96 Cobra And Az Temp

[Mikeinaz]

My problem is its running hot with the AC on when temp is over 105 it will go to 218 degrees before i shut down ac then temperature will go all the way down to 103.8 if i dont turn ac back onx thats deiving on the street or freeway
now i have went to lunch a few times recently and sat in car with ac on and outside temperature from 112-118 parked on concrete under a awning and the car temperature will hover from 204-208.4
i did get a tuner lowered fan temperature turn on but no effect
Not sure if it ever had the cooling upgrade, i did read somewhere it say if both upper radiator brackets are identical you did have the upgrade which mines do if someone more knowledge chip in on that
So I'd like to know what the consensus is is it a radiator or the thermostat what can it be I can sit in the car and let it idle and not overheat with AC on is it the AZ weather just too hot when it's over 110 the cooling system just can't handle it

 

[wmburns]

FWIIW the stock T-stat is 192 degrees. A motor coolant temperature of 218 degrees isn't over heating. In fact the high speed fan won't even kick on until about that point.

Does your cooling fan actually WORK on both speeds? It seems to me that is the question you should be answering.

Are all of the fan shrouds and air dams in place?

 

[Mikeinaz]

Yes both speeds work i just dont like the idea of it getting up in the 220s being all aluminum motor
I think it might be the radiator it probably just lost some of it cooling efficiency

 

[wmburns]

Just wondering..... Does the motor actually over heat if driven long distances at expressway speeds?

Again. a motor at 220 degrees is not overheating. The cooling system is working as Ford designed it IF the temperature comes down when the high speed cooling fan turns on. The Motor would continue to get hotter IF the radiator isn't able to keep up.

Note, I have helped more than one person who thought the motor was over heating when in fact it was not. The problem turned out to be electrical in nature. The dash gauge is affected by system voltage. When the voltage drops the dash gauge reads higher.

This is why it's a good idea to cross check using all available information. IE a motor that is overheating will have other symptoms of over heating. For example:

• Coolant boiling.
• Excessive pressure.
• Misfire.
• Poor motor performance.
• cross check with a scanning infrared thermometer at the T-stat housing.
• The engine bay will just "feel" hot when the hood is opened.

Suggest having the alternator and battery tested.

Here's some information on how to perform a charging system voltage drop test.

Howto perform charging system voltage drop test
https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-fo...perform-charging-system-voltage-drop-test.56/

The DOHC motor is also bad about trapping air inside the coolant jacket. There are special procedures needed to remove all of the air trapped inside.

 

[Mikeinaz]

Alright i guess its not overheating
I guess I'm just a worry-wart I don't like the idea of a aluminum motor going all the way to 220 degrees
what degrees do you think is too hot for a cobra engine
I've driven the car lot I've had it for about 7 months and already put on about seven thousand miles on it right now it has
74000 miles
temperature seems to rise when it's over 105 out here and I have AC on I guess I'm just a worry wart