Sorry, this is going to be another temp issue thread....

[GTLaser]

I know there are a billion threads on here about operating temp issues/questions but they all confuse me since they are all slightly different. So here is my story, I bought my Viper about a year ago, it's a 2001, and first thing I did was swap out the water pump and power steering bracket myself after reading about them going bad. Let me point out I still have an extended warranty, car is just about to hit 10K miles, but don't trust any dealers around me because there is no Viper techs left. (found out recently there is one near by)

I changed the pump because I noticed when driving hard in hot weather, summer time 85-95+ degrees, it would reach 220 pretty fast and normally ran around 200 on these warm days. I was recommended to get an aftermarket pump that had he nut holding the shaft decreasing the chances it would spin. This pump seemed to run cooler, between 190-200, but it could have also been due to the outside temps being cooler in the fall. This was a huge mistake as it lasted me maybe 200-300 miles, when it did go it went into the red and the overflow tank did indeed spill over with all this grayish stuff in the coolant. Didn't want to risk driving so I had it towed home. Pulled off the pump and the impeller was cracked... DONE. I had a friend order me an OEM pump from the dealer and I installed it the next day. My first drive with this pump seemed fine, this is late winter early spring. Yesterday I took the Viper out for the first time in hot weather, maybe up to 100 degrees ourside, and I noticed it acting up again. Here are the symptoms:

- Normal cruising above 70 mph in low rpms running @ 200 degrees, but as I get on it and rpms rise so does the temp to around 220 degrees and won't come down unless I drop rpms. So when I go faster in low rpms it drops back to 200 degress.

- Heat blows hot and A/C works but with A/C car gets pegged @ 220 degrees.

- High rpms seems to heat up the car between 200 and 220 degrees or if I am in traffic cruising around town it stayed up there near 220 degrees.

Let me note it was about 95-100+ degrees here in D.C. yesterday. I want to make sure this is normal and I don't have any issues or major problems like a head gasket since the first time it overheated.

Again, sorry for a repeat story but I just want to make things right and enjoy my Viper this summer!

 

[01sapphirebob]

I will assume you have fresh (new coolant) in the cooling system. Maybe a faulty T-stat?

 

[bluesrt]

sounds normal, those years all cars seemed to have a high appearance to the guages, they run hot for gov emmisions purpose, crappy years imo

 

[Solid Red 98]

You could be getting abnormally high readings from a faulty temperature gauge sensor. Mine seemed to run on the scary looking high side until I replaced it. Of course, make sure there isn't any air in the cooling system. You can also use an infrared thermometer directed at the cooling system components to calibrate your gauge readings.

 

[GTLaser]

So the coolant still looks dirty from the old thermostat going bad..... Going to change that ASAP.

Just burp it again and took it for a nice run down to Annapolis for lunch. It didn't hit 220 like yesterday, actually it didn't get that close till I got into Annapolis and was at low cruising speeds. When I first took it out it was at a steady 200. When I was at higher RPMs it would pass 200 slightly. I was hitting speeds of 120+ and it stayed around 200-210 and would drop below 200 at low RPMs.

I'll change the fluid and see from there. Thanks for the feedback so far.

 

[jmasin]

220 seems normal for "hard" driving... but I'm new to Vipers, so take that with a grain of salt.

With the AC pumping and 101F here the other day mine ran about that just around town. No significant airflow, high ambient temp, AC going, 8L of displacement burning fossil fuels... all seems normal.

If it were me I'd just keep an eye on it. If you're worried about a head gasket, any indication of coolant in the oil? Or coolant in the cylinders (inspect plugs)?

Anyway, my '04 Vette runs 197 on a nice day with windows open, easy driving. On a 100F day, AC, traffic or harder driving 215F easy, and I think generally the vette runs cooler than the viper. On track I'll hit 225, but I've got a high fin count racing rad in there.

 

[bluesrt]

also run some water wetter in it, it helps

 

[GTS Bruce]

Here is the answer you need: Lower t-stat starts the flow sooner. Reprogramed ecu that turns on fans sooner. Good burp or roe hoses to make burp easier. Keep system topped up( expansion tank). Bugs and debris off radiator,oil cooler,and ac evap. GTS Bruce

 

[Black Moon]

You may want to consider a flush (buy the flush kit) before changing fluid. Also, isn't there a radiator upgrade for that generation?

 

[Solid Red 98]

One other thing to take note of: Are your fans cycling properly? At that temp my fans are a'hummin....Are yours? There is a thread somewhere around here that addresses the fan activation temperature thresholds.

 

[GTLaser]

So I am flushing the coolant right now and I see a bunch of white/greyish looking particles in the coolant.... like a bunch of dust fell in there. What could this be? Left over casting particles? I changed the coolant once before when I switched out the defected aftermarket one for this OEM one but didn't notice these particles. Before that I believe it was original coolant.

 

[bluesrt]

could be stop leak from your seepy headgaskets

 

[luc]

So I am flushing the coolant right now and I see a bunch of white/greyish looking particles in the coolant.... like a bunch of dust fell in there. What could this be? Left over casting particles? I changed the coolant once before when I switched out the defected aftermarket one for this OEM one but didn't notice these particles. Before that I believe it was original coolant.

Typical of aluminum corrosion.
As for the temp you can't rely on the gauge, they are amost always off, you need to plug an OBD2 reader and see what the temperatue is, om my 00GTS, the gauge always read 10*/15* higher

 

[Bexar80]

I would like to jump in here also sine my 2000 appears to have a similar anomaly. There is a lot of talk of faulty temp sensor, does anyone have the part # for it?

 

[GTLaser]

could be stop leak from your seepy headgaskets

Just drained my oil and it looks perfect....

Typical of aluminum corrosion.
As for the temp you can't rely on the gauge, they are amost always off, you need to plug an OBD2 reader and see what the temperatue is, om my 00GTS, the gauge always read 10*/15* higher

I was thinking it was because the lower rad hose has some white gewy stuff around the tubing/coil inside. When I stir up the greyish looking material it starts to look black like the stuff that came off the blown pump.

 

[luc]

Just drained my oil and it looks perfect....



I was thinking it was because the lower rad hose has some white gewy stuff around the tubing/coil inside. When I stir up the greyish looking material it starts to look black like the stuff that came off the blown pump.

You could have the coolant analyzed to know for sure what it is

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

So I am flushing the coolant right now and I see a bunch of white/greyish looking particles in the coolant.... like a bunch of dust fell in there. What could this be? Left over casting particles? I changed the coolant once before when I switched out the defected aftermarket one for this OEM one but didn't notice these particles. Before that I believe it was original coolant.

This could be a sign that there was air in the system, part of the head/block dried out and particles are the decomposed additives from the coolant. Ever see a dried out overflow tank?

 

[bluesrt]

head gasket failure rarely has coolant in the oil. im not sayn u have that fault, but its somethin to consider on all that gunk, someone put somethin in that coolant more than likely

 

[bluesrt]

these year cars need a big time RE-DO RECIPE on the complete head and cooling system function, cause the stock one *****- just tellin the truth and sometimes it hurts

 

[GTLaser]

This could be a sign that there was air in the system, part of the head/block dried out and particles are the decomposed additives from the coolant. Ever see a dried out overflow tank?

Yes, the overflow was empty when I checked.

head gasket failure rarely has coolant in the oil. im not sayn u have that fault, but its somethin to consider on all that gunk, someone put somethin in that coolant more than likely

I was the last to touch it..... Should I do a leak down test or is there an easier way to tell if the head gasket is blown?

There really isn't "gunk" but more like if you were to sand/polish metal and you get that black/greyish dust particles. I just flushed it again with just distilled water and I see a slight bit of orange from the left over coolant and what seems to be black/greyish dust, not a lot but just a tad to notice it. There was a lot of this blackish stuff when the aftermarket water pump went on me and the car pegged red.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Looking back at the whole story - 220F is barely above 212F, the boiling temperature of water. 50-50 mix boils at 265F (with pressure cap) so you are far from having a problem. If the temperature cycles between 200F and 220F, it might just be the thermostat opening/closing, the fan on/off, and an inaccurate gauge. Before pushing the panic button, maybe make sure it's full and burped and watch closely from here.

I have a Gen 1 with Gen 2 radiator and Gen 2 fan. I see the coolant temperature drop when the AC is on because it forces the fan on high speed. With hood up, start engine from cold, make sure fan is not on, then turn AC or defroster on and listen for the fan. It's one easy and early check.