So I just overheated from having my engine coolant plug shake loose while driving and had my temp go up to 107C before shutdown...

If you put ranges on overheating what would it be...(This may be a bit extreme so format as necessary)

Normal Temp Low: 78c - 83c
Normal Temp Med: 85c - 88c
Normal Temp High: 89c - 92c
Medium Temp Low:
Medium Temp Med:
Medium Temp High:
High Temp Low:
Hight Temp Med:
Hight Temp High: 125c > ?

I only have experience in the ranges that I stated so over that I really don't know what is bad, super bad, and your fucked.

 

Well, if it gives you any reassurance, I overheated also and the stock temp gauge went to 10oclock. Car still runs fine though 8k miles later.

 

before I got my cars overheating problems resolved I have seen some very extreme temps (you dont want to know).

I'm not gonna guess on your ranges, but I will say if the car stays out of the red, the engine should be ok.

 

anything over 235f 115c and you are on your own

mike

 

I've seen 110C (I presume this is a PFC Commander indicated value) regularly on the track before lifting for a 1/2 lap or so. IMO the key is not to immediately shut down the motor when high temps are seen (unless there is a catastrophic failure somewhere or a coolant leak) but to let the car cooldown before shutdown. Coolant temps will rise in the engine after shutdown, fans running or not.
But to your Q don't panic at 107C but at 115C check your bank balence bacause shortly thereafter you're probably going to need a rebuild to replace those water seals.
Regards,
Crispy

 

The FD,s low speed fan dosent come on till 230F, I think this in the long run overheats and degrades the cars cooling system causing so many engine failers.With upgraded cooling systems and having cooling fans turn on a lower temp this should extend engine life greatly.

 

I believe it's 221F when the fans activate:

http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/fan_mod.html

 

If he has a PFC he has the capability to turn the low med high speed fans on...at whatever temps he wants. If, that is. In any case his high temps was the reuslt of a coolant leak not anything to do with the fans which I doubt would have helped much in this situation.
Regards,
Crispy

 

107C is not overheating. 107C = 224F. The stock ecu doesn't even turn the low speed fans on until 221F.

The forum has made you paranoid...

Seems like Crispy's number of 115C (239 F) would be a more accurate number for overheating....

I also totally agree about not shutting off the car hot. With the Defi Link series gauges, you can see exactly what happens when you turn the car off.....

 

Agreed..

Remember last september when we went to sac raceway and my temps hit 114 when I was having that fan problem that I was unaware of? What did I do turn the car off or drive it? I chose to drive it because there was no traffic. I popped the hood and took it out and the temps dropped eventually to 85. I firmly believe I would have lost my engine had I shut it down then instead of driving it.

The ONLY time you should turn your car off when its hot is if you have a coolant leak problem, its the lesser of two evils to just shut it down and HOPE the engine doesn't die when you start it back up.

 

Hey Gys,
Yes, I do think the forum has made me paranoid...The stock gauge was just about 10pm and the defi gauge was reading low becasue all the coolant in the system was gone...gone as in none. the engine coolant plug / bung whatever you call it just ******* fell out (totally my fault) I was driving along and notice my heat tarted blowing cold then I glanced down at the PFC and noticed the temp rising...So I don't think sitting and idlinig would have helped much considering I had no coolant in the system...As soon as I shut it off in the space of about 20 minutes the temp went from 107 to 65c...anyway, I think I am glad I stopped when I did

 

You know what is really puzzling me? Why didn't my coolant level light come on if the system was bone dry...Actyally it did come on but only after I had stopped...The amount of coolant that spilled on the road where I stopped definately wasn't enough to bring the water level above the level sensor....Weird.

 

Don't you need datalogit to do that?

 

Here's my question... does the stock temp gauge measure the temp of the coolant, or the block? Because it seems to me that most temp gauges measure the coolant temp. And if you lose all your coolant, you are basically measuring the air temp inside your thermostat housing, which is going to be totally different than the engine temp. Any thoughts?

 

I figure the PFC is going to measure the actual temp of the stock gauge temp sensor...My defi for sure takes coolant readings...I do believe if it truly is measuring coolant temp and there is no coolant then it's measuring air temp, which is going to be lots cooler than the block itslef. Soo what's it really measuring?

 

I had a coolant leak that was leaking coolant in the car, and it caused me to go up to about 240F. I shut off the car, let it cool for a long while, added coolant, and it started up fine. I drove with the fans on after that, and I made it home, without going over 180F. I was very, VERY lucky I had a temp gauge, otherwise I would have been out of an engine.

 

When my AST melted the temps went from 133C to ----- on the PFC commander :-( I was running evans NPG+ though, and the engine seems fine.

 

I've seen temps ranging from 95C - 105C while in the pits during auto-x. I'll just leave the car on, pop the hood, and spend about 2-3 minutes spraying down the oil coolers and the radiator with the vegetable sprayer.

During time trial events, I have seen temps as high as 110C in the pits. Put the turbo timer to 9:00, pop the hood, spend as much time as possible spraying down before I had to go work on course. No noticeable changes yet and she's running strong as ever.

I now have the PowerFC and my low-med fans kick on at 85C and the high kicks on at 95C. So far, so good ... we'll see how good it works in the Texas summer. What I've generally heard is that temps can shoot up to 115-120C without damaging the engine; but you better get that bitch cool QUICK. Anything over 125C ... well, how good is your credit?