Engine Gives off a lot of heat once parked.

Chris_Z · 07-06-2012, 10:06 AM

Hi,

I am new here. I have a 2010 370Z, sport, 6MT, touring, black. Adding a Setrab oil cooler this weekend. The car works great.

I've noticed that when I turn the car off, the engine produces a LOT of heat. After the car has been off for a few minutes, the area on the hood by the lights is too hot to touch. Very hot. The engine cross beam is also too hot to touch.

Is this normal ? This happens after I have done a normal drive home from work - not spirited driving at all. Some stop and go traffiic but mostly highway. The oil temp gauge never gets above 110 (Celcius, I am in Canada). That's 230 Fahrenheit. I am terrified of destroying this car. Thanks.

ChrisSlicks · 07-06-2012, 10:16 AM

It's normal.

If the engine has been operating at 100+ degrees C and has 200kg of mass (plus the radiator and coolant), then that is a lot of stored heat energy. By convection and conduction the heat is going to transfer to the cooler surrounding areas that were previously getting cooled by airflow, so yes the surrounding materials will get hot.

HKYStormFront · 07-06-2012, 10:25 AM

yup it's normal. engine temps are up to keep emissions down, means modern cars feel hotter than ones just a few years ago even tho it's only slightly. also, the design of the car has to do with it as well

seymore4 · 07-06-2012, 10:42 AM

When you get an uprev tune you can have the fan engagement temp lowered which will help, but these cars just run hot in general

wstar · 07-06-2012, 10:48 AM

It's kinda nice in the winter with a garage though. The car emits enough heat after shutdown to keep the garage (and thus the car) well above outside temps for several hours. Even overnight, in a mild TX winter, the garage still has some residual warmth from the car

Chris_Z · 07-06-2012, 04:02 PM

Thanks to all, I feel much better now.

tibal · 07-06-2012, 04:10 PM

I have felt the same way as well OP. Especially when I managed to drop my cell phone into the engine bay when the car was running. Lets just say it was a little too warm to stick my arm down there to grab it.

wstar · 07-06-2012, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tibal

Lets just say it was a little too warm to stick my arm down there to grab it.

Get a pair of these, they're awesome for working on a hot car: Amazon.com: Mechanix Wear MHS-05-500 Heat Sleeve (Sold in pairs): Home Improvement. I put my gloves on over them and I can even work around my headers a few minutes after shutdown if I have to.

07-06-2012, 10:06 AM	#1 (permalink)
Chris_Z Base Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 2 Drives: 10 370z M6 Sport Rep Power: 14	Engine Gives off a lot of heat once parked. Hi, I am new here. I have a 2010 370Z, sport, 6MT, touring, black. Adding a Setrab oil cooler this weekend. The car works great. I've noticed that when I turn the car off, the engine produces a LOT of heat. After the car has been off for a few minutes, the area on the hood by the lights is too hot to touch. Very hot. The engine cross beam is also too hot to touch. Is this normal ? This happens after I have done a normal drive home from work - not spirited driving at all. Some stop and go traffiic but mostly highway. The oil temp gauge never gets above 110 (Celcius, I am in Canada). That's 230 Fahrenheit. I am terrified of destroying this car. Thanks.

07-06-2012, 10:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
ChrisSlicks A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: North East Posts: 6,203 Drives: 09 370Z Sport M6 Rep Power: 653	It's normal. If the engine has been operating at 100+ degrees C and has 200kg of mass (plus the radiator and coolant), then that is a lot of stored heat energy. By convection and conduction the heat is going to transfer to the cooler surrounding areas that were previously getting cooled by airflow, so yes the surrounding materials will get hot. __________________ Hotchkis ARB \| Stillen CAI \| Art Pipes \| Berk CBE \| Stillen AP Racing Brakes \| AE Performance Oil Cooler \| BC Racing ER Coilovers \| Doran Control Arms

07-06-2012, 10:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
HKYStormFront A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Greer, SC Posts: 14,954 Drives: 06 Frontier SE 6spd Rep Power: 52	yup it's normal. engine temps are up to keep emissions down, means modern cars feel hotter than ones just a few years ago even tho it's only slightly. also, the design of the car has to do with it as well __________________ Patrick // 06 Frontier 6spd Nismosis // Mods: Uprev Tuned @ Z1 Motorsports: 257whp & 292 ft lbs 09 Pontiac G8 GXP // M6 // Sunroof // Tint... For now

07-06-2012, 10:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3594	It's kinda nice in the winter with a garage though. The car emits enough heat after shutdown to keep the garage (and thus the car) well above outside temps for several hours. Even overnight, in a mild TX winter, the garage still has some residual warmth from the car __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-06-2012, 04:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
tibal Track Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Safest Town In America Posts: 987 Drives: TT-370Z and 2.5RS Rep Power: 18	I have felt the same way as well OP. Especially when I managed to drop my cell phone into the engine bay when the car was running. Lets just say it was a little too warm to stick my arm down there to grab it. __________________ 2010 - PG - M6 - 370zTT 453/409 6lbs IG @TRbal10 TEAM FLY1 MOTORSPORTS

07-06-2012, 10:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
seymore4 Track Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: West coast Age: 41 Posts: 560 Drives: 2010 nismo Rep Power: 6727	When you get an uprev tune you can have the fan engagement temp lowered which will help, but these cars just run hot in general

07-06-2012, 04:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
Chris_Z Base Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 2 Drives: 10 370z M6 Sport Rep Power: 14	Thanks to all, I feel much better now.

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