KartRacer

If anyone has compared the stock gage to an aftermarket gage, on the stock gage, what are the actual temperatures of the lines in the normal range?

I am just curious to what is actually normal. With my winter front on I actually get heat (for once), but the temperature rises up past the middle area a bit on the highway. When it is in the middle, I don't get much heat. I just want to make sure I am safe.

Thanks in advance.

-Steve

pred

In the middle, you are talking about 180*-190*
I installed an after market water temp gauge, it was something like 14.00 bucks, worth every penny!, If you dont get heat at 0* outside, without the winterfront, you might want to look at your thermostat! My fan clutch was locked up, and it was 10* out, no winter front, and had foot cooking heat!

bgilbert

There is no correlation. You're talking about POS OEM gauges. Some could read 180* right off cold, some middle, some all the way over to hot. The only way to know is to run a temp gauge.

KartRacer

Thanks guys. I am planning on getting an aftermarket gauge. I just wanted to have an idea now. I don't want to do any more mods until it is warm. I am tired of working in this cold.

-Steve

KartRacer

I installed a new Cummins thermostat last fall, but I don't know if it was the "correct" one.

My gauge swings a bit at first. It goes up above the middle zone (above the red line on the following illustration) C/ / | | \ \H
It then swings back down almost to the C. I am guessing when that is when the thermostat kicks in. After that it will rise up toward that line again, and drop slightly into the middle and usually stay there. I didn't notice it doing that so much when it was above 40'F. My theory is that the temperature sending unit is measuring the hot water on the engine side of the thermostat, but the cold water on the opposite side of the thermostat is causing it to not open as soon as it would with warmer weather. I thought cardboard in front of the radiator would help this issue, but it hasn't. Could it be my larger crossflow radiator having too much cooling ability? Am I on the right track here? If anyone has any ideas, it would be greatly appreciated. I will probably end up installing an aftermarket gauge this weekend.

-Steve

ppiggppenn

this is exactly what my Cummins t'stat does. I'd installed a generic t'stat a couple years ago as the original(Cummins) had stuck open and ran cold all the time. The generic swung wildly hot-cold for quite awhile but settled at a good spot on the gauge after about 30 minutes. It had an awful tendency to run hot when pulling hard in summer and I've since learned about that coolant circuit from the t'stat housing to the WP that the right stat blocks when hot. The Cummins t'stat was costly but worth every cent. I'll watch this thread and see what aftermarket gauges others recommend.

KartRacer

Well I installed an Autometer temperature gauge last night. It looks like it is getting up to 210-215 that first time, but then drops to 180 or less. After that it makes it back up to 195 or so but will drop back off to 180 again and stay between those two the rest of the tmie. That is with the cardboard on the radiator. With the cardboard off it, when it settles down, it is about 5-10 degrees less. I think I am going to invest in the proper part numbered Cummins t-stat.

-Steve

olddodgetrucks

Is there anywhere i can install sender for aftermarket gauge and still leave the factory guage sender in place.

KartRacer

Yeah there is a large port (not sure the actual thread) directly above the thermostat in the head. That is where I installed mine. My gauge came with the correct adapter to make it fit. I know there are other locations, but I thought that was the best.

-Steve

Ace

Should be a pipe plug right on top, there.

bgilbert

Which Cummins t-stat pn do you have? I take it you seen those water temps while pulling a load? What was the outside temp when it rose to 215*? I think it's a little too high, but I'm sure it makes good heat in the cab at those temps. Mine never climbs that high, although I don't tow, all my experience is empty. Mine at the warmest (winter) will run to 180, then maybe settle down to 160 and stay there. Summer, will run 170 highway. I also find when the outside temps start to warm up and I still have my winterfront completely closed, the temps will run a little on the warm side. Then I'll open one or both of the flaps on the winterfront and it will run normal.

At 215* I would look into whether or not your fan clutch is working and if your t-stat is working properly. Especially with you having a bigger cooling system.

Jschlachta

from User Manual

KartRacer

Those temperatures were with no load. I was watching it again last night. It is only getting to just below 210. It only gets there for a second before it drops to below 180 usually. I have just about not much heat ever. After an hour or so it might put out some good heat. I know my fan clutch is working. I am not sure which thermostat it is. I will try to figure it out.

-Steve