Engine Temp

Engine water temp, Whats too cold? (and for conversation sake, whats too hot?)

Ive talked to a few people on the phone, face to face, and some comments have been made in other threads... concerning the temps my combination runs, and some say its too cool.

I recently got my 70 Torino back on the road, with a new BF Evans built 572. This is a 100% street driven car. My water temp seems to hang pretty steady at 165 degrees (with a 160 t-stat) and will creep to 180 under hard driving.

Would I be better served with a 180 degree t-stat?

Id like to hear some opinons, some facts, some experiences etc...

Shane

For a drag race application, I believe cooler is better. For a street driven application, I'd want it to run warmer than 165*, 180*-190* would be more efficient in my opinion.

i'd try the 180 and see if it would stay at that temp.anything cooler than 180 is too cool for me but i'd also take cool over hot anytime.

From a wear standpoint... having the engine "warmed up" to 180 would be better than 165.

I do know that Blake and I tried cooler temps on our engines on the dyno and it made more hp... so my thinking is cooler is better....


Randy

cool water and hot oil make power......but in a street driven situation I cant help think that a warmer water temp would be good to keep the moisture and excess fuel in the oil boiled off........It sounds like the cooling system is very good, I'd say up the t-stat would be a move in the right direction.

richter69 wrote:cool water and hot oil make power......but in a street driven situation I cant help think that a warmer water temp would be good to keep the moisture and excess fuel in the oil boiled off........It sounds like the cooling system is very good, I'd say up the t-stat would be a move in the right direction.

I agree. There's a reason that late model (long lasting and clean running) engines use hightemp thermostats.
Low temps in a street engine is a great way to make sludge. Drag cars get lots of attention and oil changes....not so much of an issue there.

Our car is no street car by any means but we never get over 120 degrees water temp and we don't have a radiator. The oil temp on the other hand is 175-180.

I would think on a street car that the current trend of warmer is the correct direction and more in the lines of the Smokey Yunick style hot vapor technology.

If the oil is gettting warm enough I don't know why one would raise the water temp. Check the oil temp. after extended driving and report back.

key being oil temp............

Thanks for all the replies!

I have an oil temp gauge and a sender location welded into my oil pan (thanks jet boat bob), I just have to wire it up and mount it in the car.

what OIL temp would be considered "good" for a street car? note, im running an engine oil cooler also (with no fan)... so hopefully im not OVER cooling my engine.

Im still a bit suprised that an engine that makes nearly double the horsepower of my old iron head 466, actually runs COOLER.

Shane