Coolant Temperature
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190-195 is old school as many cars run near the 210-215 mark for reduced emissions.
dan the chevy man is right.
The new engines run hotter for better emissions.
Old school was to put in lower temp thermostats.. or even remove them to run your engine cooler....
if you do that in a newer engine requiring the 200-215 range--- you will get higher fuel consumption- higher idle- hogher shift points etc.
this is the computers way of trying to get the engine to reach operating temp...
In fact if your car does not reach operating temp in a certain amount of time... and this happens several times--- it will set the Check Engine light.
The new engines run hotter for better emissions.
Old school was to put in lower temp thermostats.. or even remove them to run your engine cooler....
if you do that in a newer engine requiring the 200-215 range--- you will get higher fuel consumption- higher idle- hogher shift points etc.
this is the computers way of trying to get the engine to reach operating temp...
In fact if your car does not reach operating temp in a certain amount of time... and this happens several times--- it will set the Check Engine light.
I grew up with thermo values opening at 160 degree 
It took me forever to get used to 190+ without worrying. Especially since I drove a truck in my college days that loved to overheat. My wife's HHR hovers around 190 to 200 normally, but easily shoots to 220 on hot summer days. I watched the termo guage on the DIC one trip last summer. The temp would cycle between 195 and 210+ moving up and down during the 2 hour trip, about 10 minutes between the top and bottom temp. Even though I kept the same speed, it moved up and down regularly. I found it very interesting, and decided to ask the dealership service department about it. The extra heat, according to my dealership service shop, is done to burn more of the toxins out of the exhaust, just like chevyman stated. And, the cycling is to keep engine parts thermally in motion to extend their life. So, they told me not to worry unless it gets above 250 degrees.
Another interesting thing I learned from the service guy was that GM now has all their cars (actually since around 2000) cycle the air conditioning compressor on for a few seconds every 5 minutes no matter the outside temp or the inside air control settings. This keeps the compressor lubricated to extend it's life too. I noticed in a previous GM vehicle that I sometimes didn't need to turn on the air conditioning, but only needed normal fan to cool the interior off a little bit. So that answered that mystery too. GM seems to have a lot of good ideas on making their vehicles last longer.
I've not owned my Traverse long enough for hot weather yet. But I'm waiting for the 100+ days to see if the extra towing package cooling has any effect or not. Right now my Traverse sticks between 190 and 200 just like the HHR we own does.
It took me forever to get used to 190+ without worrying. Especially since I drove a truck in my college days that loved to overheat. My wife's HHR hovers around 190 to 200 normally, but easily shoots to 220 on hot summer days. I watched the termo guage on the DIC one trip last summer. The temp would cycle between 195 and 210+ moving up and down during the 2 hour trip, about 10 minutes between the top and bottom temp. Even though I kept the same speed, it moved up and down regularly. I found it very interesting, and decided to ask the dealership service department about it. The extra heat, according to my dealership service shop, is done to burn more of the toxins out of the exhaust, just like chevyman stated. And, the cycling is to keep engine parts thermally in motion to extend their life. So, they told me not to worry unless it gets above 250 degrees.
Another interesting thing I learned from the service guy was that GM now has all their cars (actually since around 2000) cycle the air conditioning compressor on for a few seconds every 5 minutes no matter the outside temp or the inside air control settings. This keeps the compressor lubricated to extend it's life too. I noticed in a previous GM vehicle that I sometimes didn't need to turn on the air conditioning, but only needed normal fan to cool the interior off a little bit. So that answered that mystery too. GM seems to have a lot of good ideas on making their vehicles last longer.
I've not owned my Traverse long enough for hot weather yet. But I'm waiting for the 100+ days to see if the extra towing package cooling has any effect or not. Right now my Traverse sticks between 190 and 200 just like the HHR we own does.
Does the HHR have DoD? where it shuts off half the cylinders?
On the V8 and V6, if the DoD is on for 10 minutes... it then shuts it off for a bit--- lets all cylinders work- then goes back to half the cylinders...
this is done to keep all the internal metal at similar temps...
imagine some cylinders running at 210 degrees and others at 180.... so it tries to keep them all similar....
Im a little surprissed that the compressor comes on every 5 min.... how much drag would that cause to the engines efficiency? or its clutch life?
On the V8 and V6, if the DoD is on for 10 minutes... it then shuts it off for a bit--- lets all cylinders work- then goes back to half the cylinders...
this is done to keep all the internal metal at similar temps...
imagine some cylinders running at 210 degrees and others at 180.... so it tries to keep them all similar....
Im a little surprissed that the compressor comes on every 5 min.... how much drag would that cause to the engines efficiency? or its clutch life?
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And if I get a Traverse I will get the trailering package even though we never pull anything. I want it only for the factory installed transmission cooler.Narg said:
Just want to update my origional post. Our Traverse now has 1,400 miles on it and settled in at 210 degrees temperature, even when it was below zero here in Chicago. Guess that is the temp I have to live with. I do not get any fluctuation in temp once it reaches the 210 level.
rbarrios,
Nope, the HHR and the Traverse both do not have DoD.
With almost 300 horses, a ~2 horse drag from a 5 second run of the compressor is basically un-detectable. I'd rather they do this and keep the seals properly lubricated so the coolant doesn't leak rather than worry about a clutch that's rated at 500,000 cycles (a guess, but I'm sure it's not too far off for the MTBF cycles expected) Consider that an average person puts about 1,800 hours on an engine per year. That 1,800x12 cycles = 21,600 cycles or probably a LOT less since the compressor will be running full time for at least some of the time and not cycling on/off, so let's take 1/2 of that, for about 10,800 cycles. That gives up to 50 years of operation expected out the compressor clutch. Nothing to complain about.
My father is a retired aircraft mechanical engineer (did many studies in aircraft engines for the US Air Force) He was thrilled when he heard that GM did this with the AC compressors. He knows about component failure better than most folks. He didn't go into why, other than what the Chevy shop guy already told me about with the seals keeping moist and less wear overall. So, I'm satisfied this is a good thing.
I'm thinking the temp changes I witnessed in the HHR may have been similar cycle running of components in the HHR engine.
Nope, the HHR and the Traverse both do not have DoD.
With almost 300 horses, a ~2 horse drag from a 5 second run of the compressor is basically un-detectable. I'd rather they do this and keep the seals properly lubricated so the coolant doesn't leak rather than worry about a clutch that's rated at 500,000 cycles (a guess, but I'm sure it's not too far off for the MTBF cycles expected) Consider that an average person puts about 1,800 hours on an engine per year. That 1,800x12 cycles = 21,600 cycles or probably a LOT less since the compressor will be running full time for at least some of the time and not cycling on/off, so let's take 1/2 of that, for about 10,800 cycles. That gives up to 50 years of operation expected out the compressor clutch. Nothing to complain about.
My father is a retired aircraft mechanical engineer (did many studies in aircraft engines for the US Air Force) He was thrilled when he heard that GM did this with the AC compressors. He knows about component failure better than most folks. He didn't go into why, other than what the Chevy shop guy already told me about with the seals keeping moist and less wear overall. So, I'm satisfied this is a good thing.
I'm thinking the temp changes I witnessed in the HHR may have been similar cycle running of components in the HHR engine.
I have a Scangauge II and read the digital readout. The dash analog readout in our Traverse is not accurate as it is constantly 215. Even during startup in morning, the needle will start midpoint between 165 and 215.orlandjoe said:
On my digital gauge, the temperature will rise from slightly higher than room temperature to about 193-198. And the coolant temperature never go above 200.
this is the similar case on Trailblazers.. the dummy gauge shows 210-
owners have reported OBD port showing from 205 to 215(ME)- as normal temps.
so it appears that as long as youre in a proper predetermined range- the gauge will show temp of about 210.
I suspect its the same on the Traverse.
Any deviation that is not the norm- will set off the Check engine light.
owners have reported OBD port showing from 205 to 215(ME)- as normal temps.
so it appears that as long as youre in a proper predetermined range- the gauge will show temp of about 210.
I suspect its the same on the Traverse.
Any deviation that is not the norm- will set off the Check engine light.
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