what is a good temperature for a camaro to be at while driving?

 

my fans turn on at 180 degrees

 

Mine runs 180-195. 210 max in heat, traffic, and AC on. But that's because my fan is not stock, and it turns on shortly after my 180 thermostat opens up. I'm sure Iroc_man's cooling system is also modified though. Don't freak out if your engine is running a bit hotter.

From the factory, these cars are actually set up to run shockingly hot. Some of them have fans that don't even come on until 230 or more. I think it was a decision GM made based on emissions and economy, but if the TPI cars can run around 220 average off the showrrom floor and for most of their lives, then I guess that's a safe temp.

Personally, I like my SBC engines to stay around 180-200 even if 220 is perfectly safe. Because if anything goes wrong I've just got 20 more degrees to heat up before it's time to worry. And it's easier to keep an engine at a lower temp than to get it back down from 230+

But, short answer, 220 is perfectly safe.

 

mine's mod'd, got a 180 degree thermo

 

Mine is all stock and runs about 220 on a hot day with A/C running.

 

on the highway i will get to about 170-175 and stay there. But idleing in traffic and stop-n-go city streets I can get up to 245
all stock cooling

 

I have a 160 thermo in mine and it belches at exactly 160.. and a 12 inch fan I found in a junk yard north of houston. I stay under 160.. unless I m on blacktop in bad traffic on a really hot texas day.. then I may as well pull to the side and push it with the hood open (to hurry the cooling)

 

the southeast texas heat is torture on these cars