Coolant question

[Specaled]

About a month ago I put a 95% upper grill block on my truck and last week I finally forked out the cash for a ScanGauge. I checked the water coolant temperature with the Gauge after it warms up and it seems high to me. When coasting in neutral it drops to 202 °F and when I'm on the freeway it goes all the way up to 209 °F. Is this normal? I don't have a lower grill block so I think it's getting enough air.

[gone-ot]

It depends upon the thermostat temperature, but most newer vehicles *do* use a rather "high" temperature thermostat due to emission standards. Sounds like yours is about 200ºF-210ºF...what does that engine call for--what does the local parts store say it should have? Try asking at an O'Reilly's, Checker, Pep-Boys, etc.

[Specaled]

Searching the web for my engine (Magnum 3.7L V6) and what the coolant temperature is bring up no results. My truck is a 2004 so I'm really not sure if that would be classified as *new*. I'm not a mechanic by nearly any means.

[Daox]

That coolant temperature is probably fine. However, you need to see if your radiator fan is running a lot. Wiring a light up to the fan relay is an easy way to tell.

[Specaled]

Is there an instruction forum to show how to do that?

[LeanBurn]

How permanent is your block?

The great thing about having the scanguage is that now you can accurately modify your grill block according to your tastes. I would entirely remove it for a baseline reading, then add until the fan starts coming on a little more than normal, then stop. You can tell when the fan comes on by the temperature readings for the most part as well. IMO no amount of grill block is worth endangering the proper operation of the engine and if the fan ends up running more than normal is that extra electrical power cutting into potential savings?

[Specaled]

My grill block is just cholroplast zip tied to the inside of the grill. I couldn't do the outside because of the lack of places to zip tie to.

[Fat Charlie]

It's a 195 degree thermostat, so the radiator doesn't even come into the picture until then. You're only going 14 degrees over that? Sounds like you're doing fine.

[Specaled]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

It's a 195 degree thermostat, so the radiator doesn't even come into the picture until then. You're only going 14 degrees over that? Sounds like you're doing fine.

Can you source your information? What would be an dangerous temperature?

[RobertISaar]

with an engine designed to run with a 195*F thermostat(and nearly all vehicles since sometime in the 80s have been), i wouldn't worry until you creep above 215 or so.