I had my car back to the stock oem tune and airbox for the last few days. The first thing that I noticed is that the car was running hotter than with a custom tune and cold air kit. I have an autometer water temperature gauge and and it was running 200 on the highway and getting up to 215 in stop and go traffic.

After putting the cold air kit back on today with the new JLT version II pipe and loading a 91 octane custom tune it was running 190 highway and 195 in city traffic. I changed the version I tube and tunes out for the version II tube and tunes. It ran around 190 then too.

I doubt that many people have autometer or high performance water temperature gauges on their stock Mustangs, but I would like to know if anyone else has seen this?

 

Rich it's the tune that is the reason. The fans come on at lower temps than the stock settings.

Richard

 

Agree with Richard...... fan and temp settings are adjustable in the tune and even end-user parameters.

 

Thanks!

 

Haven't seen that diff cause I didn;t have a temp gauge when stock

but can say that my average temp (and at least a few others) is 195 right on the nose

(since installing my CDC black billet grill though, on the highway it drops to 190 with the improved airflow)

 

I understand now that the tune is set lower than the stock setting, but a stock Mustang shouldn't be running 220 temps in traffic should it? Seems very hot to me.

 

It might for emissions purposes.

 

Rich,
I agree that our stock stangs should not run that hot. Since I have put the Aeroforce gauges in a couple of weeks ago I agree with the others that I am running 190-195 degrees with tunes. I have made two 7 hr round trips the last couple of weeks and my temps never went over 195 running 80 mph on the highway. In the old days we put 180 degree thermostats in our cars for better performance but "they" claim we don't want to do that with these cars. Why?
Scott

 

If I'm not mistaken Normal Operating Temp is in fact 210.

Thermostat does not even open up until 195

As for installing a lower temp thermostat it is not recommended due to the engines being designed to run at higher temps. When you start lowering the temps to much the ECM thinks the vehicle is cold and starts dumping more fuel in.

You could alwasy install the Ford Racing Radiator though

Richard

 

What about water wetter?

 

The Redline Water Wetter is good stuff. I install it in all my vehicles.

Richard

 

Richard,
If you are correct about the engines needing to run warmer wouldn't the ECM just fight a larger radiator also? It seems it would without the tune correcting for it.
Scott

 

I agree water wetter helps tranfer heat. But it would seem if our tunes call for the engine temps to be in the 190-195 degree range not even a larger radiator will help if the ECM is programed for 190/195. Correct? It's not like our radiators are not capable of cooling these engines. After all they run the same temps in Phoenix in the summer. It comes down to the thermostat and computer programming...I think.
Scott

 

GT's thermostat starts to open at 180. At highway speeds my temps are 190-195. I adjusted my fan speeds so they match the stock settings. I set it at 214 and 225 for low and high speed fans, just like stock.

At highway speeds, having the fan on is not going to lower the temps. It's already getting plenty of air, it's all about the thermostat.

 

A larger radiator allows for the coolant/water to be cooled faster more efficiently. It does not make the car run cooler.

Richard

 

FWIW, my car sits at 192 and moves very little no matter what I do or how I'm driving. I also monitor my cylinder head temp and it is usually one or two degrees higher.

 

IMO I think water wetter is only useful necessary for deficient or cooling systems on the ragged edge. If this engine cooling system can accommodate a intercooled Whipple at 10 PSI, then I seriously doubt the factory radiator is at its limt with the car naturally asperated, else Ford would have Whipple adding a bigger radiator to the kit.