Engine temps

[Overwatch]

They claim they put a less restrictive front grill on the 392 to help cool the engine. However many of us put things in front of that grill. Anyone with lights and a bar in front of their grill have any issues? I’d like to do it also…

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[Petes_392]

I'm curious as well. I just bought some KC Flex Era 4 lights (not small cube lights) and want to put those along with a grill guard on the factory bumper and was wondering how thats going to affect engine temps in the hot summer months. I'm thinking of the lights and maybe the Warn Low height gaurd.
I'm assuming it must not be a big deal considering AEV does this as well. Their set up blocks considerably more airflow than what I'm looking at doing. Unless they are doing something else to combat the higher temps in some other way I guess..??

 

[MSparks909]

I’ve noticed the 392 likes to run a tad warm. When I (eventually) do some engine performance mods a 180 degree thermostat will be one of them…

 

[stumblinhorse]

I’ve noticed the 392 likes to run a tad warm. When I (eventually) do some engine performance mods a 180 degree thermostat will be one of them…

What temp is the 392 t-stat? 203?

 

[Left Field]

Rock Auto says:

 

[R44pilot]

Rock Auto says:

Here in Florida I consistantly see 235-245° of oil temperature even just taking it easy driving 50 mph. Ideal oil temps in an engine are 212° to boil off any water condensation in the oil. Standard Dino oil burns at 230-235°, while synthetic can take more abuse but it think I read that it too starts to deteriorate at anything approaching 250° with degraded protection from there. The manufacturers like to have modern engines run hotter for lower emission purposes but this high a temp under low stress conditions concern me a bit for engine longevity, I haven’t looked, is there an oil cooler on these and if so, I wonder if the thermostat could be changed out?

 

[MSparks909]

Here in Florida I consistantly see 235-245° of oil temperature even just taking it easy driving 50 mph. Ideal oil temps in an engine are 212° to boil off any water condensation in the oil. Standard Dino oil burns at 230-235°, while synthetic can take more abuse but it think I read that it too starts to deteriorate at anything approaching 250° with degraded protection from there. The manufacturers like to have modern engines run hotter for lower emission purposes but this high a temp under low stress conditions concern me a bit for engine longevity, I haven’t looked, is there an oil cooler on these and if so, I wonder if the thermostat could be changed out?

I’m a firm believer in strict 5K oil changes on these Hemi’s and using synthetic ONLY. Good question on the oil cooler, I’m gonna see if I can find an oil cooler when I crawl under mine again next week to swap steering components. If there isn’t one or if it’s small I may try to find a way to add one or add a larger one.

Stock thermostat is 203 fully open. A 180 t-stat will drop running coolant temps to 185-195ish. A lower temp thermostat is one of the first mods many gearheads do on these Hemi’s.

 

[R44pilot]

I’m a firm believer in strict 5K oil changes on these Hemi’s and using synthetic ONLY. Good question on the oil cooler, I’m gonna see if I can find an oil cooler when I crawl under mine again next week to swap steering components. If there isn’t one or if it’s small I may try to find a way to add one or add a larger one.

Stock thermostat is 203 fully open. A 180 t-stat will drop running coolant temps to 185-195ish. A lower temp thermostat is one of the first mods many gearheads do on these Hemi’s.

Thanks, sounds like a good mod. Is the water thermostat buried or is it pretty accessible?

 

[MSparks909]

Thanks, sounds like a good mod. Is the water thermostat buried or is it pretty accessible?

Not 100% sure on our 392s but I’ll take a peek next week when it warms up. I’m probably gonna wait to do this mod until it warms up so I can document the real changes when running the Jeep hard in hot weather. Some people on the Hemi forums say you need a tune to turn the fans on at a lower temp and some people say it’s fine…I’ll do a before and after comparison and post a thread in a few months.

 

[supermike]

It get hot very easily if you do some sand dune driving. Also when off-roading in slow speed oil temp goes to 240+

 

[MSparks909]

It get hot very easily if you do some sand dune driving. Also when off-roading in slow speed oil temp goes to 240+

Wow. Wayyyyyy too hot for my liking! I’ll be addressing this on mine for sure.

 

[R44pilot]

It get hot very easily if you do some sand dune driving. Also when off-roading in slow speed oil temp goes to 240+

Wow, I haven't seen trans temps that high. The most I've seen is around 180º but then I'm not hitting the dunes either!

 

[MSparks909]

Interesting tidbit…did some reading on the 392 Hemi and it uses an oil to water cooler for the oil cooler. Coolant flows through an adapter above the oil filter to cool engine oil temps down. So my theory is that a lower temp thermostat will help cool oil temps as well because the coolant won’t be as hot. I’ll be testing a 180 thermostat in a few months to confirm.

 

[stumblinhorse]

In a jk a 180* t-stat did nothing to cool anything down. All it did was cause a mil code for not reaching temps fast enough. In the above picture the t-stat is wide open and has been for 20*…. So the radiator is doing everything it can and not cooling. So what is a 180 t-stat going to do to make the radiator cool better. Only thing that worked on a jk 3.6 was to turn the fan on earlier.

 

[Higgs Boson]

In a jk a 180* t-stat did nothing to cool anything down. All it did was cause a mil code for not reaching temps fast enough. In the above picture the t-stat is wide open and has been for 20*…. So the radiator is doing everything it can and not cooling. So what is a 180 t-stat going to do to make the radiator cool better. Only thing that worked on a jk 3.6 was to turn the fan on earlier.

a thermostat will help the fans not work as hard when turning them on earlier, but a thermostat on its own with no tune/fan control will only slow the temp rise but ultimately reach the same temp.

a 180 thermostat is fully open before a stock thermostat even starts to open and there is real value there but you have to take advantage of it. like everything with a vehicle, it's the combination that matters, mods in isolation can be ineffective.

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