, what is it reading at those temps? Just curious. Thanks.

 

[97snakebite]

By the way, if you still have the stock gauge connected, what is it reading at those temps? Just curious. Thanks.

shoot my gauge reads over the A or L ... i think its because of the paint on my crossover (bad ground)

 

[Twisted2]

shoot my gauge reads over the A or L ... i think its because of the paint on my crossover (bad ground)

Ah. Mine reads right around there sometimes, just because the motor is damn hot. Lol.

 

[Chris.94GT]

By the way, if you still have the stock gauge connected, what is it reading at those temps? Just curious. Thanks.

Normally it is around N-O for normal driving, when I turned on SCT datalogging it was around M-A for ~220°. Turned off a/c because it seemed like it was still rising and I didn't care for that.

Ordered a new thermostat today, and will be ordering an air deflector from Ford in the next few days probably.

 

[mwolson]

shoot my gauge reads over the A or L ... i think its because of the paint on my crossover (bad ground)

A bad sensor ground would make it read colder than it is, not hotter.

 

[mwolson]

These motors use the fuel much more efficiently at these higher temperatures.

 

[Chris.94GT]

I don't drive it for fuel economy. Also with the aluminum block and aluminum heads, I prefer for it to run as cool as possible.

 

[SpittingCobra]

People keep talking about fuel economy and Ford designed them to run this hot but what about a boosted car where detonation is an issue the hotter it gets. Just doesn't sit well with me in a performance engine where parts experience lots of expansion at those temps. And why did they design their gauge to look like the thing is burning down when it's supposed to run at those temps!?

That and the burping procedure as well as the heater fitting that can't be worked on with the engine in the car, the whole system drives me MAD

 

[mwolson]

Fuel efficiency isn't just about fuel economy. It is about getting the most power out of the least amount of fuel.

If your boosted car is running hot enough to cause detonation, then you probably should look to reducing the coolant temperature. But I have been running a 6PSI non-intercooled KB blower for years, even in hot weather, and I have no detonation issues with a stock thermostat and running ECTs in the 200s.

High boost may warrant a lower temperature, but I would only do it to stop a real detonation issue.

This topic is really much ado about nothing...