so im the new owner of a 86 dodge d100 shortbed 2wd with an auto trans...

it has its probs...but one annoying one.

the truck has a sunpro mechanical temp gauge, which reads between 160-190...200 at most it has a new t stat also....

somehow the water mysetriously disapears after some time....

also sometimes, not always, when you shut it off the temp gauge goes way up, to like 230....u lets the rad cap loose some an it goes down...

the truck never over heats while driving or idling...

any ideas?

 

I can't say for sure about the temp increase since I've been wondering about that in my truck as well but I figure it's just because there is no air moving so all the heat just sits in the engine compartment.


Now about the missing coolant. Make sure that the bolts are fully tight on the water outlet(t-stat housing). Mine seem to work loose on their own

 

The temp increase when the motor is shut down is normal. The coolant continues to absorb heat from the block for a while.

 

Charlie is correct about this being normal. I even tried going to electric fans to help this with no luck. I guess electric fans and electric water pump would work but I don't like the idea of an electric water pump. I figure that it has done this for 22 years or more with no ill effects so I live with it.

 

well thats good to hear its normal...ive just never seen it happen...i ran a temp gauge in my old foxbody mustang an never seen it do it

im still learning on mopar thing too lol...

thanks for the help guys

 

so a lil update, i put a new cap on it, well it quit bubblin my overflow...

drove it around with no probs for a few hours

then the temp went to 210 idling..

i got home an heard a leak sound, guess where its coming from..the hole where my temp gauge goes in...

sooo...is that possible why its losing water?...as well as that weird high temp deal

 

if it is leaking from the temp gauge area it should be pretty obvious. if your cooling system is low on rad fluid then it could cause your temp gauge to sit at a high tempature when you are idling.

 

well i filled the thing up with water, drove it about 5 miles or so an its runnin hot..between 210-230

 

id have to say if its leaking from that sensor re do it and make sure its sealed

 

i was told a bad water pump can cause this as well....the running hot temp gauge spiking like it does etc....the pump belive it or not looks original...i think imma throw a new one on..only 20 bux

ill post results in a bout a week