Another heat question
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Joined: May 2012
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From: Prince George BC
Another heat question
So first of all I can't figure out how to change my signature it won't let me edit it. But I have a new truck, it's a 1999 with the 5.9.
Now that it's getting very cold up here I have noticed this truck puts out Luke warm heat. My 1998 with the 5.2 would pump out great heat in -35.
So my truck is tuned with SCT, and has the 180' thermostat. I have read some people switch back to a 195' in the winter. I read some people get great heat from a 180'. What will I suffer going back to a 195' on a tuned truck?
So I have done all the searching over the past few days and from what I understand my thermostat is not stuck open as I seen it cycle and the upper rad hose was hot. But my truck was giving off the p1281 code which means the engine is not getting up to temp.
Does this code mean something isn't quite right or is this to be expected on a 180'?
Now that it's getting very cold up here I have noticed this truck puts out Luke warm heat. My 1998 with the 5.2 would pump out great heat in -35.
So my truck is tuned with SCT, and has the 180' thermostat. I have read some people switch back to a 195' in the winter. I read some people get great heat from a 180'. What will I suffer going back to a 195' on a tuned truck?
So I have done all the searching over the past few days and from what I understand my thermostat is not stuck open as I seen it cycle and the upper rad hose was hot. But my truck was giving off the p1281 code which means the engine is not getting up to temp.
Does this code mean something isn't quite right or is this to be expected on a 180'?
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Joined: Apr 2010
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From: Clayton MI
Code is normal for a truck with a 180 thermo. PCM expects the engine to get up to 195.
Switching back to a 195, you *might* see a bit of spark knock, when the weather is warmer........ just bumping to 89 octane should take care of that. (and may not even be necessary)
You have an air bubble in the heater core. Need to get that out. Conventional burping doesn't seem to cut it.... need to pull the hoses (passenger side, where it splits about the middle of the head, drivers side at the metal tube from the water pump. Have something handing to plug engine side on those, so you don't lose a bunch of coolant.) and backflush the heater core. Flow some water both directions, keep the hoses above the top of the heater core. Reinstall the hoses, doing your best to lose as little fluid as possible. Heat should be much better.....
Switching back to a 195, you *might* see a bit of spark knock, when the weather is warmer........ just bumping to 89 octane should take care of that. (and may not even be necessary)
You have an air bubble in the heater core. Need to get that out. Conventional burping doesn't seem to cut it.... need to pull the hoses (passenger side, where it splits about the middle of the head, drivers side at the metal tube from the water pump. Have something handing to plug engine side on those, so you don't lose a bunch of coolant.) and backflush the heater core. Flow some water both directions, keep the hoses above the top of the heater core. Reinstall the hoses, doing your best to lose as little fluid as possible. Heat should be much better.....
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Joined: May 2012
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From: Prince George BC
Thanks heyyou
I'm actually running it on 91 octane as is, it pings a little bit at 87 so I run premium. And I definitely tried burping the coolant. About 3 times, for about 20 minutes each time. Although it was at an elevated level...
I will flush the heater core then. Is there a way to do this without a garden hose handy?
I'm actually running it on 91 octane as is, it pings a little bit at 87 so I run premium. And I definitely tried burping the coolant. About 3 times, for about 20 minutes each time. Although it was at an elevated level...
I will flush the heater core then. Is there a way to do this without a garden hose handy?
Tedious, but, it works.