What is too hot?

[14bCrazy]

What is the temp that you would consider over heating? I'm trying to nail down a cooling system issue and my dummy gauge doesn't work but I have my Link to check the temp. What is normal also?

 

[GVR-4]

I think I remember seeing 203 on the highway in the summer.

 

[TurboTrader]

There is a big difference between what is normal and what is the limit.

I would not feel comfortable with a touch over 230, although a head can safely survive under the 250 range.

Anything under 220 should not be considered overheating provided the cooling system is doing it's job. Both the thermostat and the radiator cap both do it's job to keep the pressure, which raises the boiling point. To me, overheating is spewing steam and coolant due to boiling.

If you're seeing higher sub 220 degree temps, I would say that's safe, and not overheating, but it is higher than desired. In general, I like every one of my DSM's/GVR4's to stay well under 200. I feel comfortable at a solid 195 if at all possible, as this is where they seem to run best.

Unless you're running a smaller than stock radiator with a huge FMIC in the desert, I see no reason you should be seeing any higher than 200 with the large frontal area the Galants have. In my DSM with poor cooling, I rarely see anything over 200.

 

[Boostdtalon]

I've actually been wondering this myself as I've made changes to my car recently that have changed running temps. I would see temps as low as 150 while driving since I had no front bumper and the crash beam removed. Now that I've put put the bumper and crash beam back on I see temps at 195 during driving and around 210ish while sitting. I'm also running an aluminium scirocco radiator with my pull fan replaced by a spal.

 

[4thStroke]

When the weather is on the warm side out here (80 degrees), my needle starts creeping upward. I have a large ETS core and a newer stock replacement radiator, a cheap one that I suspect has a lower capacity than stock. The system is clean, too. I have a fan that's wired to be on the whole time and the stock pusher.

I'm hoping that a cooler thermostat fixes the heat issue. I know that the 20w50 doesn't help to keep the motor cool.

 

[Galantvr41062]

To OP what temps are you seeing? What is all done to the cooling system? I also like to have the engine coolant temps around the 195 range under normal driving conditions, but anything up to 220 should be ok. Also I am under the impression that if its not pushing a bunch of coolant or boiling the system it should be ok.

~John

 

The only time I ever saw 220* on 1886 was when the MHS was pushing coolant. Otherwise, both with the stock radiator and the aluminum one I only ever saw temperatures just over 200*.

 

[TurboTrader]

200 seems pretty realistic. Even on our cars and DSM's, 195 is sometimes too much to ask.

The mistake many seem to make is using a lower than stock (160-degree for example), or poor thermostat. By having a thermostat that opens at just 160-degrees, or 170 or so, the purpose of having a thermostat in the first place is defeated. One of the main purposes of the thermostat is to control the flow of coolant through the radiator. By having a slower flow (i.e, thermostat half-open/closed), the radiator can better cool the fluid. I have always used an OEM 192 degree thermostat, and even in Florida weather have never run into coolant temps I was uncomfortable with, even with the stock, thin, DSM N/T style radiator.

Of course, the fan doesn't really apply in the warmer season, but wiring a fan that runs all the time is never good in the winter season, even in north Florida as I experienced this past season. The fan cooled too much in cooler temps and the coolant temps stayed well under 170-degrees much of the time, even after a long drive. The heat was borderline not quite working too well. With that, there is such thing as too cool as well, most noticeable in the winter of course.

Unless running an aftermarket/smaller radiator than stock, stock cooling systems were designed pretty well and get the job done overall.

And as I noted previously, I would not be concerned with anything under 220, especially after a good pull.

I will also note, our stock gauges suck. If there is doubt, always use an aftermarket gauge or a logger. The stock gauge over the halfway mark can never be good, as they are highly inaccurate.

 

[1badgvr4]

I hate for any of my 4g car to get over 200 degrees. I believe the ecu will pull timing over 203.

 

[CP]

I ran mine up to 235/240 a few times when I forgot to turn the fans on and never had a problem.

 

[BoostedAWD91]

I don't like anything over 200. I have the.aluminum scirocco radiator which usually is around 180 while cruising but when sitting for awhile it gets up to 210-220 which I'm personally not comfortable with

 

This is news to me. I have a pretty much stock 1g which cycles between 200 and 213. This is both highway and city driving.
It would go up to 213 then come back down when the fan kicked on.

The funny thing is before it would not warm up enough and stay around 150 on cold nights and at most 170 highway driving. I swapped the thermostat that was in there (180) with a stock 192 one and now i have those temps.