how hot should the engine run?

[matt_corradovr6 0]

just had my thermostat housing replaced after a big leak and i am not sure how hot he motor should run. on a long run the temp used to show 70 degrees or just above climbing to 90 in traffic or moving slow. now it shows about 90 all the time, which is the middle notch on the eng temp gauge. just wondered if this is hot or am i paranoid??

it is a 94 vr6 with 94k on the clock. it is standard engine wise.

any help much appreciated even just to put my mind at rest. i always worry bout the car and i would seriously cry if she died! :cry:

[Ice White Socks 0]

Mine shows just over 70- climbs to over 100 when stuck in traffic. Its a bit strange its runs at 90 all the time IMO. Not sure how a thermostat housing change could affect the running temp in any way though :?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

90 degrees running temp is fine. Half way across the guage on any other car is considered normal, so why should it be any different on the Corrado? People just get overly paranoid about temps on the VR because they can *see* the temps on the guage.

 

2 things,

 

1. The temp scale on the guage is a rough guide, it isn't gospel. You'll notice the red section i.e. NOW you should worry, is right at the top of the scale and few engines ever venture that high.

 

2. So long as the temp stops climbing at a certain point in traffic, the fans are working and it's maintaing the engine at the temperature the factory set.

 

And 70 degrees (actual) is too low and I would personally not be happy with that as it affects the fuelling. I like to see 85-90 on the water and 100 on the oil.

[dr_mat 0]

Changing the thermostat will effect the running temps. I doubt anyone would be silly enough to swap the thermostat housing and leave the old thermostat in the car...

 

I'm with kev. 70 degrees (if that's what it actually IS), is too low on the water. If it's *actually* running at 70 then the thermostat isn't closing properly. Minimum water temp under ANY conditions should be 80, as that's when the thermostat opens.

[matt_corradovr6 0]

cheers guys much happier now. it does maintain a constant temp and the fans work ok never been near the110mark. much appreciated

:D

[joebrent 0]

90 degrees running temp is fine. Half way across the guage on any other car is considered normal, so why should it be any different on the Corrado? People just get overly paranoid about temps on the VR because they can *see* the temps on the guage.

 

2 things,

 

1. The temp scale on the guage is a rough guide, it isn't gospel. You'll notice the red section i.e. NOW you should worry, is right at the top of the scale and few engines ever venture that high.

 

2. So long as the temp stops climbing at a certain point in traffic, the fans are working and it's maintaing the engine at the temperature the factory set.

 

And 70 degrees (actual) is too low and I would personally not be happy with that as it affects the fuelling. I like to see 85-90 on the water and 100 on the oil.

 

 

Maybe thats why my valver drinks fuel.....I have a problem with my rad fan, it is always on..hence my water temps never venture above 70,unless its hot outside!

[Mike Edwards 0]

I've noticed that the indicated temperature drops the older the senders get.

 

90 is about right for a new sender.

[STORMYCORRADOVR6 0]

Hi there,

thanks all of you for makeing me worry!!!

my mystic vr runs at about 80 deg c when doing about 40-80,

when in traffic it goes slightly over 100 deg c!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is that normal??

when going faster than 80 the water stays at about 80 but the oil has gone upto about 120!!!!

when this happened i pulled straight over and let her cool down, she is fine staying within the law but it is just difficult sometimes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the raditor died and i have had to fork out £120 for a new one , would the oil temp getting so hot cause things to pop?

thanks

Andy (ps plesae help!!!!)

[Mike Edwards 0]

Okay...

 

On a standard car with new sensors, no leaks in the cooling system, sufficient oil, decent petrol* and not being ragged you should be seeing about 90 degrees water temperature and up to 116 oil temperature.

 

The handbook says stop and let it cool if the oil gets up to ~140 degrees from memory.

 

 

*Cr*p petrol will make it run hotter as the ecu retards the ignition.

[Supercharged 2]

STORMYCORRADOVR6, did you use a new Thermoswitch when you changed the rad, as it sounds like its not working! - It may be the fan is only coming on at one temp/speed...

[stevemac 0]

I have a problem with my rad fan, it is always on..hence my water temps never venture above 70,unless its hot outside!

Sounds like you have a faulty temp switch - this will have been "bridged" to make the fan work.

[quicksilver 0]

Yep, I'd tend to agree with kev, any car running at 70C all the time is too low. I did once have a thermostat that was jammed open and the car never ran warmer that 70C and resulted in a pretty rubbish heater too.

Since fitting a new thermostat my VR now sits at 85-ish water temp in normal driving and oil temp averages about 100-ish but when thrashing it the oil temp can go as high as 116-118 which I take to be fairly normal. Water temp only gets to 110 in traffic then the fan cuts in.

[vr6storm 0]

 

The handbook says stop and let it cool if the oil gets up to ~140 degrees from memory.

 

 

.

 

 

.....well the handbook says 145 :wink: but...........given that the MFA oil temp only goes up in even increments this is impossible really :?

[dinkus 10]

 

The handbook says stop and let it cool if the oil gets up to ~140 degrees from memory.

 

 

.

 

 

.....well the handbook says 145 :wink: but...........given that the MFA oil temp only goes up in even increments this is impossible really :?

 

You obviously have the luxury of an MFA that actually shows oil temp :roll:

[Supercharged 2]

Water temp only gets to 110 in traffic then the fan cuts in.

 

Thats deffo a faulty Thermoswitch then, you will need an early (3 pins in a line) one - about £8 from GSF :wink:

[STORMYCORRADOVR6 0]

Cheers guys,

i will let you know how i get on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aclwalker 3]

I would agree. 90C on coolant is ideal while moving. It rises in traffic because you no longer have the ram-effect of the air flowing past the radiator. The fan will come on somewhere around 100 or maybe slightly more to cool it down and 'simulate' the effect of moving through the air.

 

With oil, I like 100, but mine normally cools to around 96ish in traffic but can rise to 106 or more with hard driving. It's kinda the opposite from the coolant.

 

I have just had a problem where my temps were up around 95-100 for the coolant and up to 120 for the oil. I was due an oil change (actually a bit overdue) and did this yesterday. My temps are away back down to 90 for coolant and 100ish for oil once more.

 

So, if you have the levels right for the fluids and you have slightly high temps then check to see you aren't due an oil change. Old oil doesn't lubricate as well, therefore more friction, therefore more heat.

 

I have also noticed in my Corrado driving experience, that low oil, even when still in the safe range can have quite an effect on the temps. I like to keep mine towards the max. This not only lowers the temps but makes the engine much quieter and is therefore reducing wear. I guess it's because there's more oil around the top of the engine where all the rattley parts are.

 

Corrado's (VR6s at least) DO burn oil, even when not worn, so it's important to check oil regularly between services and top up accordingly. The handbook even says, if I remember correctly, that 1 litre of oil per 1000km (i.e. 600ish miles) is quite normal depending on how you drive. Don't just rely on your annual service to keep you right with oil.

 

I personally have an oil consumption problem in cylinder 6 which accelerates my oil usage but it has done 188,500 miles now. Even with that, I probably put around half a litre in every 500-600 miles roughly but I do notice that bouts of hard driving can easily knock down the level. My old Mk II Golf burnt hardly any oil in comparison.