97 cobra running hot

[97cobrasvt4.6]

Ok, so i installed a march fluid damper on my 97 cobra but kept the stock water pump and alternator pulley on it. I also installed a 180 degree thermostat to help the car run cooler. When I'm driving the car is fine but if I sit at a light for a couple of minutes the needle on the temp gauge will climb up to about the M in normal. When I'm driving it hovers between the O and the R in normal. Any suggestions how I can get it to run around the O all of the time. The fans come on every couple minutes when I sit in traffic almost like the coolant isn't circulating properly.

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[76mmturbo]

180 give me 195


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[97snakebite]

that sounds like normal operation to me

 

[97cobrasvt4.6]

180 give me 195


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Where is 195 on the temp gauge? I have stock gauges so I was referring to the letters in normal on the temp gauge. Also the exhaust time sounds a little different when it's running with the needle on the O compared to when it is on the M

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[76mmturbo]

Where is 195 on the temp gauge? I have stock gauges so I was referring to the letters in normal on the temp gauge. Also the exhaust time sounds a little different when it's running with the needle on the O compared to when it is on the M

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I'm a bigstuff3 ecu so I seen this on a laptop.
You check out my Instagram account and see where my 180 mark is

76mmturbo on there


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[97cobrasvt4.6]

I'm a bigstuff3 ecu so I seen this on a laptop.
You check out my Instagram account and see where my 180 mark is

76mmturbo on there


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I've done research on thermostats for these cars and have heard before that 180 will make it run around 195. I wanted to put a 160 degree thermostat in it but read that would be too cool. I have a book from Sean hyland about performance 4.6 engines. It says you can run them at 180 and be fine but 160 would be too cool. Would that be referencing the thermostat or what the engine is actually at?

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[76mmturbo]

Between n & o on normal is where my 180 is


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[ZeroDCX]

Changing thermostat temperatures without adjusting fan settings via tune will not have the desired effect at idle. You will be fine when the vehicle is moving. But at idle fan settings are critical to cooling anti-freeze. All you're doing is recirculating hot coolant when the thermostat opens at idle, so its no surprise temps increase drastically at that time. Adjust fan settings to compensate for the thermostat temperature change.

Were you running A/C when idling at stop lights noticing this temperature change?

 

[J.Rovirosa]

Since '99 with 29k miles up to now with 74k, my '97 has always run with the needle in the "m" regardless of how hot or cold the ambient temp is. So assuming the gauge is consistent among these cars, which it probably isn't, your car's running a bit cooler than a showroom stock Cobra.

EDIT: the '99-up waterpump is supposed to have an improved impeller design. Can't speak to any improvement in cooling, but you might want to consider it if upgrading.

 

[97cobrasvt4.6]

I have read about the impeller design change on 99 and up models. It is something i was going to look into but i found summit sells an edelbrock high- flow water pump with the same impeller design as 99 and up models. Thought about trying that out with an fluidyne radiator to help keep it cool. The car doesn't have A/C. I took it off and bypassed the pulley. It also doesn't have a tune either.

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[96snake1]

Sounds like its running fine. I would call it hot if it was running at the L in normal. Mine runs in between o&m, i did a live data check fully warmed up and it was around 193 at idle.

 

[Martin6107]

This sounds like a typical warm-day scenario to me. Any time outdoor temperature is over 85 or so, my 96 runs between O-R while cruising, creeps to the M when idling at a stop light and drops right back to O-R when I get moving again.

I am running a stock Motorcraft thermostat, stock waterpump and had the AC system update done. My radiator is from a 2003 Terminator.

 

[96snake1]

This sounds like a typical warm-day scenario to me. Any time outdoor temperature is over 85 or so, my 96 runs between O-R while cruising, creeps to the M when idling at a stop light and drops right back to O-R when I get moving again.

I am running a stock Motorcraft thermostat, stock waterpump and had the AC system update done. My radiator is from a 2003 Terminator.

What mods did you need to do to fit the terminator radiator?

 

[nomoretickets]

Your car is running fine, dont worry about it. When you sit at a stop light, you arent getting air flow over the radiator, hence the temp creep.

 

[Martin6107]

What mods did you need to do to fit the terminator radiator?

None at all. This 96 already had the AC upgrade done which relocates the radiator mounts slightly outward. The Termi radiator went right in with no changes at all.