How cool does your 308 run? Fan temp?

Not unusual for the temperature to get up to 195 and stay fairly stable as the fans kick in. Would certainly continue to rise if they aren't turning on.

 

I agree. The easiest way to see if the fans are working is take it for a drive, get it up to temp then stop, get out, open the hood with the car still running, and wait for the fans to come on.

Also, there are two different types of fans sensors available that allow the fans to come on at different temps.

 

I just replaced the radiator fan switch and engine thermostat on my 328. The radiator fan switch was broken and the thermostat was stuck open.

Temps now run between about 180 and 195 regardless of ambient temperature. Fans turn on at 195 until temp drops to about 185. Those are the temps indicated on the gauge, no idea how accurate that is.

 

Not many miles on mine yet, but yes - normal. I run 180-195 when fully up to temp. Confirm fans are kicking in as others have mentioned.

 

195F is actually the optimal running temp, which is why the fans come on there. Sounds like yours is running just right. When my euro car is fully warm, it runs right at 90C and the fans will come on if it climbs any higher.

 

If the coachwork is moving at a reasonable speed, this is possible, but if you are saying that the indicated temp never goes above 195 deg F when the coach is stationary and the engine has run for a long time = that's weird.

 

When I first got the car it was always at 195*. If I stopped for more then a few minutes it would crawl up to 220*. Since I had the radiator cleaned, corded, changed the pusher fans from the front to two puller 12" on the back and added a shroud, it stays at 165*, and will sometimes crawl up to 195* if I am pushing it. I did have to remove the spare tire tub though.

 

Two observations:

1. A healthy engine runs at 90 C / 195 F. That's the designed operating temperature.

2. Staring at the temp gauge doesn't make for good driving.

 

Staring, no. Glancing, yes.

 

Exactly the same with my 328.

 

Fans in mine now come on at 180F, so far this spring the needle hasn't touched 195.

 

Just finished a 250 mile run yesterday and I always keep an eye on the gauges. At 75mph with the a/c running, water temp stayed consistently just below 90C and oil temp was just below 100C. When I turned the a/c off, both temps dropped a bit. The only time the fans came on was when I got stuck in traffic after a truck hit some construction barrels. Other than that it was a great drive.

 

Has anyone had there car run in the 200 degree area when in traffic and outside temp above 80 degrees ?

 

Yes they can run right around 195 or a little more in traffic; once you get moving again it should drop some--just my experience from living both in Colorado at 5000 feet and at sea level in Southern Arizona desert where it is stupid hot...oil follows water.

 

And higher. These cars do not like heat and sitting.
I'm in Northern NJ and with the heat & humidity and traffic, these cars will red-line.
I dread getting stuck in traffic going through the Lincoln tunnel or GWB.

I know folks say their cars run fine. I've seen too many run hot in my area.
The best I can hope for is running 25% Antifreeze to 75% distilled water and the car does OK. I do have to watch it in traffic. Water wetter does nothing for me.

Get the car moving 40mph+ & everything returns to normal

 

I added fans under the fender grills with a manual switch for just these situations.
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With my big aluminum radiator and 3.4L engine, it only ever thinks of going to the halfway mark when I'm driving the bejeezuz out of it in 95 degree weather, and even the. It doesn't get quite to halfway

 

I spent midday yesterday stuck in stop and go traffic for an hour at Bear Mountain while an RTA and subsequent medivac closed the Palisades Parkway here in NY. It was 93 outside. Oil and water temps rose just over half way and staid there. The carbs did not like the heat one but the cooling system seemed to cope. My companion and I however slowly roasted between the radiator and engine though.

 

Yep, just like I tell my wife

 

Fans for my '89 are not kicking on until 205F and off @ 185-195F.

I'm taking measurements at the radiator inlet pipe using an IR thermometer with car at idle. On the dash, the hash after 195F (220F?) is indicated when fans kick on. Temp on coolant reservoir tank is indicating about 198F, and 185F at the water pump. On the road while moving, the temp stays steady well below 195F. (Touch wood, no leaks or sweet smell of coolant in the exhaust.)

Is this normal, or time for a new cooling fan sensor switch? Other ideas? Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I'd say that trying a new thermoswitch in the bottom of the radiator would not be unwarranted as a first thing to do (and is fairly inexpensive). When stationary (no airflow thru radiator), your OM indicates that the fans should come "on" at a nominal coolant temperature of 183 deg F (so your 205 deg F seems a bit highish).

The gauge in the dash is run by a thermistor mounted in the water crossover pipe between the two cylinder heads = measuring there with your IR thermometer would be a sanity check for the (thermistor and) gauge in the dash.

 

I pulled the data logs from a recent drive on a 97F/36C degree day. Temps ranged from 77C driving with AC on up to 84C in heavy stop and go traffic.