Proper Idle Temperature?
 

I have been tuneing my low end and when I let it Idle it idles well but the temp is in the 140-150 range after about 2-3 minutes after starting at 100 (heat guns rule) is this to hot, should I richen low end? BTW I have a 12R SS engine.

Dont really worry about the idle temp, first run your car a few laps and adjust the top end mixture. the right temp should be betwen 200-230, no more than that or you will burn out you engine. if you are runing under 190 you are in the rich side I would say, The best way to set your low end if you pinch you hose and the car should die with in 5-6 secs. if it doesnt then you need to liean it out a bit 1/16 of a turn at a time.

I hope this helps.

I agree, i keep my running temp between 220-250F and measure your temp after few laps. When setting up your needle, always start from high speed needle first. I never worry about my idle temp as long as i keep it in the range.

There isn't any, that's like asking what the best running temp should be for engines. A million variables with car, engine types, pipe, fuel, weather, type of racing, clutch, so on and so on all will vary the temps that engines operate in so just tune is so it performs good for you and is reliable also and don't worry about it unless it's like under 185 or over say 290 running temps.

I had an .12CV (ugly square headed OS) that just flat out wouldnt run worth a crap unless it was at 240-250. I used to think it was way to hot but anything under and it wouldnt make any power. I ended up just running it at that temp range and it never failed. Gallons of gas went through that motor before I sold it and the Nitro RS4 it was in.

My HPI Nitrostar (the first high horsepower Rossi) would make all its power around 215-220. Ran it for a whole season. Had so much compression you couldnt turn it by hand throught the cutout in the chassis, my starter box that was run off a 30amp Rivergate PS would have trouble starting it on occasion (ofna 1/8 scale box).

I think everymotor is a bit different and I wouldnt worry to much about the temp range. Are you going to drive a car that bogs down all over the place just to get it in the 200-220 range? I know I'm not going too and I dont think you'll find another racer that will either. I used the Blue Thunder Race Blend and it made a big difference in the temp, was able lean it out and drop the temps a bit. I'm sure there are plenty of other great fuels now (this was about 3 years ago).

I know how to tune it, I was worried that the lowend was too lean and it turns out it was just right. As for highend I almost got it in I just need to readjust it, because I adjusted the lowend. MY LHS told me to tune the high then the low, but to retune the highend (since each needle affects the other) after so it is right then adjust the idle, anyway, It is the right temp for idle (for my engine). BTW my engine gets power at about 230° F and right now it is about 40° out (in the middle of the day) so it runs a little cooler and still makes power (about 195°-210° on average) So I got it

My .21 motors will idle forever at 100-110 temp range. Most of my .12 engines will die if they are below 130. I tune my idle by temp most of the time, and my engines never die before or during races becasue of idle problems.