Water temps

[TEXAS GT]

Now that the peak of summer is here, I notice that the water temps on my '05 with Whipple and X-pipe seem to be running higher than I remember last year, about 200 degrees when cruising at 80 mph in 6th gear. So I took my stock '06 out today for comparison and sure enough it only got up to 180 degrees under similar conditions.

The only issue I've had with the '05 is a slight coolant leak that has caused me to add a couple of quarts of coolant to the system recently. I didn't mix it 50/50, just put straight coolant in the tank. The level is correct but my question is....will a 60/40 mix of coolant/water cause the car to run hotter or do I have another problem?

I had the a/c running on both cars and the outside temps were about the same. Would the Whipple or the tune cause this?

What are some of you other guys with Whipples seeing for water temps right now?

Suggestions?

 

[B O N Y]

Hello,
I just ran to Scottsdale from Fresno, running the Whipple with 20lb pulley and stainless works headers with short cats. In 6th at 2000 rpm running between 180-185 degrees.
In city traffic without clean air went up to 205. Coming back from Newport to Fresno ran 180 all the way. Hope this helps. My tune is Dustin's and the car runs hard, and is as cold as my exwife's heart.
Cheers,
daniel

 

[isaakgt]

I managed to get mine up to 205 pulling some hills during the rally cruise. Typically it runs about 175-185 on flat ground regardless of outside temps. My car is completely stock.

 

[AZGT]

I just posted some stuff along this line.

Water is a better coolant than the "antifreeze". Look for the link in the thread I started that goes to a test of the different mixtures.

Basically, pure water (distilled) with water wetter is the best. Ideal "mixture" (if using) is less than the 60/40.

I did notice (or at least in my mind this is true) that coming back from the rally, when following another GT / car I was running hotter than when I was in the lead. Apparently following a GT may involve issues with screwed up air flow from the preceeding car.

When on my own (tune, accufab, etc), I tended to be around 180. Following seemed to be 195. Always was warmer going up hills.

 

[Fubar]

My car has always run warm. I tend to push it hard and I like my RPMs high so I was never been surprised to seem my temps exceed 200 and reach into the 230s when I was climbing the mountain. Asking some of the tech's at the museum later... they said not to worry as long as it was below the redline all would be fine.

 

[fjpikul]

My car was at 0 the whole rally cause it sat in the garage in Illinois. Sorry, no help here, but to my knowledge, not one person overheated at the rally, and I ran last as the sag wagon.

 

[Specracer]

My car was at 0 the whole rally cause it sat in the garage in Illinois.

0 in the summer? Ouch that is cold, sorry Frank could not resist.

Me 190 regular, 205 any traffic or revs, close to red line about 230 when on the track, Borla is only mod.

 

[TEXAS GT]

Hello,
I just ran to Scottsdale from Fresno, running the Whipple with 20lb pulley and stainless works headers with short cats. In 6th at 2000 rpm running between 180-185 degrees.
In city traffic without clean air went up to 205. Coming back from Newport to Fresno ran 180 all the way. Hope this helps. My tune is Dustin's and the car runs hard, and is as cold as my exwife's heart.
Cheers,
daniel

This is enough to tell me that I have some kind of an issue. This is how I remember my car had been running until this week.

I'll suck out some of the coolant and replace it with distilled water to get the mix back closer to 50/50. I'll let you know if it helps.

Thanks for the input guys. It will give me a base of comparison if I have to take it to the dealer. Sometimes they tend to blame abnormalities on modifications instead of looking for the real problem.

 

[B O N Y]

Try water wetter, it does miracles to bring down temps. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[paul b]

You said you had a leak and had to add a couple of quarts of coolant, was the leak totally repaired or is it possible you're getting air in the system?

 

[kosupply]

Now that the peak of summer is here, I notice that the water temps on my '05 with Whipple and X-pipe seem to be running higher than I remember last year, about 200 degrees when cruising at 80 mph in 6th gear. So I took my stock '06 out today for comparison and sure enough it only got up to 180 degrees under similar conditions.

The only issue I've had with the '05 is a slight coolant leak that has caused me to add a couple of quarts of coolant to the system recently. I didn't mix it 50/50, just put straight coolant in the tank. The level is correct but my question is....will a 60/40 mix of coolant/water cause the car to run hotter or do I have another problem?

I had the a/c running on both cars and the outside temps were about the same. Would the Whipple or the tune cause this?

What are some of you other guys with Whipples seeing for water temps right now?

Suggestions?

I am in Houston..Hennessey pulley and Hefner exhaust....been running 185 all summer, yesterday 205...it was pretty hot. 205 was in 5:00 traffic on I10

 

[Specracer]

You said you had a leak and had to add a couple of quarts of coolant, was the leak totally repaired or is it possible you're getting air in the system?

Great suggestion is you were quarts down it is likely that you do have air in the system, and it needs to be bled out, which I am told is a somewhat tricky process (mentioned by a team member at the rally)

 

[Kirby Vieira]

When driving Shelby#18's Whipple GTX1 from Newport Beach to the Petersen Museum in the nasty 405 rush hour traffic, the temp never exceeded 195 and was below 190 in most of the stop and go traffic for 2+ hours. On the way back to Newport, it was clear sailing and low 180's. This is the car with the prototype trunk, and many owners, including myself, thought the trunk would create a heat block in the clamshell, but that was not the case. :cheers

 

[tmcphail]

Mine stays around 186 almost all of the time in the heat unless my right foot is planted. Then again I can command the fans on/off at the temperature I choose.

 

[FLASH]

How about a new twist on the subject. I have been complaining about my water temp going to 230 when I track the car and just had the fans adjusted to come on earlier but have not had the opportunity to test it. That being said an attendee of the rally said that he spoke to one of the engineers at Ford and they said they have been exploring this issue. They think the problem might be with the suction side of the radiator hose that might collapse under high revs. They need to explore it further but a fix might be to reinforce the hose with an internal spring ( Ford did this in the past) or to replace that suspect section of hose with a solid section of aluminum pipe. Unfortunately I do not know what section of hose they are referring to that seems to be the problem.
I did notice that after six or so minutes of redline shift, red line shift, down shift, upshift etc. on a hot day once the temp gets above 205 the hose might get soft and might be collapsing because at that point the needle just keeps climbing.
Flash :mad

 

[Ed Sims]

178 degrees

My 05 GT only gets above 200 deg on the track. In 100 deg+ weather in slow traffic it may get to 180 deg but on the freeway it'll drop down to 178. It's hard to get it to go higher unless I really hammer on it for extended periods.

Mods - 1. remove 05 front rad screen
2. drop coolant to water ratio to 1:5 with Water Wetter
3. Shadowman tune (for my 19lb Whipple SC)

Ed

 

[AZGT]

Mods - 1. remove 05 front rad screen

I know they took it out for the 06 for better flow, but did that seem to help? It surprises me that a screen can be a restriction. Did you do that change alone and see any difference?

Great suggestion is you were quarts down it is likely that you do have air in the system, and it needs to be bled out, which I am told is a somewhat tricky process (mentioned by a team member at the rally)

The service manual contains a section on bleeding the system.

 

[BlackICE]

Both Ed and I have an 05. Ed removed his screen and is using Water Wetter and less anti-freeze. During the rally drive on Ortega Hwy I was running 220F and Ed was only 190F.

It could be Ed's tune turns on the fans at 180. However my AC was on the whole time and that should also turn on the fans.

 

[PL510*Jeff]

engine Temps

"Unfortunately I do not know what section of hose they are referring to that seems to be the problem."

It was discussed at the Rally tha it "may" be the lower hose to the engine. Also discussed was that it "may" be one of the hoses from the rad's to engine compartment collapsing at higher flow rates ,i.e. rpm's.

My '06, with '05 grill, cruises at +- 180 -- except when following other vehicles, above 1800 rpm, any sort of hill. And in city traffic. 195-205 is common. With or without a/c being on.

Our GT's have 200 degrees at the top center of the guage. Medium of the operating range. They are very qick to "heat up" and very slow to cool down.

Also if you have had coolant cap "operate as designed", venting the coolant tank, replace it. It operates simular to the TMP valve on a hot water heater. Each future "operation" of the cap happens at a lower pressure and/or temperature.

The coolant level, if too high, may also raise operating tempuratures. I was told to keep it on the low side of "full".

Cruising from Salinas to Redding yesterday my ran anywhere from 175 to 205. Flat level, hilly etc. Outside temp's were anywhere from 75 to 105. Anywhere from 1500 to 2300 rpms. Radio off, windows down, listening to motor music for 650 miles. Life is good.

I gotta remember to add Water Wetter to see how it affects my car. More on this later guys.

Keep 'em outa the garage and on the road.

Jeff

 

[Fubar]

I have been told that water wetter is only necessary if you reduce the amount of anti-freeze in the mix. As that also reduces the amount of lubrication and corrosion preventative in there and water wetter replaces that function.