1996 Cobra overheating fix? not your usual question

[sae156]

Hola forum,

so 96 cobra as mentioned. have done the A/C condenser swap. not much help. tried different thermostats. 160F is best so far but i still have to turn my A/C on to help it cool down from A to M in NORMAL)B

next solutions:

mishimoto radiator swap (96B)
SCT tuner (change fan turn on/off setpoints)
both?
thanks for any advice!
p.s. runs at high altitude (8000 ft minimum)

 

[venom1997]

Get a reishe 170 thermostat and get your fan settings lowered that will help a ton I run a 03-04 Mach/cobra radiator reische 170 stat and my fan settings are lowered like 20 degrees across the board low/high needle usually stays between NO in NORMAL


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[sae156]

Get a reishe 170 thermostat and get your fan settings lowered that will help a ton I run a 03-04 Mach/cobra radiator reische 170 stat and my fan settings are lowered like 20 degrees across the board low/high needle usually stays between NO in NORMAL


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thanks venom. is the easiest and cheapest way to lower the fan temps by buying the SCT tuner? or are there other options?

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

The xcal is probably the best option

1) I would verify your actual coolant temps with something off the obd2 port
2) I would verify the low and high speed legs of the fan are working properly

 

[venom1997]

Yeah xcal would be the best option that allows you to change them yourself I like the reische stat because it starts to open at 160 and fully open by 168 according to my own tests. A stant 180 barely begins to open at 180 and fully open by 195 a stant 160 doesn’t fully open till well after 170 these were all tested in boiling water. I got my reishe through lethal performance I do t know if they still have them. They are well worth their price though


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[sae156]

i'm gonna try to contact SCT. if one of their tunes is for high altitude, that would probably sway me to go that route.

the mishi radiator is virtually the same price as the tuner.

 

[blackbolt2003]

Have you inspected your oil for coolant and properly bled the coolant. I know these engines can take some extra effort to properly bleed.

 

[sae156]

Yeah xcal would be the best option that allows you to change them yourself I like the reische stat because it starts to open at 160 and fully open by 168 according to my own tests. A stant 180 barely begins to open at 180 and fully open by 195 a stant 160 doesn’t fully open till well after 170 these were all tested in boiling water. I got my reishe through lethal performance I do t know if they still have them. They are well worth their price though


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thanks, i'll check out lethal for that T-stat.

 

[sae156]

Have you inspected your oil for coolant and properly bled the coolant. I know these engines can take some extra effort to properly bleed.

yes to both.
after i swapped out the A/C condenser, i made sure that i was burping the coolant system and filliing properly

 

[venom1997]

I’m at close to 6000 ft elevation and now as cold as it’s been my car won’t touch 180 degrees if I’m moving only if sitting in traffic summer is different story but with the reische and 20 degree cooler settings on the fan car stays about 170-180 all the time summer I’ll take it out on occasion if it’s 100 degrees outside the car will get to about 190-195 coolant temp at the most I don’t really take it out in the summer though


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[venom1997]

Also I removed the ac components and condenser so I get pretty good airflow so that could make a difference as well


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[sae156]

I’m at close to 6000 ft elevation and now as cold as it’s been my car won’t touch 180 degrees if I’m moving only if sitting in traffic summer is different story but with the reische and 20 degree cooler settings on the fan car stays about 170-180 all the time summer I’ll take it out on occasion if it’s 100 degrees outside the car will get to about 190-195 coolant temp at the most I don’t really take it out in the summer though


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i spoke with a lady at SCT this morning. my main question was about their built in tunes. she said they are octane based 87, 89, 93 . and they were tuned at their sanford, FL location which is probably sea level.

i'm the opposite: i generally take mine out once our driveway melts. which is usually april to october. lol.

thanks again for everybodys help.

i was really hoping the a/c condenser swap would do it but there are few times especially in traffic that it starts creeping up higher than i feel comfortable. i know everybody says these cobra motors love to run warm/hot but it kinda scares me.

 

[sae156]

Also I removed the ac components and condenser so I get pretty good airflow so that could make a difference as well


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that is good to know. thanks.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

i spoke with a lady at SCT this morning. my main question was about their built in tunes. she said they are octane based 87, 89, 93 . and they were tuned at their sanford, FL location which is probably sea level.

i'm the opposite: i generally take mine out once our driveway melts. which is usually april to october. lol.

thanks again for everybodys help.

i was really hoping the a/c condenser swap would do it but there are few times especially in traffic that it starts creeping up higher than i feel comfortable. i know everybody says these cobra motors love to run warm/hot but it kinda scares me.

Doesn't the MAF on those work like newer SN95/new edge cars? If the maf and fueling functions are done properly it'll lean the car out to compensate for lack of air elevation and add fuel when you go back down.

what temps are you seeing? I know on my car the factory turn on temp for high speed fans (with the AC off) is over 220 (226 or 228 comes to mind)

 

[01yellercobra]

what temps are you seeing? I know on my car the factory turn on temp for high speed fans (with the AC off) is over 220 (226 or 228 comes to mind)

This. Chances are what you're uncomfortable with is normal factory settings.

Personally I wouldn't run an SCT canned tune. But the MAF will make up for the change in elevation.

 

[sae156]

Doesn't the MAF on those work like newer SN95/new edge cars? If the maf and fueling functions are done properly it'll lean the car out to compensate for lack of air elevation and add fuel when you go back down.

what temps are you seeing? I know on my car the factory turn on temp for high speed fans (with the AC off) is over 220 (226 or 228 comes to mind)

i don't know exact temps, only what the gauge shows.

i would say generally just driving on the open roads, it will stay pretty much in the N to O range of NORMAL. then when i get back in our neighborhood , it will slowly creep up to almost the L in NORMAL. that's when i use the defrost or A/C to drop it back down. all this is with a/c condenser from 98 and 160F t-stat. original radiator.

 

[sae156]

Chances are what you're uncomfortable with is normal factory settings

that very well could be. even if it hits L in NORMAL, you still think that is ok? that's generally when i get nervous and turn on a/c to drop it down quickly.

i guess having an accurate temp reading would also help. to see if i'm over-reacting

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

i guess having an accurate temp reading would also help. to see if i'm over-reacting

start with this

 

[sae156]

start with this

pretty much any OBD scanner would work, right?

 

[adammdennis11]

Do you have the air dam installed to the bottom of the car?