Engine Temp Question

Hey guys,

I've been having some issues with my 01 first gen running a little warmer than usual. My water temp gauge went out and I really didnt feel like fixing it, and wanted an Ultragauge anyways, so I never replaced it and just go by the raw number on my UG. Before the gauge went out, the needle was at dead center and never moved. I did some research and I think that indicates temps in the 180-185 range. Usually, my ultraguage is in the high 190s and on really got days (110 degrees outside) it has gotten up to 215. Usually, the high temps come from low RPM, as the water pump isnt working as hard, but even with stock lift and tires I was having this problem.

My question is, What do you guys think I should look at? Maybe a new thermostat and a coolant flush? or could my water pump be failing? My coolant level has been about an inch above the full line for about 8 months now and hasn't moved a bit.

 

if the coolant is not old. use this http://www.lubegard.com/~/C-201/Kool-It+Supreme+Coolant+Treatment

or you can do the pH balance tests(I don't trust) to determine the health of the coolant.

 

That would be a good preliminary approach. Never seen that before. Might as well give it a shot.

 

What engine and how old is the coolant?

I did a flush with new thermostat and it dropped my operating temp from 194 to 185.

 

It's impossible to guess what your temperature is with the stock needle gauge so whoever gave that info about being around 180-185 gave bad information. You will not be able to tell small fluctuations in your coolant temps with the needle gauge (like 10-15 degrees) so that's why a Scan Gauge, Ultra Gauge or a Bluetooth OBDII reader sending info to a phone app like Torque Pro is the way to go.

It's my guess that the jiggle valve on your thermostat is in the wrong position. The jiggle valve needs to be at the 6 o'clock position, pointing towards the ground. I bet yours is at the 12 o'clock position. As weird as it seems, this jiggle valve position can make a difference in your coolant temps of 10+ degrees. I run in the high 180's to low 190's. On a very hot day, 105 degrees, and climbing a 7 mile hill with 2000 feet of elevation change, I hit 203 at the top of the grade. So, with your normal coolant temps in the high 190's, I could see you hitting 215 on a 110 degree day.

The jiggle valve is the first thing I'd check and then I'd check your fan clutch operation. If your fan clutch is getting a little tired, it won't lock up properly and pull sufficient air though the cooling fins of your radiator. Also, check to see if your radiator cap is intact. They are known to fall apart and a spring and plastic cap end up falling into the radiator. I have a few videos for you to look at. The first is a video of me installing an external trans cooler on my rig but it includes replacing the radiator and thermostat as well. The second video shows how to test your fan clutch operation and replace it if it's worn out. Finally, the third video is about diagnosing higher than normal coolant temps. If you have any questions, just ask. Good Luck!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2nVbwe2t2T8


https://www.youtube.com/embed/WzhlACxqeqQ


https://www.youtube.com/embed/A8OTtggtQnc

 

Oh, if you want to flush your coolant, here's another video for you.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oQsxmi-CNng" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

The temp gauge will stay in the middle up to around 215-220 in my experience. Once it starts going up past that you're running real hot. Best not to rely on that gauge alone

 

Thanks for the info guys. I'm just gonna do a coolant flush and thermostat replacement and see what that does for me.