Engine Temps

[Kenny4]

I'm in So Cal and had to go to Big Bear up route 38 which is very steep, slow and sharp winding curves. I had a 300# dirt bike in the bed. Had the A/C off. Had it in tow haul. The temp was up to 228 until I hit level with more speed and more air. But I noticed later on a much smaller hill without the tow haul, it went back up to 228 again. That seems pretty high. Is it? Thanks

 

[SD Rebel]

230F is within the normal range without towing. In normal driving you should see 210F - 230F on a regular basis for the engine coolant, as the thermostat cycles.

The high end while towing, it could get up to 245F, I believe you get a warning at 250F or so. The oil temps get even higher, up to 285F while under heavy towing.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I'm in So Cal and had to go to Big Bear up route 38 which is very steep, slow and sharp winding curves. I had a 300# dirt bike in the bed. Had the A/C off. Had it in tow haul. The temp was up to 228 until I hit level with more speed and more air. But I noticed later on a much smaller hill without the tow haul, it went back up to 228 again. That seems pretty high. Is it? Thanks

With the factory thermostat and fan settings that is normal. Not ideal, IMO, but normal.

 

[SD Rebel]

With the factory thermostat and fan settings that is normal. Not ideal, IMO, but normal.

Yeah, I rather they keep the top range at 220F, but apparently the higher temps improves fuel economy. On my E90 BMW, the thermostat actually is programmed to go to 228F under light conditions to improve mpg. It drops to 210F in stop and go traffic to improve cooling.

 

[Zeeya]

I'm glad you all brought those temps up as ok.. I drive a 895 mile trip to W Texas from S Louisiana and I see temps up to 226 while on cruise at 80. If I kick a/c fan up to 6-7 speed my coolant temps drop off quick. I seen this before, but had forgotten upper limits on temp.
I tow a 22' bay boat and Trans temp will get up to 202 where it usually runs188-192. I'm not sure how high Trans temp can go safely.. Thanks for info

 

[Kenny4]

I'm glad you all brought those temps up as ok.. I drive a 895 mile trip to W Texas from S Louisiana and I see temps up to 226 while on cruise at 80. If I kick a/c fan up to 6-7 speed my coolant temps drop off quick. I seen this before, but had forgotten upper limits on temp.
I tow a 22' bay boat and Trans temp will get up to 202 where it usually runs188-192. I'm not sure how high Trans temp can go safely.. Thanks for info

I don't understand. Do you mean the level of interior fan blowing. Also I thought that having the A/C on while under load caused higher engine temps and thus the need for a second level of fan speed to kick in while the A/C is on. In normal driving around town and highway, mine cycles from 203-204 to 212-215 fairly consistently. Funny though, as I watched my digital gage move up to 228, the manual with the red pointer never moved at all?

 

[Thekidcasual]

Who in SoCal has got the AC recall done?

 

[SD Rebel]

....Funny though, as I watched my digital gage move up to 228, the manual with the red pointer never moved at all?

The analog gauges on modern cars are practically dummy gauges, they only move under large temp changes so not to scare your average driver of the constant temp fluctuations of coolant and oil temps.

That's sometimes why they removed them in some cars and just rely on warning lights if there is an actual issue, which is essentially what your typical analog temp gauge is these days.

One of my favorite things about my RAM is the 4 center digital gauges for oil temp, coolant, trans temp and oil pressure. I love seeing the real thing at real time.

You can of course do that with any OBDII equipped vehicle after 2007, you can buy OBDII gauge pad you can sit on your dash that will show you real time data.

 

[Zeeya]

I don't understand. Do you mean the level of interior fan blowing. Also I thought that having the A/C on while under load caused higher engine temps and thus the need for a second level of fan speed to kick in while the A/C is on. In normal driving around town and highway, mine cycles from 203-204 to 212-215 fairly consistently. Funny though, as I watched my digital gage move up to 228, the manual with the red pointer never moved at all?

Yes, the interior fan. When I kick it up, as you mentioned it apparently kicks up the fan speed at the radiator up. I know when I stop and kill the truck it sounds like a jet engine winding down.. Seems to bring temps down for me when I do it. May not work for everyone, but I've done it often when sitting in traffic. Sometimes temp will drop from 220 down to 200 real quick. At times, I thought maybe my thermostat may be sticking, but as mentioned above 228 is within tolerances of system.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I don't understand. Do you mean the level of interior fan blowing. Also I thought that having the A/C on while under load caused higher engine temps and thus the need for a second level of fan speed to kick in while the A/C is on. In normal driving around town and highway, mine cycles from 203-204 to 212-215 fairly consistently. Funny though, as I watched my digital gage move up to 228, the manual with the red pointer never moved at all?

Turning his AC up caused the cooling fan to kick on, there by helping pull it through radiator and cooling engine off more. At highway speed the active grill shutters block about 80% of the radiator.