Running temp - 25 foot Class A

[Nathan Dearing]

Bought a Winnebago Warrior - 1997 - 39000 miles. Runs around 210 degrees after a new thermostat but I’d be more comfortable with it running 190. It has a Chevy 454 engine. Ideas besides changing the thermostat? Anyone installed an additional electric fan?

 

[DonTom]

Bought a Winnebago Warrior - 1997 - 39000 miles. Runs around 210 degrees after a new thermostat but I’d be more comfortable with it running 190. It has a Chevy 454 engine. Ideas besides changing the thermostat? Anyone installed an additional electric fan?

Welcome.

You have no reason at all to touch it. There is nothing wrong with 210F. If you reduce it to 190, perhaps the only thing you will notice is the worse MPG. The engine will run better at 210F than 190F. Will be more efficient. It's not overheating.

A thermostat only changes the minimum engine temp. Has no effect on warmer temps.

You have no problem, so do nothing at all and forget about it until it's around 250F.

-Don- Phoenix, OR

 

[Wayne9452]

Three possible options. Fan clutch not engaging soon enough. An after market temp gauge could give a more precise reading. You could also add an after market electric radiator fan. However, 210 is well within the normal operating temp .

 

[Ex-Calif]

Have you checked the actual temps with an IR gun? My gauge reads up near redline but the coolant is actually running around 180.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

My gauge reads up near redline but the coolant is actually running around 180.

Depends on where the gauge is reading from, e.g. engine block, radiator, tranny coolant line, etc.

200-210 sounds about right for a late 90's gas engine and that's probably what the thermostat is rated for. Higher operating temperatures are better for engine efficiency and thus better mpg and lower emissions. Many owners worry about 200+ degree temperatures because of the 212 F boiling point of water, but that's a false concern for a modern engine. The cooling system is pressurized (usually 15 psi) and the coolant is only 50% water, so the coolant boiling point is much higher, usually above 250 F. According to the chassis manual, the normal operating range of the GM V8 engines is 190-247 degrees.

If you add a fan, it should be thermostatically controlled and probably doesn't need to kick in until around 220 (but that depends on where you read the temperature).

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the radiator with soap? I spray mine with Dawn, let it soak and get behind it to spray it clean.

 

[cully]

Have you thoroughly cleaned the radiator with soap? I spray mine with Dawn, let it soak and get behind it to spray it clean.

never heard of doing that. Is that recommended, anyone else clean the radiator?

 

[Isaac-1]

These P32 coaches used a stacked radiator design where the air conditioner condenser and oil cooler are bolting on directly in front of the radiator, this allows all sorts of gunk to build up and get sandwiched between the two. The only real way to fix it is to wash it out with low pressure water so as to not bind the fins on the radiator, this is best done by unbolting the condenser to let it shift forward in inch or so and making / buying a tool that will fit into the slot and spray water to the side. Some people use a short capped piece of 1/2 inch PVC or PEX pipe for this with a hole drilled in the side of the cap.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

As Isaac mentioned, it is difficult to do but you will see a lot of dirt, etc come out of the fins. Well worth the effort especially if you are having cooling problems.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Depends on where the gauge is reading from, e.g. engine block, radiator, tranny coolant line, etc.

The sensor is in the head. I flushed and filled my system when I bought the RV. I also installed a 180* thermostat.

I measured the temps with my IR gun at the gooseneck, top of the radiator inlet and radiator outlet. I get a temperature drop of about 30* through the radiator with about 150* coming out the bottom.

We climbed I17 out of Phoenix to Flagstaff last summer. The gauges read right at red line all the way up we stopped at a gas stop at the top and I think the coolant was 190-200*

I am pretty sure there is some sort of gauge error or resistance in the gauge wire.

Don't disagree that temps can run higher but given my druthers I would rather run cooler if I can.

I run 30/70 coolant/water.

 

[DonTom]

Sound like to me many here are trying to get the OP to fix something that is NOT broken!

-Don- Phoenix, OR

 

[Old_Crow]

Sound like to me many here are trying to get the OP to fix something that is NOT broken!

-Don- Phoenix, OR

The OP wants to fix something that ain't broken.
A '97 fuel injected 454 engine ought to have a 195 thermostat which will cause the engine to run at about 210. Totally normal. Any cooler and the computer will richen the mixture, thinking the engine isn't warmed up yet. That causes gas mileage to fall.

 

[DonTom]

The OP wants to fix something that ain't broken.
A '97 fuel injected 454 engine ought to have a 195 thermostat which will cause the engine to run at about 210. Totally normal. Any cooler and the computer will richen the mixture, thinking the engine isn't warmed up yet. That causes gas mileage to fall.

Yep. All he needs to do is in his first reply. Mine of course! And that is to forget about it! No need to do more than that.

-Don- Phoenix, OR