nice to know. i was coming back from laughlin on sunday and it was hot as a **** around 95-105degrees. i was flooring it up a long steep hill and had my ac cranking full blast. my engine temp went about 3/4 to max and i almost **** myself so i turned the ac off rolled down the windows and set the cruise to 70. my engine temp dropped to the halfway mark within a few secs. this was all while driving up this long steep hill for like 40 miles

 

95 to 105 degrees? driving uphill for 40 miles? dude that seems pretty normal to me.

There are a couple of things you can do to help your temp, like changing your stock thermostat to one that opens at a lower temp.

I also recommend a tranny cooler. Cost about $60.0 at any auto parts store and takes like 15-20 to install. Worth it if you ask me.

 

Every truck has a transmission cooler built into the bottom the the radiator.
Adding a larger one wouldn't hurt

 

Exactly, to locate them just look for he transmission lines entering the radiator. The cold line exits from the passenger side of the radiator.

 

I'm still confused with these trucks, is the transmission cooler built into the radiator? I have two lines running back and forth in front of the radiator, but I think thats the P.S. cooler?? (old pic, before mods : )

 

Yes that loop cooling line is for the power steering. Only came on vehicles with the towing package. (I believe)

 

I'm in Phoenix (110+ degree summers are constant). I also sit in rush hour traffic many days. My truck normally operates 1 tick below the halfway mark. At a stoplight or city driving it will get 1-2 ticks above halfway. Towing or having a lot of weight (1k+ lbs) on the rear axle tends to tax the truck a bit more and when hitting an incline I have seen my truck creep up to the top black line. At that point the clutch fan always kicks in and cools the sucker down to below half.

Unfortunately it's a game of cool and heat because when I'm towing the clutch fan will cool it down, then the temp will creep back up in 60 seconds, clutch fan kicks back on, etc.

It has been this way for 3 different 3rd gen daks I have used (3.7l and 4.7l) so I presume it's standard (though I don't like it getting that hot).

 

You sir are correct!

 

Oil lines are behind the radiator

 

I had the same thing happening but when I made my cai it stayed just below the halfway mark even when towing/hauling on flat road and some little hills there in phoenix