DOES YOUR C-4 RUN TOO HOT?

Does your C-4 run hot or do you think it does. We recently replaced the radiator on our 96. A few days later, we went for about a one hour drive on the highway. During that time , the average coolant temperature was 194 degrees fahrenheit. In the city the temperature shot up to 222 degrees. Even more alarming was watching the analog temperature gauge climb so quickly. So, that had me wondering what to expect? The following is not based on expert opinion, but is based on various sources , as indicated in the footnotes.
There are a few things to keep in mind. The C-4'S do run hot. So temperatures between 200 to 225 degrees are nothing to be alarmed about. Since they are bottom feeders , they get a limited amount of air through a bottom opening. This opening can also be affected, by accumulating all kinds of road debris. So make sure you clean and check this area frequently.
Imagine on a hot Day, stuck in traffic, apart from the fans, you are getting the help of extremely hot air rising from the pavement below. In 1990, an analog guage was added to the cluster. This helps to alleviate some concern, since a few degrees increase in temperature does not give too much cause for alarm. BUT,the analog guage is not linear. The gauge shows a low value of 185 and a high of 260, along with two increment between. So you would assume the values to be 185, 210, 235 and 260, with a mid-point of 222.5 degrees. In my case, I hit the assumed 235 mark with a digital temperature of about 222 degrees.That leaves a small increment to go from 222 to 260. So , if you have concerns, you may want to pay attention to the digital gauge, providing it is functioning properly.
Unless there are modifications to your cooling system, there are two fans, a primary and secondary. The standard operation for the fans is as follows, The primary turns on when... 1, The engine coolant temperature reaches 226 degrees. Or when the Air conditioning is on . Or if a cooling system or cooling sensor diagnostic code is occurring. The latter two situations are fail-safe, if the system senses a problem. The secondary turns on when:: The primary fan is running, and the vehicle speed is below 80kms, and if the coolant temperature exceeds 235 or if a cooling system or coolant sensor diagnostic code is occurring. As you can see, the design certainly supports high temperatures. If a secondary does not turn on until 235, this could mean getting as hot as 236 or 237 before the added fan begins to have an effect. There are numerous add-ons available to reduce the temperature to your comfort zone, but, what are the potential affects of making these modifications? undoubtedly fuel economy will suffer, but here are a few additional facts that I have not been able to find supporting information ..
Engine oil needs to reach and stay at about 215-240 degrees fahrenheit, to lubricate, clean correctly and burn off moisture? If you drop the coolant temps lower, you may gain a few horsepower, BUT, the wear tends to get worse, as the fluids can't operate correctly. If you drop the oil temp below 211 degrees, acids can form in the oil , bad for bearings. .....So next time you are stuck in traffic on a hot summer day, ask yourself does your C-4 run too hot?
By Mike Baerthel , Corvettes of Western Ontario...