For those who might have missed a few threads that I've posted to I'll recap my situation.
First, I have a modified temp sensor in my truck done according to RavenTai's instructions so the is no dead spot and the beginning of the red area is around 220* so it is more sensitive than a stock gauge.
The truck through the winter months ran beautifully with the needle always at the midpoint of the gauge. If it fluctuated it was only barely noticeable.
In April I decided to swap out the tranny and this took me about 6 weeks to do with other projects and part orders interfering with steady progress.
On the first drive out when the swap was done the truck immediately started to run hot. It was @ 80*F and the needle was well above the 3/4 mark just driving around town.
A few days later I towed a 4k camping trailer for 2 hours up through some mountains to VT in 82* weather and buried the needle in the RED on the climbs but it would come down some on the flats. Again this is a modified gauge so while it was hot it's around 230* I think.
At this point I was wrestling with whether or not it was do to the mod in the temp gauge being sensitive to a normal condition or a real problem. A stock gauge at this point would only barely show some movement in the needle.
While in VT I swapped out the T-stat for an aftermarket Stant . The drive home was more of the same but less higher temps as it was more down hill.
Figuring that the load had something to do with it I took the truck out on that Sunday which was 100* here. The truck ran almost identical to the day before. Once the truck got to a certain temp it would just hang there and only go down if I pulled over and let it idle.
At this point it was about a needles width below the red and the AC was fully functioning. I mention this because I was probably @ 210* and the stock gauge would still indicate ideal engine temps and with the AC running the driver would be unaware of what he was putting his engine through.
At this point I was still wrestling with the idea of a bad tranny as the 3 core radiator, fan clutch and now the t-stat where all recently replaced. I finally had a clear moment in thought and realised that the fan was not engaging at these high temps. It has been said before to look for a Roar at start up, which I had, but this fan wasn't engaging at high temps.
I ordered an Imperial clutch from Advanced Auto parts. It turned out to be a Hayden unit. I installed it today and took the truck over the exact route I did on Sunday but today the temp was 80*.
The truck now seems to be more inclined to run at a 1/2 needle width above horizontal. Remember it does have the Stant stat in there so I can't say for sure why it is slightly higher.
During the drive it only budged from that spot on the occasions that I quickly altered my speed. One such time was coming at the end of the ramp off of the highway. I now was on secondary roads and there was about a needle width spike for a half a minute or so and then returned to normal. The other time was getting on the highway where I was pulling up to speed with the TC unlocked. For both these times it was at most a needle width in movement. Around town it didn't seem to move at all.
From an observation that ToolsRus has made about the Hayden clutch being a monster in size I check out the 2 and it is 50% heavier than the Imperial. I currently have one on order with PartsAmerica and will be ordering a new OEM t-stat to replace both and see what the truck performs then.
It was only a quick drive today but I'm feeling good about the truck. Unfortunately a cool front is coming ion this weekend and more testing in hot weather will have to wait.
My recommendations would be to MOD that temp gauge. It will not show a bad Fan clutch.
Once modded if it looks like it's running hot it probably is and is most likely the Fan Clutch. Replace it with what you want, but I don't see me using an OEM again anytime soon.
First, I have a modified temp sensor in my truck done according to RavenTai's instructions so the is no dead spot and the beginning of the red area is around 220* so it is more sensitive than a stock gauge.
The truck through the winter months ran beautifully with the needle always at the midpoint of the gauge. If it fluctuated it was only barely noticeable.
In April I decided to swap out the tranny and this took me about 6 weeks to do with other projects and part orders interfering with steady progress.
On the first drive out when the swap was done the truck immediately started to run hot. It was @ 80*F and the needle was well above the 3/4 mark just driving around town.
A few days later I towed a 4k camping trailer for 2 hours up through some mountains to VT in 82* weather and buried the needle in the RED on the climbs but it would come down some on the flats. Again this is a modified gauge so while it was hot it's around 230* I think.
At this point I was wrestling with whether or not it was do to the mod in the temp gauge being sensitive to a normal condition or a real problem. A stock gauge at this point would only barely show some movement in the needle.
While in VT I swapped out the T-stat for an aftermarket Stant . The drive home was more of the same but less higher temps as it was more down hill.
Figuring that the load had something to do with it I took the truck out on that Sunday which was 100* here. The truck ran almost identical to the day before. Once the truck got to a certain temp it would just hang there and only go down if I pulled over and let it idle.
At this point it was about a needles width below the red and the AC was fully functioning. I mention this because I was probably @ 210* and the stock gauge would still indicate ideal engine temps and with the AC running the driver would be unaware of what he was putting his engine through.
At this point I was still wrestling with the idea of a bad tranny as the 3 core radiator, fan clutch and now the t-stat where all recently replaced. I finally had a clear moment in thought and realised that the fan was not engaging at these high temps. It has been said before to look for a Roar at start up, which I had, but this fan wasn't engaging at high temps.
I ordered an Imperial clutch from Advanced Auto parts. It turned out to be a Hayden unit. I installed it today and took the truck over the exact route I did on Sunday but today the temp was 80*.
The truck now seems to be more inclined to run at a 1/2 needle width above horizontal. Remember it does have the Stant stat in there so I can't say for sure why it is slightly higher.
During the drive it only budged from that spot on the occasions that I quickly altered my speed. One such time was coming at the end of the ramp off of the highway. I now was on secondary roads and there was about a needle width spike for a half a minute or so and then returned to normal. The other time was getting on the highway where I was pulling up to speed with the TC unlocked. For both these times it was at most a needle width in movement. Around town it didn't seem to move at all.
From an observation that ToolsRus has made about the Hayden clutch being a monster in size I check out the 2 and it is 50% heavier than the Imperial. I currently have one on order with PartsAmerica and will be ordering a new OEM t-stat to replace both and see what the truck performs then.
It was only a quick drive today but I'm feeling good about the truck. Unfortunately a cool front is coming ion this weekend and more testing in hot weather will have to wait.
My recommendations would be to MOD that temp gauge. It will not show a bad Fan clutch.
Once modded if it looks like it's running hot it probably is and is most likely the Fan Clutch. Replace it with what you want, but I don't see me using an OEM again anytime soon.
