Hey my Z06....had a busted water pump with subsequent overheating.....
water pump fixed...Now seems to run a little warm..Does anyone know the accepted engine running temp..or have this problem[:-]

 

Well, I have a C5R engine in mine - same basic engine as yours (427 cubic inch, custom built) except I went with a stock LS6 type of wet sump rather than your dry sump. I have a custom double row radiator with about 50% more capacity than stock '02 ZO6, and run a 175 deg thermostat but have left the ECU programmed to turn the fans on at about 190, so it typically runs 190-210 degrees water temp indicated even on a hot day (there's logic in that but I won't go into it now).

A much better indicator of running temp if you are worried about overheating is to watch the oil temperature: you can toggle the "Guages" button on your computer display through to show this in the small computer display in the center of the instruments. Oil temp stays cooler than water temp up until when I consider the car fully warmed up, then stays about 5-10 degrees above water temp if running easy. But the thing is it rises very quickly (much faster than water temp) when I get on it: one hard 0-150 run and oil temp jumps to 210-215 within the 14-15 seconds of the run, then it takes about five minutes to cool down even if running easy again (even though I have an oil cooler).

 

Mine runs at 196 under normal running conditions. In traffic it may go up to 215 degrees. Thats the hottest I have seen it.

 

I've ridden in a couple of stock ones where I have seen 220 degrees when running hard in hot weather. Again, the oil temp is a much better indicator of whether the engine is working hard and heating too much.

 

mine runs bout 220 in traffic in sunny ole hot Florida, what made me notice it was the faint smell of coolant...didn't kno if this was normal.

 

"The faint smell of coolant" is not normal.