Truck running cold

[tyler111991]

I dont know if its normal or not but since its been in the 20s and 30s for awhile now my truck wont heat up to more than about 120-130 degrees. Its warm enough to make the heater work good, but I can tell its killing the fuel milage not having the motor warmed up all the way. This is my first winter in the truck and my first winter owning a diesel. Some one told me to use a piece of card board to cover up a little bit of the radiator, will that hurt anything? anyone else have this problem?

 

[NVW]

You probably need a warmer T stat.

If you put in a piece of cardboard cut it to fit the whole rad then cut a hole in the center of it. This helps to keep stress off the fan.

 

[ak diesel driver]

Sounds to me like you need a tstat make sure you use an ac delco

 

[tyler111991]

Ok thanks guys im going to pick one up tomorrow

 

[buddy]

Yeah, you need to install your winter front, thats the cardboard.

 

[ak diesel driver]

I don't install my WF until it's 0* or lower even at -20* it will come up to temp just takes longer

 

[buddy]

Yeah it does seem weird that the engine itself wouldnt hit the T-stat temp since it shouldnt be putting any water to the radiator for the cold air to cool. So perhaps a new T-stat is in order. But then there is the cold air and fuel coming in cooling it down too. I could see it running a little cooler under T-stat temp, but 120F seems real low.

 

[NVW]

I no longer block my rad (wife put my winter front away and I haven't found it for a couple yrs), even without it my truck heats well in any temp.

 

[3500GMC]

Definitely go Delco on the stat.. I can look up the part number if you want it. I will be changing out the '93 stat before it hits the road. I remember it being something like 26 bucks.

 

[Edzzed]

does it take a long time driving to get it to go into O/D. my situation was fail safe t-stats. yet I replaced the sender 1st. Anyhow my truck took many miles to go into O/D just cause it was running cold. I kinda observed the problem during summer but didn't click on it till winter with next to squat for heat. Going on a trip once in summer I went down a very long hill and seen the temp gauge really drop low but I was OK with that. what I gather was happening, was fail safe T-stats were failing and they call them that because when they fail they do so in the open position allowing for full coolant flow. In the earlier years of cars they failed in the closed position rendering many overheated engines till they realized they could make them fail in the open position hence avoiding costly engine repairs due to warped heads or whatever. All that and I didn't take serious notice till the temps dropped in winter with no cab heat and taking forever to go to O/D

 

[nobby]

Yep definitely replace your T-Stats, at those temps she should come up to temp fully in a reasonable amount of time. I run 185's for that somewhat warmer winter temp and have no issues in the summer and she is pretty much always on a load. But then I also have good clean airflow through all the coolers.

As to winter fronts I use a custom made one and put it on once we get to 30 and under, as far as I am concerned part of the reason for running one is a quicker warmup. It was not that expensive and does not in anyway block air flow right on the coolers like cardboard does, also has a pair of flaps you can open to crudely increase air flow a bit. Also note that with the bumper snorkels with a proper grill cover winter front air will still get there OK so Fan stress etc not really an issue.

Cheers
Nobby

 

[tyler111991]

I never thought about the t stat until yall mentioned it haha. that makes perfect sence. I remember when I got the truck this last summer it was 95F outside and the truck ran at about 170 to 180 all summer which was nice. It never got hotter than that, even towing. It does act like it dont want to go into OD when I first drive it. I always let it warm up for 30 minutes before driving it anywhere but it still only gets so warm. The heat is hot in it though, its so hot that even with the fan off I still have to turn it down or crack a window.
I have heard something about a dual t stat in these trucks... is that what they have on them from the factory? or do I just need to buy one?

 

[NVW]

Mid 96 or so they went to dual t stats, you don't need them. One good AC Delco is all you need. Bill Heath prefers one over two.

 

[nobby]

Oops my apology in my prior post I said 'T-Stat's' you're a 92 as already posted that would be a single T-Stat.

Cheers
Nobby

 

[540s10]

check your temp sender, 120-130 degrees is not nearly enough to supply what I would call "good heat". If you have 120 degrees and put the blower on high it will over cool the heater core and become cold again.