I have been searching through threads but cannot find a good answer. I just got a 1997 2500 5.9l a few weeks ago. Since I have had it the engine temp has been been reading about 3/4 of the gauge probably around 230. It pretty much stays there no matter if I am stopped or on the highway. Is this too high?

 

yes, should be a little under 200

 

You may have a hot running T-Stat installed. Remove and replace with the OEM recommended of 192-200 degree model or, if you live in hot climate- you can also run a 180 degree T-stat.

Be sure to get the good ones and not the ones made in Mexico or Taiwan that don't work for beans. The metal is no good and, the temp ratings are so far off that it's a crap shoot as to where the needle is going to point.

Here's where you can buy a good one from: http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/p...=&partid=23360

There's many places that sell those so, do shop around.

 

ok so went to check some things and noticed the water pump bearings where shot. Went to autozone and got a new water pump, thermostat, and fan clutch. Installed them all and now the temp sits around 200-215 so looks like I saved myself from a serious breakdown if I would have kept driving with the old water pump. I am pretty sure the fan clutch was what was keeping the temp around 230 but as least I noticed the play in the pump shaft.

 

that still seems high... you may have air in the system, or a false reading

i have never seem my truck over 200

 

what brand tstat did you get?.......my truck has been running around 210....i have a new pump and radiator and a 180 murray tstat, talked to the guy at napa and he says alot of people have probs with murray, so tomorrow im gonna try a napa 180

 

Crapa Auto is the equivalent to Radio Hack. Junk parts that don't work out of the box half of the time although, they do have some parts that are decent. I would order a performance SS T-stat and be done with it. Hughes Engines sells those. I had nothing but issues with Auto Blown, Kragen and Crapa on T-stats as they were always were funky. The motor always ran hotter than the T-stat along with erratic readings from time to time. Once I got a good one from Hughes, the truck has been dead on even when 115 out. Never runs hot now.

 

it was duralast not sure who made that stat, it was just the stock replacement 195 looked that the truck had the original stat in it. Not sure how accurate the temp gauge is but is moves around a little more now, will go from 200 to 215 every few minutes, wasn't moving that much before.

 

yep, autozone is murray....

 

i got a 95 ram sport with the 360 and automatic and it used to run at 200 dead on and i got it like 2 months ago and i noticed it was running warm so i check the coolant and added a little helped then it started running just past 200 and won't stop of i get on it on the high way it get alittle bit more up then comes back down but city driving is the same...i put a new t stat in it and it has helped it runs under 200 but when on the highway it still get past 200 when i'm steping on the gas then if i just cruise it drops down .... some one said something about
the intake manifold gasket leaking would cause it to run hot...it has new hoses and a new radiator in the truck it looks like a new waterpump as well it was done before i got the truck...any and all help would be awesome ...i'm a vw guy gone dodge....got tired of the vw scene