GeneveConversionVan

Now that the outside temperature where I live is around the 95s, I have to have all the time the AC on. I have noticed that the coolant temp goes all the way to the excatly the mid (210F?), and when I turn it off it goes down to where it always is, 1/4 of the scale (around 185F?)

Is it normal for all of you using your AC?

oilcanhenry

Depends on lots of things. AC transfers heat to radiator, and in the radiator was under specified or is getting old, not taken care of, yes the A/C will increase the coolant temps. Your figures are not out of place. Most likely your radiator could be cleaned but 210 F is not an unusual value at all.

oldchevy

What year is your van? Do you have electric cooling fans and are they working? If you have a mechanical cooling fan, is the fan clutch working correctly?

GeneveConversionVan

Its the first time I hear about "cleaning a radiator". How do you do that? a brush and degreaser?

GeneveConversionVan

Its a 2001. I dont know the other two answers. will they triger faults ?

oldchevy

They will cause higher temperatures.

mountainmanjoe

It's pretty straightforward. Radiators need to radiate. Air flows through the radiator to cool the fluid which cools your engine. Things that block the radiator will make it cool less. Leaves, bugs, debris etc. A pressure washer usually does the trick. Does it need brushing? It's awfully tight in there and you'd probably have to take apart the grill for that. I've never seen a greasy radiator, but if it is then you need fix some bad oil leaks LOL

Doug D

After 18 years the radiator may be losing the ability to effectively transfer heat. Bugs, debris in the fins certainly don't help. I would inspect the radiator for debris build up and missing fins. I would suspect scaling in the interior passages of the radiator. Kinda like cholesterol build up in your arteries. The radiator can be rerodded, but it's probably best to just replace it. Has the coolant been replaced on a regular basis? Over time the additives in the coolant lose the ability to protect the system from corrosion.

GeneveConversionVan

Joe, Doug,
Thanksfor your comments, I will have someone to flush the full system, and will run a visual inspection.

William Kisselstein

Bad fan clutch is not unusual but those will also make you get hot working the van hard, like going up a hill.