Engine compartment heat

[scottminor]

I am so thankful for the age of the internet and forums like this. As well I am still grinning from ear to ear everytime I have to drive to the store or go anywhere. It is great that folks with common interest and a wealth of knowledge have a place to share.

Anyway on to the question, is it normal for the engine compartment to put out so much heat. I live in ATL and it has been hotter than blazes here for the last few weeks but I cannot hardly put my hand on the engine compartment body parts next to the airbox. Is this normal?

[Quijy]

it is for me, I am in Charlotte, NC. the motor while sitting gets super hot. If you are moving on the highway then stop not so bad. But stop and go in the city very hot. Just keep an eye on the gages. I do not see any real heat increase in anything from highway driving to city driving.

[HummerJim]

That's normal! Maybe one of the reasons the battery is wrapped. We've had VERY HOT weather in the Midwest too and as long as the engine temp needle stays around 200 you are OK!

[seventwozero]

I noticed the same from my truck over the holiday when temps were in the upper 90's

[scottminor]

Is there anyway to cool it down?

[Scarsman]

You could modify your hood and make the fake hood vent functional. That would move a lot of heat out of there. I'm sure there would be a way to do it so it would not let rain down on top of the motor but let air flow out.

[scottminor]

I had noticed the same thing in my Avalanche. I am not sure I am ready to start making those kinds of mods. Would a 160 deg thermostat work? I would have to deal with my SC program then...

[Scarsman]

I'm not sure how that would affect things. It would help the motor run cooler, but I don't know what the computer would think about it. I ran a cooler thermo on my old Suburban, but it did not have near the computer control that these things have.

[Stellar]

Originally Posted by scottminor

I had noticed the same thing in my Avalanche. I am not sure I am ready to start making those kinds of mods. Would a 160 deg thermostat work? I would have to deal with my SC program then...

I tow my wakeboarding boat a lot up and down the canyons to get to the lakes here in Utah and the temps can get extreme. I had my dealer install a 160 degree thermonstat from Lingenfelter and coolant additive from Red Line. My temps never get above 180.