Engine temp

[oka065]

What is the maximum (safe) engine temp can I take my 6.5 to without damaging the motor? Got to 110 cel going up hill the other day. Will it run cooler with the trans lock?

Regards

Rod from Australia

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
If everything is working properly you shouldn't see 210*F(you do the conversion tongue.gif ) If you are getting hotter than maybe you nees to look at some cooling system issues. Might be a good idea to get an oil temp gauge, I think they can tell you more faster than coolant temp. Just for referance my truck on a hot(85*F) summer day pulling about 10,000lbs will run at about 195-200* coolant temp and about 200 oil temp. Both of those might go up a little on a hard pull.
Hope this helps....
L8r
Conley

[Hubert]

110C = 230F Thats getting hot but ok depending.... on how it gets there. A steep long grade with weight the temps rise fast. Like the Conley wrote the coolant temp is slower to catch up to actual combustion area temperature. Might want an exhaust gas temperature guage too. Excessive combustion temp will get the piston hot and things get ugly quickly. Any modifications? ECM or Mech. Pump?

The Fan Clutch cuts in at about 215-220F=102-104C I think. Theoretically it was designed to get hotter than that and be ok.

[markrinker]

Are you seeing black smoke when towing? If so, I'd investigate your turbo boost controls - you might not be making any boost and seeing very very high EGTs as a result. High water temps can be a bad sign, especially if preceeded by black smoke under load...don't wait to troubleshoot this - its covered extensively elsewhere on the site.

If no black smoke, and you plan to tow again frequently, I'd do these mods - in this order:

1) Install JK's heavy duty fan clutch. Will kick in earlier, and move LOTS more air. Probably will take care of the entire problem. (While you are at it, pull the radiator and thoroughly clean bugs, dirt, etc. that builds up between radiator, condensor, oil/tranny coolers.)

2) If the overheating continues, consider a new higher GPM water pump. If you have a single thermostat system, yours is likely an older, low volume unit as well, or simply worn out. If so, you'll do well to upgrade to the later dual thermostat system. Easy swap. At a minimum, get a high GPM pump!!! Another controversial move if you have a single thermostat system and live in a warm climate is to remove the thermostat altogether. You can always try it as a test to prove/disprove that it is causing your bottleneck. My truck #1 runs 'sans thermostat' in the summer and is 30 degrees cooler on the average!

3) If overheating STILL persists, install EGT and turbo boost gauges, as your problem is still likely an overfueled/under aspirated condition, leaving too much fuel still burning in the cylinder and exhaust manifolds during the exhaust stroke. Installing 3.5" free flowing exhaust can help take heat away from the engine faster - you might even have a plugged catalytic converter, although I don't know if they use them 'down under'.

[ 02-10-2005, 02:37 PM: Message edited by: Mark Rinker ]

[oka065]

Thanks guys, the vehicle the 6.5 is fitted to isnt the run of the mill truck. 1 day i will work out how to get a photo of it on the diesel pages. It had a 4 cyl perkins motor in before we just fitted the 6.5 td I have an intercooler in front of the radiator (radiator is new) I will be removing the intercooler this weekend to see if i get more air flow through the radiator. I will report back when this is done.

I have got a turbo boost gauge getting 7-8 psi max. EGT is 450 up hill i think it could go a bit more. Will be removing the intercooler 1st.

Cheers

Rod

[JoeyD]

Keep the intercooler, turbo needs it. I would do the cooling mods if not done already but maybe the problem is the size of the radiator. How big is it? The 6.5 needs more cooling than the Perkins I bet.

[oka065]

Did the hill climb! about 1 1/2 miles long reasonably steep engine got hot 110 c EGT 450 f boost 7.5 psi. Truck weights about 4 ton wont go up hill in 3rd locked up. Do i need to get more fuel into it so its not working so hard? Might need to get a cross flow aluminium radiator made and get away from the old copper vertical flow.

:mad: :confused:

[markrinker]

What year / casting is your 6.5? Mechanical or electronic injection? What turbo are you running? What type of boost control is in place? Single thermostat or dual setup?

Personally, I'd leave the intercooler where it is, and turn up your boost to 14psi nominal. Your EGTs and, in turn, water temps will drop.

[oka065]

The engine is about a 2000 centre turbo (dont know what it is out of) injector pump is a DS2 mechanical, waste gate is controled via pressure & it is running dual t/stats that are 160 deg f.

The engine I got from an importer in Melbourne Aust and they change the injector pump to mech as it doesnt come with a computer, it has only done about 2000 miles, this seems to be true as the engine is still tight.

Regards

Rod

[oka065]

Ok guys I have more info, all the stuff from my last post + the casting on the block is 506. The front area of the radiator is 18" wide x 20" high that is about 380 square inchs & 5 rows deep.

Regards

Rod

[markrinker]

Sounds like a military/commercial version, like what is used in the Hummers and other specialty chassis.

I like the idea of mechanical injection. There are plenty of guys on here that can help you 'turn up' your motor.

MORE BOOST will lower your temps...not sure how to do it with your system.

Anyone else know how to adjust a mechanical wastegate?

[rjwest]

If you are running below 45 MPH -(40 mph,) 2nd gear
will make it run much cooler, Using he " TCC lock up sw mod " will really bring down the temps of both the engine and the transmision.

Also the " Lock up switch will hold 3rd gear locked.
but this will put more load on engine / trans.

On steep , slow hills, I prefer slowing to 2nd gear range, locking TCC and and running 2800-3000 rpm's

Engine temps come up slow and fan kicks in before I see an Abrupt coolant temp increase.

[ucdavis]

Engine sounds fresh (low miles) so 110C won't kill it right away. But that's too high.
IMO radiator is too small. Alum would be better, x-flo better, and larger area. U.S. versions sport a fan clutch; are you using that? U.S. OEM unit kicks in ~195 at the clutch, so ~205 on the coolant in radiator to allow for the heat exchange to the clutch (90.5 @ clutch, 96C @ rad). The JK of kennedydiesel.com aftermarket clutch drops the engagement point of the clutch 15f or ~8C, and the fan peels the heat off the coolant real well. As stated above, you should not be seeing 210F or 99C w/proper cooling.

[Dvldog 8793]

Howdy
That radiator sounds way too small. If you don't have room for a bigger radiator maybe you could plumb in a coolant tank someplace else to up the coolant capacity. Do you have a oil cooler installed? Does this truck have a good fan and shroud system for the radiator? What is the total coolant system capacity? How do you like your GTO?
My local dealer has a new 2004 still on the showroom floor. It really bothers me to look at it cause it black and would match my truck.
L8r
Conley Janssen

[oka065]

Thank for all of your input guys, I have emailed Bill Kennedy about his fan & clutch & the new balance flow. I am having a new radiator made for is now and I am also fitting an electric fan at the front to supplement the engine fan.

Thanks again

Rod smile.gif

[oka065]

Sorry Conley missed your post, our Monaro / GTO is great my wife drives it every day! & loves it.
Ours has a little less power than the GTO. They are going to start racing them here in Australia this year. There was 2 built for our PROCAR series that were racing against Ferraris Mazarati Porsche & doing very well untill the series folded last year. They also ran the in the 24 hour at Bathhurst & from memory they came in 1 2, these cars run the 6 lt LS2 + a lot of extra horses.

The only problems we had is rattling door panels & a wine in the diff.

Regards

Rod