Ways to make engine run cooler

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I'm trying to get my engine in my 96' RT/10 to run a little cooler. This GA heat is really hot, the dash guage is reading a little bit past the 3/4 mark lately w/such high temperatures outside. I'm having a 180 degree thermostat installed and having the system burped this week. My question is, should I do anything else? I was thinking about adding some Redline Water Wetter but I read on here where you can also have your car running too cool. Will I be ok with the water wetter or should I just do the thermostat and burp? TIA

 

[WOT!]

I recently added a 180 degree thermostat to my 96/RT. Now it runs 10-20 degrees cooler. I believe it may also help to flush the system and burp, but I am not sure because I did both at the same time.

Still climbs when in town, but not as high as before.

 

[Russ M]

The thermostat will not do anything for you, waiste of money and time.

Larger radiator/controling when the fans come on is what you should be focusing on.

I never had any positive results from water wetter, and have tried it on at least 10 different cars.

 

[99 R/T 10]

The thermostat will not do anything for you, waiste of money and time.

Larger radiator/controling when the fans come on is what you should be focusing on.

I never had any positive results from water wetter, and have tried it on at least 10 different cars.

I think it's the extended time at the light that gets the temp and our anxiety up. By having the 180, it takes a little long to make it to the 225 range before the fan kicks in at high speed. You can turn on the a/c at the light wich will bring on the fan at any temp at low speed which will delay the rise even longer. I am running the 180 and a Roe S/C. With the a/c running, I don't typically get too worried. Not too sure about the Water Wetter, but what would help is a newer style fan(99-02 has more air flow) and an aluminum radiator.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Vented cowl helps too. GTS Bruce

 

[Kiaser]

Thermostat will only cool better on highway traveling. It's not the most efficient way to attack heat.

Burping the system is your best bet for an inexpensive fix, any trapped air will raise temperature dramatically. Roe hoses are fairly cheap, look good, and make it a breeze to burp regularily.

No experience with water wetter.

Venting, like Bruce said, can give a lot of gains too. You've really only two options, a vented cowl or an aftermarket hood vent installed. I've even heard of nice cooling gains by cutting a matching hole under the driver hood "speaker".

The BEST gains you'll see is an upgraded radiator (I have a fluidyne 3-Row aluminum). It's incredible, massive cooling compared to stock. In the end, you could do all the cooling mods you can think of (even the ones above all together), but an upgraded radiator will do ten-fold the kind of cooling all the smaller upgrades will. It's not TOO expensive and it's a good investment (longer engine life).

Oh, and finally, there's only so much cooling that can be obtained with the outside temperatures rising in the summer.