max coolant temp?

Max temp indicated in the manual is 110-115 C. Normal operating temp is 85-90 C on the gauge of my car. Check your cooling fans operation (switch located on the radiator) and termostat if you are running at higher temp under normal conditions.

Manuals can be downloaded f.e. from The Ferrari 400 Register.

 

Went for a Texas drive yesterday from 7:30-10am - hot & humid but early - temp stayed at 88-90 at 70-105mph - raised about 10am at slower speeds - 95 when I parked - I've been at 105 degrees in midday traffic previously - try to avoid that.

 

Normal according to my mechanic who is outstanding. Regarding fan switch: is one able to engage the fans via this switch? Is this switch intended as a "check" on the fans? Thanks, ( I should ask my mech)

 

Were you running AC? It pushes temperature up for sure.

Be sure all three fans are running. Two fans are not enough in higher ambient or high loads.

Besides rewiring my fans with local relays, I changed temperature switch to a lower temperature range. I had to do some searching to get switch that matches the fit in the radiator and have a lower range. I think it is a Peugeot switch or similar (but can be ordered from NAPA). Since the two mods I have never had an over temperature situation.
Ken

 

Hi - Interested to know how/why AC ups temp - Thanks,

 

Thank you!

 

The AC works by pressurizing the refrigerant, the purpose of the condenser is to take release the energy of the pressurized refrigerant (and of course, this means that the condenser pre-heats the air coming thru the grille, so the radiator sees a hotter ambient air than it will when the AC is not running). The compressor itself just doesn't take much power.

 

Short answer is Yes. It is fine. If it climbs to over 110-115 then there may be a problem and it is most likely with the cooling system not the engine.
Possible issues:
1. Cooling fans running?
2. Radiator fluid at correct level?
3. Water pump pumping as it should? (Check belt tension.)
4. Really, really hot day? Remember you get better cooling with lower air temps., air flow over the radiator fins and full fluid level being pumped around.

Edit: Chech the thermostat because if it failed in the closed position, water flow through the engine block will be restricted. I do believe that the thermostats are designed to fail in the open position, but I have had one in the past 40 years fail in the closed position.

 

JohnnyS, just FYI the water pump and oil pump are one unit and are direct drive. The good news is there is no belt to slip, the bad news is the engine has to come out of the car to change it.

SJ400i, I don't want to hijack this thread but I would really like to learn more about how you changed the electrical supply to the fans. Did you do a write up about this? If not please do and include some pictures, part numbers etc. Thanks.

 

Read about it which includes some of the causes of the rise in coolant. A malfunctioning thermostat bypass of my 400 was the cause of the temperature rise

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/technical-q/326049-explosion-coolant-running-highway.html

Check the following points:

1 - Check the operation of Thermostar bypass (1). For this purpose it is to extract the three hoses which it is coupled to soak in water at 212° F to see if the valves open and close in accordance with its function.
If this first test is successful, we move to Phase 2.
2 - Verification of the fans. This requires the disconnect switch (2) which switch and bring together two son (ignition on to the key of course) to determine if the fans are working or not. If the fans do not always turn, it is necessary to check the relay number 22 (right) (7) and over No. 25 (left) (8) that bring them into action. These relays are located behind a flap under the front passenger carpet. If the fans do not turn must then either fix them or change them! Also remember to check the fuses (9) that even if they look like one in the photo below may not work.
Sometimes, a seemingly good fuse is evil in the fuse holder, resulting in overheating causing corrosion of the contacts.
3 - The level of coolant (5) must be about 3 or 4 cm below the maximum level of the radiator, to avoid unnecessary spillage in the expansion tank during expansion of the liquid. The radiator cap (3) must be a flat plug.
4 - The expansion tank (6) must be empty of coolant and cap (4) shall be set in accordance with the original one is 0.9 bar (or 0.7!)

In fact, it was the thermostat bypass that did not work. The valve was blocked and turned the coolant closed loop engine / motor bypassing the radiator. For this reason, the engine warmed much and the coolant was flowing well and the expansion tank.


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zman, besides parasitic load the AC condenser is in front of the radiator!

akJim, My mod for the fans relays was not complicated:
- I bought a PepBoys 4-fuse box and installed it behind the battery with 3 fuses and one spare.
- I added a 10 G wire from battery terminal to fuse box.
- From three of the fuse terminals I ran a 10 or 12 G wire to the vicinity of each fan wire. That means one on left side of engine bay under the FI intake trunk and two inside the front grill.
- I installed generic headlight relays at each location
- Power wire comes from fuse box
- Control wire is from original power feed to fan
- Find a good ground location for the relay.

Simple and discrete and the control function is completely original.
Ken

 

Thanks, now I know.

 

@SouthJersey400i: Why exactly did you decide for this modification? Too many issues with standard layout with original relays and fusebox? I have never had issues.

 

gp400i
I based my decision on three things:
- I was having occasional fan failures, running on two.
- my positive result with re-wiring fuel pumps similarly
- the incredible high temperature I have felt inside the fuse / relay panel. Some of that is the location above the exhaust bank and some is internal electrical heat.

I believe I have move about 40 A of load away from that panel and now I have not had any more electrical issues.

Ken

 

I'm thinking more floor insulation is needed. Certainly larger wire gauge would have helped.

 

Bruce
Some day I need to compare under the carpets on the driver's side versus inside the fuse panel. I'm not sure there is a "heat shield" on the driver's side. I have added some shielding under the car on the passenger side in addition to the original shield.

I really think a lot of heat is generated in the panel. I do not latch the top of the fuse cover to give some air gap at top.
Ken

 

The fuse and relay panels are notorious for having connections that loosen up over time and this creates significant heat inside the box. We saw several scorched connector buses when we replaced my panel several years ago.