07-20-2015, 06:33 AM
Todd, 180 should be running with the thermostats closed and about to open so it would be a minimal temperature you would typically see after engine warms up unless someone has changed the thermostats for lower rated thermostats which is not a good thing either. Engine temperature driving on a hot day running with a fully loaded coach will typically be in the 190 range hitting 195 on small grades. Mountain grades (6% and higher) will result in the temperature rising quickly. I run off of the VMS-PC digital gauges, not the dash gauges. I start slowing down and downshifting about 200 degrees and and try to not let my engine temperature ever exceed 205. I have never had the yellow warning light come on by keeping the digital gauge at 205 or below. Anything above 205 on the digit gauge takes away room for error. Although 210 will likely not damage your engine, I would NOT let my engine get that hot. No reason to.
Certainly keeping the radiator clean is important on any coach. As Dean said, any oil leaks will result in the fan pushing the oil directly into your rear radiator and will dramatically reduce your cooling capacity. I use a digital infrared thermometer to scan back and forth across my radiator starting at the top and slowly moving down the radiator with each horizontal pass to make sure that there are consistent temperatures side to side and that the temperature drops as the water moves to the bottom of the radiator. The use of simple green on the inside of the radiator before steam cleaning or very careful pressure washing is very helpful. if you get too close to the fins with a pressure washer you can do more harm than good by blasting the fins so hard that they bend closed, just what you don't want to do.
The marks on your gauges are NOT maximums. I don't know who put them there but I would remove them as they are confusing and cover the needles up at the time you need to see them the most.
Certainly keeping the radiator clean is important on any coach. As Dean said, any oil leaks will result in the fan pushing the oil directly into your rear radiator and will dramatically reduce your cooling capacity. I use a digital infrared thermometer to scan back and forth across my radiator starting at the top and slowly moving down the radiator with each horizontal pass to make sure that there are consistent temperatures side to side and that the temperature drops as the water moves to the bottom of the radiator. The use of simple green on the inside of the radiator before steam cleaning or very careful pressure washing is very helpful. if you get too close to the fins with a pressure washer you can do more harm than good by blasting the fins so hard that they bend closed, just what you don't want to do.
The marks on your gauges are NOT maximums. I don't know who put them there but I would remove them as they are confusing and cover the needles up at the time you need to see them the most.