92stangerang

ive heard that 230 water temp is bad. i thought i had the overheating problem sovled but i guess not cause i hit 220 today while cruising, got scared and turned it off for a while. ive replaced everything except for the water pump..... so ill try that cause its the only thing left. im also hearingwhat sounds like a mini supercharger when idiling..... this is probably the pump right???

acascianelli

I think 220F is still in the normal operating range.

shelbymustangdan

Sounds like the water pump.

I would be interested to know what the normal operating ranges are as well. Especially for a 351W. I run low-mid 180s when cruizing, but then starts creeping up near 200 when stuck in traffic.

I'd like to hear what the acceptable operating tempreatures are (hopefully someone has some documentation somewhere) so I know when to turn it off and be concerned.

uedlose

well I think 230 is to hot I would not let it get over 225 but if it mine I don't like it getting to 200. I see GM truck run 227 and as hot as 230 all the time at work. Nascar runs there stuff around 240 but they have endless money. Heat is energy and a hot motor can make more HP then a cold but there is a limit. Our old S/C set up ran better hot then cold at the track all the time strange all the guy around us trying to keep there motors cool and we would heat ours up it seem to run its best right around 185-190.

aru_next

damn I try to keep mine at like 160-170

stang2004

if you have aluminum heads you really dont want to see the temps above 220 ever. Ya risk warping a head

Eric261

Exactly ^^^ This is what I was taught a few years back.
185-190 is the perfect operating temprature for an engine. Yes for every 10 degrees colder an engine runs it gives roughly a 1%increase in hp on an N/a engine and roughly 2% on a F/I engine which im sure you've all heard this theory before but this theory is only correct for an engine that is running too hot like 230 or so for ex.. 185-190 farenheit is the perfect operating temprature for an engine and the reason for the increase inHP isbecause of what was mentioned before as heat being energy and past 190 degrees farenheit if im not mistaken the amount of energy that can be used is put to waste because of having too much heat therefore you loose HP when an engine is too hot and gain hp back when the engine is within perfect operating tempratures repectively.Just my .50