Well, I got my radiator "rodded" out. The local shop said it was a little stopped up, but nothing outta the ordinary. After install, I am still overheating when hauling over 8K. I also replaced my thermostat with a Cummins brand, and my fan clutch is functioning properly. When I say "overheating" I am just using the factory temp gauge. On mine, there are 4 marks, 1 at cold (all the way to the Left), 1 at Hot (all the way to the right), and 2 in between (Obviously). When pulling, mine gets over to the 3rd mark fairly quickly. I can kill the A/C, and drop back to about 55 MPH in 4th, and it will usually drop back to just above the 2nd mark, which is where it normally runs onloaded, and where I would like for it to run at all times. Am I expecting too much out of the truck to not run hot? I just want to be able to take advantage of the full potential I know my ride has under the hood. I have heard of putting a bigger radiator on, has anyone had any positive experience with this?

Thanks.

Jeff

 

Your truck is intercooled, so it has the "big" radiator.

Halfway between the 3rd and 4th mark is "normal" for a heavy load in hot weather according to my FSM.

 

Ya, I read that to, but its still a little dishartnning to see it climb on and over the mark,... even the guage shows that its in the running range but I'm not compfertibe with it. i'm with justagoodoboy, I would like to see the unloaded range to be the same as the loaded range!!!!!!

the only probem is to get that wish, i thing it will take a 2nt gen radiator to satify us!!!

 

Actually, from a thermodynamic standpoint, the hotter the engine runs the better the efficiency. If you can keep pistons from melting, valves from burning and oil from burning you'll see better economy.

This is because the cylinder walls in a too-cold engine will suck heat out of the burning air/fuel mixture and less heat will be available to push on the pistons. The extra fuel needed to produce the same horsepower will go to heat the coolant which will be radiated into the atmosphere.

So don't be too upset if it's running a little hot as long and it don't boil over it's probably a good thing. The worst thing you can do for fuel efficiency is remove the thermostst.

Edwin

 

I now it's only a cowinident but, after i read that, temp range in the FSM, i let it run a litttle hotter then o would have done before, and the next week the oil was coming out the coolant, over flow bottle(oil cooler started leaking)!
any one that has had this problem know that kind of a PITAthis is!

 

I'll say it again, wipe your edit with the factory gauges. You more than likely are not overheating. All this effort for nothing most likely. If you are towing and concerned about overheating, GET A real gauge on there!!! Heck even an el cheapo $14 unit from the parts house layin on the floor or in the ash trey would serve the purpose.

 

what would be the normal opertating temp I would want to stay around? I found a cheapo for 10 bucks here locally.

 

JMO, but our guage is normaly seting at 190*(what are thermastate opens at)and i would say that 210* is working it and i wouldn't go over 220*.....mabybe 230 but at that point i would be getting my foot out of it!!!

 

Yep, the Thermostat I replaced was a 185* - So I would agree that 220* would be pushing it. Anyone else want to chime in?

 

You want to use a 180*F Cummins stat. Normal operating temp empty should be 170-180*f. Loaded you don't want to see over 210-215*. 220* is overheating. If you can get a gauge that reads 'good' on the low end 140-190* get that one. Most gasser temp (el cheapo) gauges run way up there, like 265* and our operating temps are hard to see on their low ends. If I were to buy a non el cheapo temp gauge for the diesel, I would get a 240* max gauge.