Its been particularly cold up north in the last few weeks and I have noticed it takes longer and longer for the truck to warm up. Even with the winter fronts on. In order to get some more heat into the system and given I hardly ever tow anymore anyway I am in search of a hotter thermostat. I havent had any luck with searching for a part number or retailer online. If anyone has any info on this i would certainly appreciate it.
Thanks,
BF

 

I`m not to sure a hotter T-Stat is available.
You might need to restrict the airflow to the radiator more.
The amount of time it takes to heat the truck is not regulated by the T-stat.
The stat stay`s closed until 195 deg. A hotter stat will only cause operating temps to be higher after warm up. This might be a little unsafe.
Put a winter front between the radiator and A/C condenser for better blocking.
Try it with some cardboard so you can control/adjust the air flow.
Start with some small slots and adjust accordingly. Hope this helps.

 

i've got my rad blocked off 100% with a piece of coroplast. it is right tight against the rad [so i still have ok air flow through the condensor and CAC].. when the weather was below freezing it was ok, but now with the temps in the ±10°C range, if i get on it hard, the water temps will get up to 1/8" above the center mark on the temp gauge [95°c i believe].. it does let it warm up a little quicker [it is wedged into the little groove in the rad on the sides, so friction fit only] i haven't been able to find a hotter t-stat either.. 200°f i'd like..

[i am happy though that my engine lube oil maintains ±18psi idling at that water temp with 0w40 in the sump]

 

With so much iron to warm up, so much extra air passing through the engine and a weep hole in the thermostat, it just seems the only way to get them to warm up is to put them to work and be a little patient. I've never had any vehicle that warmed up so slowly.

A hotter thermostat won't make it warm up any sooner because the thermostat doesn't open till it gets up to temp. So your only talking about a few degrees difference, and only after the engine is already warm. That is unless yours is stuck open, but it probably isn't.

Wetspirit

 

I don't think that a warmer T-Stat ,if one is Available, will decrease your engine warmup time. It sounds like you may have a T-stat sticking open or a heater core that is becoming clogged. You might try blocking off the whole grill area, instead of just the radiator. I Think you should try and limit airflow into the engine compartment a little more. The factory winter front seems effective on my truck and really blocks off the entire front end.

Do you have access to a scan tool for a long trest drive? If you warm up the truck all the way, say after a half hour drive, Monitor the Coolant temperature, It should be about the same temperature +- 5*F as the T-stat rating (most vehicles use a 195*F) . Start your drive, try to drive 50mph light throttle cruise for a mile or two. Regardless of outside tempature, the Coolant temp should not drop more than a few degrees. If it drop's, say ,20* F, than you have to much airflow on the outside of the engine block or the T-stat is not closing, allowing cold water to circulate.

If the tempature stays high, then the T-stat is fine. If the engine temp stays high but the heater Air temp drops off in low load or light throttle situations, then you may have a clogged heater core. If the heat drops of in tempature at idle, but is fine while driving, you can check by reving the engine in neutral with the blower fan on low. If it gets really hot heat while revving the engine but cools off again at idle than you may have a restriction in the heater core. I'm seeing more & more clogged cores on all different kinds of cars the last few winters. Good luck.

 

Your best bet is to block off the grill.

 

The thermostat seems to be working fine on the truck i guess i just need to block off more of the grill area. I will try placing a section of plastic to in front of the radiator on the particularly cold days.

Thanks for the replies.

 

I've got a 2004 555 and I just pulled my cold front out all together. My truck heats up great and made more than enough heat a few weeks ago when we were down below -35°C.

I've always assumed there was something wrong with my truck that it makes so much heat.

At -25°C with the truck plugged in overnight I will let it run for 5-10 mins then hit the highway and be up to full temp before 5kms is up. My Outlook monitor shows my water temp holding steady at 210°F once up to temp without any cold front at all.

 

thats crazy when it was 15 degrees here and snowing a ton earlier this winter my truck took FOREVER to get to 185 and then if i would stop at a light it would go down to 165 or somthin and if stayed parked for longer than a few mins it would go down to 150degrees.


your truck is crazy haha

 

-36°C this morning so I let my truck run for 25mins (coolant reached 125°F)before I hit the highway. With a cruising speed of 75mph my coolant temp reached 210°F after 8miles. When i slowed down to 35mph to go thru town it dropped down to 184°F at the lowest.

Once again this is with no cold front of any kind and I had plenty of heat in the cab.

 

Not sure if the aftermarket supports exhaust brakes for warm up, but my '06 takes about 8 miles (50-50 city/fwy) driving to warm up.

The jake only engages for warm up when <15mph and water temp <170F.

If i'm idling (hooking up the boat) it warms up in ~15 minues to ~170F.

You could also put some weight (800-1500lb) in the bed.

HTH

Tony