concerned about high temps

[HerbieTheMisfit]

I hooked up a mechanical water temp gauge to verify what I've been seeing on my dash temp gauge. Here's what I have observed:

1) Start up (from cold) and let idle. Temp never gets above ~200deg.

2) Take for a spin on the highway and temps increase up to 210-215deg range. This on on a ~70deg morning.

3) Park and idle after highway cruise and temp never falls below 210deg. I verified that both fans (ATX) turn on at ~215deg and turn off at ~210deg.

4) Both fans come on when heater controls set to anything that uses the A/C.

Seems like once it heats up in never cools back down again. T-stat (motorcraft), ETC and water pump all replaced last fall during 60k. Did a flush and fill with fresh coolant but no difference.

I don't think it's the CCRM thingy since the fans do come on. I've read conflicting info on the forum regarding when the fans should engage. Some said on at 215 and off at 192 while another post said on at 215 and off at 210. Not sure if it makes a difference from the 1-fan to 2-fan setup.

Could it be that my radiator is just old and not transferring the heat out anymore?

 

[projectSHO89]

Completely normal operations.

Don't worry about it.

Steve

 

[SASHO91]

normal for a stock T-stat.

throw a 180 in there if you would like lower temps.
I normally run right at 190 on the highway in 100+ degree weather.(texas weather) And when running WOT, in the 100+, temps will run up to 200 or so, but never over. I also have a dual core radiator. Cruisin' around town with the fan allways on, it sits at 185.
Im sure the system could use a flush. Im proabably going to do it this winter.(before)

 

[HerbieTheMisfit]

Thanks for the replies.

The reason I'm concerned is that on the 95+deg days we were having here the previous couple weeks, it was running even warmer (according to the dash gauge).

I now know (on my vehicle) the middle 'O' in NORMAL equates to around 220deg. On the really hot days it's gotton up to the middle of 'N'. Since it's cooled off around here I can't say for sure what that temp is but I'm betting that was hotter than 230deg.

 

[Zeegs]

If you would like, buy a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter. It's efficient at transfering heat.

 

[HerbieTheMisfit]

That's exactly what I did last night. We'll see today how it goes.

Thanks!