I didn't post this question in the cooling section because it is directed to everyone with a 2.8 V6. Mine never had a temp gauge so I hooked one up this weekend. I was wondering what the normal operating temp was. I read in another post that 220 was considered normal but I'm not sure if that was on a V6. Mine is running between 180 & 195. I'm wondering what everyone else's temp is on there 2.8. Just trying to figure out if my new gauge is accurate.
thanks

 

195-200 is when the fan kicks on that sounds right for the temp.

 

thats about normal temp but i didn't have a stock one for long, i have a 180* t-stat and it stays there and i don't even have a air dam. It only got a little warmer once but a flush fixed it.
Check to see if you have the air dam its worth the 10$ at a pick-n-pull, or from the classified section.

 

180-195 is "normal" if a few mods have been done.

220+ is factory

I run 180-195, stock thermo, but cold/ram air, no ac rad in the way anymore and a good air dam. They run much better below 200 too, allot more pep.

 

I recently installed a water temp gauge in my 2.8 V6 too and it is telling me my engine is running at about 160 degrees all day, its winter time right now if i let it idle it rises but i have a control switch so i can turn on my fan at will. Is my theromstat letting it run too cold? would that affect anything?

 

160 doesn't sound bad, you have the stock t-stat or a cooler one? If it's stock it may be stuck open.

 

That's a pretty nominal temp range for these engines, though they typically run about 220 stock I believe. It's not going to run too cold even without a thermostat, the actual purpose of them is so that the engine can get hot enough in the winter so that you have heat, 160 is generally lower than you want in the winter for that reason, its also about what an engine would run with no thermostat. If you want to have decent heat in the winter I wouldn't go lower than a 170, and a 180 would be more ideal.

 

i have a question but dont know were to ask......ok here goes..my wife gave me her 89 rs thing is its been setting for over 7 years, im pretty sure the motor will be locked, what can i do to free it up if it is?...ive heard that you can fill the cylinders with tranny fluid and let em soak for a couple days but never done it....will that work and what elce would with out rebuilding the motor?...again im sorry for posting this here if any one can give me a thread link to something more along these lines i would apreceate it very much...thanks.

 

195+ is stock, as our factory thermostats don't open until 195*F. The fan turns on at 235*F. It's winter time in NJ, right? You should expect the temps to be lower as ambient air is colder.

89rser, you'd probably be better off starting your own thread. But, for now, I'll just tell you to see if the engine will turn by hand before you go and do anything drastic like pouring uncompressible trans fluid into the cylinders (and causing a hydro lock). If it comes down to it, PB Blaster would probably work better.

 

ok well ill just buy a couple cans of pb and spray a 1/4 can into each cylinder and let it soak for a day or two just to be on the safe side because the engine only has 47,000 original miles on it...thanks for the help, and agian sorry for posting over top of the other person on here i know that sucks when pple do that and for that again sorry...if it helps any at least i have a 2.8 v6......lol

 

I would try cranking it first...that just seems a little extreme..
It is a chevy 60/6 So I wouldn't be all that shocked if it ran even after being parked for 7 years...my car sat for the better part of 11 years and it still cranked and just almost started, but it also needed some work. Still cranked and fired though :P

 

My water temp hovers around 200 degrees, athough i have the chip programmed to turn the fan on at that temp. And yeah my Firebird sat for 4 years and all it took was some fresh gas in the tank, hit the key and she fired right up.