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3L Operating Temp.

D

DyComet

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Aug 30, 2005
Messages
526
Location
Cincinnati, Ohio
What are you other guys running coolant temperature wise? I just got my water temp guage working today and I'm running between 220-230 which seems pretty high. Is this what you all you other guys are running or am I just running really hot?
 
That seems a little on the high side to me. Is that during traffic or cruising? I never had one in my car, but I think Y2KSVT car ran between 190-210 depending on the conditions.
 
This is a combination of traffic and cruising. During cruising it stayed closer to 210-215. The stock temp guage still reads a little before half way and they're both mounted in the same location. I'm expecting to run a little hotter than other 3L's because I don't have the SVT radiator that most of them do.
 
When does your low fan kick on? How about both your high and low fans? Your car shouldn't be running that hot. Maybe your water temp gauge isn't accurate?
 
To be completely honest I'm not sure where my fans kick on. Under spirted driving I was experiencing temperatures close to 250. I know this is a lot higher than it should be. I have no reason to think that my guage is not accurate. When my temperatures do get this high the stock guage does stay in the same spot just under half way. It's an autometer guage hooked up at a T on the stock sending location.
 
I'll look over the connection on the water guage. I find that the temperature never drops below 160 even when I start the car up for the first time in the morning after letting it sit for 8+ hours.
 
DyComet said:
I'll look over the connection on the water guage. I find that the temperature never drops below 160 even when I start the car up for the first time in the morning after letting it sit for 8+ hours.
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well that is definately wrong. after 8 hours the coolant should pretty much be the ambient temp.

with my 2.5 with SVT oil cooler and SE radiator and temp guage still sits about the same as before, but now in traffic on very hot and muggy days I saw the guage move up to half way at least of course I am not sure the exact temp but my fans kick on to low speed at 212 degrees F.

SVT radiator and new waterpump are waiting to be installed :laugh:
 
DyComet said:
To be completely honest I'm not sure where my fans kick on. Under spirted driving I was experiencing temperatures close to 250. I know this is a lot higher than it should be. I have no reason to think that my guage is not accurate. When my temperatures do get this high the stock guage does stay in the same spot just under half way. It's an autometer guage hooked up at a T on the stock sending location.
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My full 3L runs the EXACT same way. Temps usually hover around 210-230 cruising or city driving. If I get on it, it'll run close to 250. This is the reading on the autometer gauge. Stock gauge remains in the normal area. The highest I've seen it with temps on the autometer at close to 250 is near the 'A' in NORMAL.

Just for reference, my 3L has been running since Oct 2004. Has well over 50K on it. Radiator fans will kick on at low around 210 and then to high at 212 to 215.
 
Mine runs from 190 to 200 or so. I also have a T in the stock sending unit position w/ autometer gauges.
 
I have no idea why mine is reading so high. I read the coolant temp with my XCal off the stock sensor and it never went higher than 212 while my autometer guage was reading close to 250. I don't see how this could be happening. The wire to the sender is in perfect condition and not touching any other sort of metal.
 
What I have found interesting is that no one seems to know what the max operating temperature of the 3L duratec is. That is the maximum temperature where any higher and damage will occur.
 
SVTNupe said:
What I have found interesting is that no one seems to know what the max operating temperature of the 3L duratec is. That is the maximum temperature where any higher and damage will occur.
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max temp should be where the fans kick on and the coolant temp comes back down to the thermostat temp ... so stock the fans should kick on when the coolant temp hits 212F and bring it back to 190F ...I really shouldn't get much higher ... I would say over 225 is pretty high ...
 
BrApple said:
max temp should be where the fans kick on and the coolant temp comes back down to the thermostat temp ... so stock the fans should kick on when the coolant temp hits 212F and bring it back to 190F ...I really shouldn't get much higher ... I would say over 225 is pretty high ...
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That's just it...my fans run at high constantly and temps hover between 210 & 230 on the autometer gauge while the stock gauge remains in the 'ORMA' of NORMAL. I have cruised on the highway on a number of occassions with the autometer gauge reading close to 250 but the stock gauge still not reading the engine is overheating (in the red). The only time I've ever seen the stock gauge in the red was when I lost my water pump on the OEM 2.5L. Other than that, it's never ventured that far. This has been the norm since the 3L breathed life (Oct 2004 some 50K miles ago). This is the reason why I was curious as to what the actual max op temp is.

I've been told that I have a hot running engine which at most hurts performance but that's it.
 
Autometer is one of the best companies I've ever dealt with. I sent in a gauge with NO receipt, almost 2 years after I purchased it, and they sent me a brand new gauge in the box, instead of repairing it. The needle fell off of my oil pressure gauge, and with no questions asked, they sent me a brand new one. Just give them a call and get their physical address, mail in the gauge with a letter explaining what's wrong. Very good people over at Autometer!

Mark
 
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