BLKSTANGER

Ok Stock 97 GT no real problems but runs a little warm on hot days. Gauge reads just past half way when hot but when running 20 miles on the freeway on a 90*+ day and I park it i can hear some bubbling noise from the radiator. My hot rod mind from yester year tells me to flush it out real good and throw in a 180 stat. I don't have a tuner to reset the fan settings. Am I going to have any problems being the stat doesn't match the fan settings or will it just not be up to optimum cooling performance?

scottybaccus

Leave it alone.

First, you don't know the actual temp from the stock gauge. Anything short of the red zone really is OK.

Second, EFI is designed to run at higher engine temps to maximize combustion efficiency. 200-215 is very much the designed temp. 220-230 on a warm day is no big deal. Unless you are redesigning the fuel strategy for a particular reason around a lower temp, there is no reason to deviate from stock. You might even cause it to move out of the optimum range and adversely affect power or mileage.

BLKSTANGER

So I shouldn't be concerned hearing a little boiling going on when I park it? It that normal for these engines?

BLKSTANGER

I am going to flush it as it's due. Should I use some purple ice in it?

sn95_331_GT_ yellow

IDKWTF he's talking about but SN95's do fine with the 180* stat. have one in mine, had one in the 95, and everyone else i know has one i theirs too... and they all run better than the stocker... guess we all got lucky?...

anything less doesnt let the ECU get out of "warm up" mode and THAT will hurt your power and mpg, but otherwise a little cooler is a GOOD idea...

just an FYI never take advice from S197 guys, they only pretend to be Mustang guys...

DreamerGT

flush the system first then see how it runs, then we can go from there.

BLKSTANGER

Thanks, My thinking is even with the 180 stat it's still going to run 190* around here. It's in the 100*s all summer. Pulling the stat will make the flush a little easier too. So I figured why not change it out while im there.

trailor

HAHAHA i love it!!!

cliffyk

I run a 180° T-stat here in Florida, both to keep the engine a bit cooler on flaming hot days and to let me run a bit more aggressive ignition timing (1° to 2°).

I did alter the fan speeds however that is not 100% necessary, all that will happen is that the coolant temperature will rise a bit more, from the steady state achieved with adequate radiator air flow, when the fan is needed than it would with the on/off speeds reduced in the tune. At a drag strip this would perhaps be an issue while staging/otherwise waiting, but for a DD it really doen't matter...

BLKSTANGER

Thanks cliffyk. You confirmed my thoughts on the subject. I drive this car 95% on the freeway and never get stuck in any traffic.