I am getting ready to order either a water temp gauge or oil temp gauge but don`t know which one yet. What are the dangerous temp limits for engine oil and water temp in deg F? Any help would be appreciated.

 

Bump for you Lee

 

Good question Lee, I was wondering the same and I already have the oil temp gauge. I seem to be in the 190-215 range when cruising.

 

I don`t trust the stock ford water temp gauge at all so I would like to know what is safe and what temp should i start getting concerned enough to back off the throttle , especially on some of the hills towing my trailer to arizona, utah and nevada. Last year the gauge started to climb a little bit so i backed out of it some. It was around 115 outside and I was pushing my truck pretty hard towing my 30ft Raptor up the pass between Vegas and St George UT.

 

Anyone have the proper temps?

 

I have an Autometer water temp gauge and it sits right at 195 degrees when empty or pulling. I think I saw 200 degrees once pulling a load over a very high steep mountain pass.

 

Well it depends on your thermostat for one thing as far as water temp goes. The newer thermostats are 203* units because the 7.3 works more efficiently when hot. I would think that anything above 215 is pushing it though. Straight water boils at 212 degrees, with coolant added, it goes up to 223 degrees with a 50/50 mix not counting pressure. Being under pressure raises the boiling point some more, but I wouldn't let it get any higher that 220 degrees.

 

I'll add that these temps are with the stock t-stat not the 203 degree one.

 

Thanks everyone, that sounds like a good starting point. I am using the stock thermostat and will be sticking with that. I know our engines were made to run better at a little higher temp but I would think that the higher temps would be harder on all the rubber items like seals and hoses, etc... I will use 215 as a cautionary reference temp and 220 as the back off point. If anyone else has some hard data for this it would be great also. I decided to go with the water temp gauge and got it from Clay so should be there when I get home the middle of May.