Truckman0097

Hopefully this is in the right spot - I think something is acting funny with my stock temp guage on the truck in my sig. The truck is stock with no aftermarket gauges. My stock temp gauge is only warming up to around 170 degrees and not getting any warmer. It used to warm up to around 190 - 195 and show as high as 200 or a little over for brief periods during normal driving.... Is something wrong with my gauge or T-Stat? Is this normal with the cold weather? Its been in the teens and 20's lately.... What kind of things should I check or can I check?

Foxborough

My guess is just normal for cold weather. The large cooling system and the fact the diesel by nature will not warm up fast in the cold (not under a load).You may want to get a winter cold front to cover the radiator during cold weather. I normally put the cold front cover when temperatures STAY below 50 degrees. The front (Mopar) has a 12" square opening with (4) flaps that can be opened and closed. I run with them open till temperatures stay below 30 and start closing them at 20. On the highway I will just leave all flaps open. I don't have a picture of mine but I got it from the dealer and it was about $100. Some folks just tie a cardboard on the radiator too .

Truckman0097

Yeah I have seen the fronts before... I was just making sure there wasnt a potential problem, hopefully more will chime in as well. Would plugging in help any? I do not currently plug my truck in. Guess I could go get a cord from Cummins this week.....

vzdude

Plugging in will help you get heat quicker, and is easier on the engine, but once going down the road, obviously , it won't help anymore. In the 10's to 20's mine doesn't get all the way up to temp either, after a 50 mile drive! I need some of that cardboard! LOL

bansh-eman

im not sure if its an issue or not but my truck runs around that temp maybe a tad hotter... i only hit 200 if im really on it or im towing... other then thats its a pretty good ways under 200

Truckman0097

Thanks VZ,

I was hoping you would chime in. Guess I will get the cord and then probably a cold weather front... not real fond of the cardboard idea, although I guess I could paint it black.... I realized pluggin in wouldn't necessarily help once on the highway - but thought maybe if it was starting a little warmer it might get up to temp a little faster... thinking possibly my drive wasn't long enough... but I only drive about 20 miles to work....

Truckman0097

1. Thanks for the input - and welcome to DTR - I saw your hello thread.....
2. Mine used to get up closer to 200, that's why it made me wonder why it wasn't now.
3. Fill out your Sig so we know what truck you got - Click UserCP on left side of screen and then 'Edit Signature'
4. I dont think that Avatar will last long... read site rules - no profanity, keep it clean.

vzdude

Last year I put the cardboard behind the a/c condensor only or whatever the last one in the stack is! That way the intercooler, tranny cooler, and everything else still got air. The only thing I partially blocked was the radiator. You don't want the entire thing covered.

Truckman0097

Good idea - but doesn't the cold weather front cover all of it? What effect does the cold have on the tranny cooler and intercooler?

vzdude

That was always my concern! That and I'm tight as bark on a tree! $100 for what I can do with a recycled piece of cardboard? I don't think so!

bansh-eman

humm i had it filled out i thought... ill redo it..

as for the av i guess ill just change it so i dont have to worry bout it later... its too bad casue thats my signature av on all forums

Truckman0097

As my girlfriend likes to say - "You squeek when you walk"...

Maybe I will try the cardboard thing and see if that helps. Would coolant level make a difference? I haven't checked that in a while, but I wouldn't think it is leaking - no evidence that it is, but if low I would think it would get hotter faster, in a bad way.

vzdude

Correct. Lower coolant would typically run hotter. Also would be a chance of less pressure in the system , because air can be compressed, and that would show hoter on the guage too. Don't open it hot though! Wait till morning or after it has set for a couple of hours to check the level in the radiator. The level in the overflow tank should be a good indicator as long as the cap is working right!

Foxborough

Truckman on your question on transmission temperature and covering too much. When the temperatures warm up (30* or so)and I have too many of the flaps closed (2 of the 4) I will see the transmission get up to 150*. I try not to forget but it happens sometimes . That's about normal for the summer driving in city driving so it really doesn't hurt anything. I usually leave all the flaps open most of the time and that works fine. So if you go the cardboard route you only need to cover 1/2 or so of the area. just a thought is to leave an opening for the fan in the center in case you forget the blockage and temperatures get warm. Looking forward to this weekend, saturday a high of -1* F.

Truckman0097

Thanks for that information, that's what I was looking for. I may invest in a cover sometime in the future, but for now I think I will stick out the rest of this winter with a plug and cardboard. Although, winters in Ohio can last until May it seems....