Thread: What is the normal engine temperature?

Stock guage is stupidly inaccurate.

However, the stock fan settings ARE off so you can get down to 195-199 *F when moving yet get up to ~215-220 *F after sitting in traffic for a while before the fans turn on.

Get a tune with better fan settings. It'll keep your engine temps more consistent and will give you more power and more fuel economy.

Thanks you Mrtube and matt5112 you guy help put my mind at ease. Im just not used to my temp being in the top half of the gauge and I know my temps have been fluctuating from 201 to 219 (scanner). Just was not sure it that was normal.

I have been looking into the subject and it seems lots of people have been going with 180* t-stats and dropping the fan turn on temps to about 205*

I understand the benefits of having a higher engine temp (emmissions, gas mileage and burning off excess crud in the engine) and I know if the engine temp is too low crud could build up.

But doesn't and all alumninum engine hitting 220* on a regular basis seem a bit high??

Also what are youe thoughts about the 180* t-stat? right now all I plan to do is drop the fan turn on temp a bit.

I always run 195F stats due to something I read years ago concerning fuel condensating on cylinder walls and washing oil off. However I have asked this question in several forums and never had a response to it. The article I saw it in was very very old. However it stated this was the main reason companies went to a 195 stat.


I'm not sure about your 3800 but my 3800 III is an iron block with iron heads I have to assume all the others are the same.

I think the oil pan and intake are aluminum, valve covers are some plastic composite.

Late series III oil pans are aluminum.

180* t-stat is only useful when you're going past a 3.4" pulley setup. Or a 3.6 if you've got a series III engine. For stock, stick with 195.

And this is in the N/A section so definately 195

matt : what about the thing I said about fuel condensating? Is there any truth in that to your knowledge?

btw matt, you have been thanked over 40 times, you should share some of that

Sorry my mistake mines iron too lol with aluminum intake.

"read years ago concerning fuel condensating on cylinder walls and washing oil off."

I read the same thing, the higher temps burn fuel more efficiently and do not allow oil crud to build up...

I still think im going to get the fan turn on point lowered but ill keep the 195* t-stat (it was just put in monday lol)

Originally Posted by MrTube

matt : what about the thing I said about fuel condensating? Is there any truth in that to your knowledge?

btw matt, you have been thanked over 40 times, you should share some of that

Not sure if it'd be fuel but it seems resonable that some unwanted liquid would need to be burned off. Apparently the engine oil needs to be heated up and kept at temp for about an hour to really clean it up.

No idea what you mean about the thanking thing, I don't ask many questions so I don't really have much desire to thank. Granted... I have learned a whole lot about modding these cars and keeping them alive from reading countless threads of other people going through it.