22re cooling system troubles (1 Viewer)

[BananaBuggy12]

I replaced my thermostat about 6 months ago and I flushed and burped the cooling system. My temp gauge never goes higher than 1/4 way up. But I was checking my radiator today and it seemed low. I added 1/4 gallon and it was near the top. The main hose to the thermostat seemed to have air in it so I burped it a few times and got coolant in it. It never acts like it over heating and the temp gauge never goes above 1/4 way up. This is my first 22re and my first truck where I've done all the work so am I missing something? No coolant leaks to be found. Just changed oil and it wasn't milky at all. And my exhaust doesn't smoke at all unless it cold outside (which is normal?) Early block 22re with 186xxx miles. Any help is appreciated and if I missed something let me know but I love checked everything I know.<br/>

 

[pappy]

Wait, you are concerned because it's running too cool? Those idiot gauges are not that accurate. Best to get a real gauge to see what is going on.

 

[BananaBuggy12]

I'm concerned that the gauge is wrong. Like I said, the radiator hose seemed bone dry before I added coolant today. But I've never gotten more or less than 1/4 reading on the gauge.

 

[BananaBuggy12]

I guess my question is, how can I tell if it's overheating? It doesn't run rough when warmed up and driving. Never smokes or steams. Coolant in tank doesn't boil.

 

[GRM]

If there isn't water in the thermostat housing, the gauge will read cool.

I'd fill it up and use a combustion leak tester to see if there is exhaust in the coolant.

And next time: make sure to keep the coolabt full!

 

[BananaBuggy12]

Thanks GRM. I'll look into the tester. I'm hoping after burping it and filling it that everything is good. I'll probly look into an engine temp gauge. I wish these were odb2 computers. This would all be so easy lol

 

[pappy]

See if you have a buddy with one of those IR temp sensors. The kind where you point the laser at the thermostat hosing and it tells you how hot.

 

[BananaBuggy12]

If the desired temp is 185ish what would the external temp be? Would the metal be cooler or warmer?

 

[DarkMachina86]

Normal operating temperature for just about anything will be between 190-210 F. IR temp sensors work great and are a lot easier than putting a separate gauge in besides the one you have. Did you ever check the coolant in between when you replaced the thermo and when you found that it was low? There may have been more air in the system that finally worked it's way out..

 

[BananaBuggy12]

Darkmachina, I've been checking it daily since I added coolant. And honestly I neglected it after changing the thermostat so you're probly right. But the level seems to be staying normal since I added coolant. I also burp the hose daily to make sure there's no air inside.

 

[BananaBuggy12]

Another thought. I wanna know what's going on in my engine at all times. But odb2 readers won't work on odb1. Anyone know of any gauges, or digital systems that I can hook up that will tell me everything on one screen or multiple gauge pods? I'm hoping more for a scangauge type reader but I may just have to settle with gauge pods.

 

[DTCsk8er]

Mine never gets past about 1/3.. the only time it seems to go high is when I get back in the truck to start it (after a long hot run).. the temp gauge is usually at about 1/2.. then it goes right back down to 1/3.

You probably had air in the system to begin with.

 

[ntsqd]

Sounds to me like you finally got the air out of the heater valve. Notice that it's higher than the radiator cap? Never understood why that was done that way. Ideally you fill the system parked on enough of an angle to make the cap higher than the valve. The iffy way that I've burped mine in the past is to let it warm up a little so that it has begun to pressurize the system, but isn't fully pressurized, and carefully crack the highest heater hose clamp. There are all kinds of hot water dangers in doing this, so I'll tell that I've done it but I won't tell YOU to do it.

 

[muddpigg]

You can pressure test the coolant system too. Would be for piece of mind as it sounds like you corrected situation.

 

[BananaBuggy12]

Thanks for all the replies. I drive it two hours to lone star jamboree this weekend and didn't have any over heating issues but bow I can hear that its leaking into the exhaust manifold so I'm forming a list and calling a shop this week for a quote on the work.