What do most of you guys run at operating temperature (out of the letters of NORMAL) with aluminum radiators or specifically a mishimoto if you have? My mechanic said it would be normal for the temps to read higher with the mishimoto I installed because aluminum transfers more heat (?) I thought people got aluminum radiators to lower their operating temps. When I am going fast or on the highway, it runs back down at like N or O but when I am just doing normal city driving its always at the A. Its pretty annoying because it makes me thing I am going to overheat although it never does. It just seems like its operating temperature is at A. I have a 180 degree Mr. Gasket thermostat as well as a new OEM water pump replaced 5k miles ago with a new thermostat housing and all new hoses. So, is this normal?
Running temps with aluminum radiator
- Thread starter Dekorum
- Start date
mine stays at the N O area all the time, untill i sit still forever then it goes up half way and the fan kicks on. but usually i catch it on the way up and turn it to A/C for a sec, kicks the fan on. but i have fluidyne.. alum. is alum. though.
Sounds normal to me. It will operate where the thermostat and fan settings allow it to. The extra cooling capacity allows you to run harder longer without heating up more. That is all it will do.
In other words,
If you change nothing else it will run the same as it did just with extra capacity.
In other words,
If you change nothing else it will run the same as it did just with extra capacity.
But how do I know if I really have the extra cooling capacity that the aluminum radiator should have gave me?
The thing is my car ran like Slow95Cobra's when I had my OEM radiator. N/O all the time and sometimes to R then I would see the fan kick it back down. Then when my original radiator started leaking last month I had to replace it, so I chose to get the cheap aluminum Mishimoto. I wish I would have gotten another OEM one now..
The thing is my car ran like Slow95Cobra's when I had my OEM radiator. N/O all the time and sometimes to R then I would see the fan kick it back down. Then when my original radiator started leaking last month I had to replace it, so I chose to get the cheap aluminum Mishimoto. I wish I would have gotten another OEM one now..
Your car is doing the exact same symptoms mine does every time I service the cooling system and refill it. It takes about a week to get all the air out of it after initial bleeding, then the low warning light comes on, I top it off, and it's never a problem again. Did a coolant flush when I first got the car, did it. The t-stat stuck open the first winter, replaced it, did it again. Did the electric water pump a few weeks ago, did it again. As soon as I top it off, it stops and goes back down to the center of the gauge.
Also, factory gauges, especially Ford, are known to suck royal ass. I would get an aftermarket unit if you really want to confirm/deny your fears. Any buildup of corrosion on the sensor or gauge cluster, any tiny little resistance in the wire is going to play havok on the sensor and gauge, because all it is is a thermistor...
Also, factory gauges, especially Ford, are known to suck royal ass. I would get an aftermarket unit if you really want to confirm/deny your fears. Any buildup of corrosion on the sensor or gauge cluster, any tiny little resistance in the wire is going to play havok on the sensor and gauge, because all it is is a thermistor...
Sounds normal to me,
the start of the normal section is ~140 Deg and the end of it is ~258deg.
Each letter is ~20deg.
I know for this is correct for 99+ but still haven't found out for sure on 96-98.
So fluctuating where it is is roughly 180-220 Right where they are designed to run.
Everyone says the stock gauge is crap and inaccurate.
I just find that it is a narrow range.
Or should I say a broad range fit in a narrow band. But if you think about it they all do about the same.
the start of the normal section is ~140 Deg and the end of it is ~258deg.
Each letter is ~20deg.
I know for this is correct for 99+ but still haven't found out for sure on 96-98.
So fluctuating where it is is roughly 180-220 Right where they are designed to run.
Everyone says the stock gauge is crap and inaccurate.
I just find that it is a narrow range.
Or should I say a broad range fit in a narrow band. But if you think about it they all do about the same.
Sounds about normal.
If you want the gauge to drop when going slow or standing still (and before the fan comes on by itself somewhere around 221*F and subsequently off at 201*F, some 20*F above your t-stat!)) you gotta move the air. You can do a fan mod switch to allow you to switch the fan on whenever you want to. Here's a snipit from an old thread:
"all you need to do is get a toggle switch and tap into wire 46 on the pcm and then ground the other side."
I did this a few years back. the "PCM" (a.k.a. the computer) is located behind the passenger-side kick panel. If I recall correctly the wire is a light green with violet stripe. Just tap on to it, run that wire to a simple on/off switch located where it is convenient for you to reach it, and connect the wire from the switch to ground. Flicking the switch to "ON" turns the fan on high.
If you want the gauge to drop when going slow or standing still (and before the fan comes on by itself somewhere around 221*F and subsequently off at 201*F, some 20*F above your t-stat!)) you gotta move the air. You can do a fan mod switch to allow you to switch the fan on whenever you want to. Here's a snipit from an old thread:
"all you need to do is get a toggle switch and tap into wire 46 on the pcm and then ground the other side."
I did this a few years back. the "PCM" (a.k.a. the computer) is located behind the passenger-side kick panel. If I recall correctly the wire is a light green with violet stripe. Just tap on to it, run that wire to a simple on/off switch located where it is convenient for you to reach it, and connect the wire from the switch to ground. Flicking the switch to "ON" turns the fan on high.
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