Engine temperture

[jsdoyle]

My truck ran at 180 degrees all last summer. Sitting at a stop light or in traffic it would creep up to around 200. Not too bad.

Last fall after the outside temps had dropped I had to put a new radiator hose on so I also put in a new 180 degree thermostat.

The few times I took it out over the winter the truck warmed up fine to around 180. No problem.

Well now that the outside temps are warming up, today was around 80, I've noticed the engine temp when driving is up to 200. Higher when sitting still. I also had a little antifreeze come out the overflow one day after cutting it off and going into a store for a few.

So, I'm wondering what's up with the temp? Is it a bad thermostat? Water pump seems to be working just fine.

I bought a 160 degree thermostat tonight. Does anyone think that might help?

Any other ideas? We had some really hot days last year over 100 for almost the whole month of July. I don't want to see what happens when it gets that hot again this year.

[Sharps40]

waterpump/fanbelt/shroud?

[jsdoyle]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

waterpump/fanbelt/shroud?

Nothings changed there. Fan belt and shroud are good. Waterpump shows not sign of giving it up.

[akaupp]

What temp t-stat was in it last year? Different brand?

[jsdoyle]

Not sure about the old t-stat. It came with the truck.
Posted via Mobile Device

[akaupp]

If all things other than t-stat and upper hose are the same, I'd bet it was ~160 in there before.

[Rufton]

It is possible you got a defective T-stat.
160 T-stat won't help prevent engine from overheating.
160, 180 and 195 t-stats are all wide open when coolant 200F.

It is normal for coolant to escape radiator following hot shut down.

195F t-stat was tested to be best choice for minimizing engine wear

[63burban]

I always check new thermostats in a pan of water on the kitchen stove with a cooking thermometer. I had two in a row that were funky. 180 is the best, I had one that fully opened at 190 and one never really fully opened, I also had one that you needed to rap on the thermostat housing to open or the truck would boil over. Dug a used one out of a drawer in the shop, it started to open at 180 and was fully open at 185, that's the one I installed and it's been there several years.
We cruise the fair grounds at Back to the 50s with it and it doesn't get over 190, it's got a 283 and th350 in it, we pop it in neutral when we stop and it comes right down to 180. It has a cheapie aluminum radiator and a home made fan shroud with a 5 blade clutch fan.

[jsdoyle]

Originally Posted by Rufton

It is possible you got a defective T-stat.
160 T-stat won't help prevent engine from overheating.
160, 180 and 195 t-stats are all wide open when coolant 200F.

It is normal for coolant to escape radiator following hot shut down.

195F t-stat was tested to be best choice for minimizing engine wear

Thanks for the info. I'm thinking the same thing on the different t-stats but something is different from the previous set up that's making the truck run hotter.

I don't think putting in a 160 t-stat will make a difference either. Unless the one in there now is simply defective. Easy enough to swap out so I'll throw the new one in there and see where I'm at.