2002 van,318. At highway speeds it runs at normal temps. When I turn on the AC, it bumps up to 210 -230. It will stay there even as I get into stop and go town traffic. If I turn off the AC, it'll cool down again.
Is this normal?
It is 90+ here in Texas, and the AC is nice to have. Any ideas?

 

Your radiator is weak. This could be due to build up inside that is clogging off some of the cooling tubes. When is the last time you flushed out the cooling system and replaced the anti-freeze?

 

I've been having the same problem since the temperature in CO has been in the 80's and 90's. I think the primary problem is that the fan doesnt do very much to cool the radiator down at low speeds and at idol. What I'm planning to do to fix the problem is swap out the belt driven fan with an electric fan. This will allow the fan to spin at high speeds no matter how fast the engine is running. It's actually a lot easier to do than it sounds. I've already done it to my 4runner and it was extremely easy and cheap. Here's the link to my 4runner electric fan swap: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...r-100-a-2.html

 

Great ideas, I'll try flushing out the system, it's never been done since I got the van, then go from there.
Thanks
Cheers

 

Are you saying you're the original owner and that AF is over 8 years old?

 

You're confusing the issue, he said the temperature rises at highway speeds. He didn't say anything about idle or low speeds being an issue. Since the fan doesn't do anything over 35 MPH, changing over to an electric fan will do nothing to help solve his problem.

 

I'm not the original owner, bought the van last winter.

 

"At highway speeds it runs at normal temps. When I turn on the AC, it bumps up to 210 -230. It will stay there even as I get into stop and go town traffic. If I turn off the AC, it'll cool down again.
Is this normal?"
Maybe you should have gone back and read his post before you said anything. Installing an electric fan not only allows the fan to run more efficient, but it helps with better gas mileage and more torque to the wheels. Obviously, high temperatures at speeds over 35mph isnt caused by an ineffecient cooling fan, do you think Im an idiot? I actually read his post.

 

I fully understood what he said, "At highway speeds it runs at normal temps. When I turn on the AC, it bumps up to 210 -230."

Meaning that his temperature is fine when cruising down the highway but it starts climbing after turning on the A/C. Since the fan has absolutely no effect on the cooling system at highway speeds, then switching over to an electric fan will in no way ever help with the rising temperature of the cooling system. Therefore, suggesting that a swap over to an electric fan would in some way solve his problem confuses the real issue of him having a weak radiator.

 

Been there, fought that, as Alloro suggested it is the radiator. I chased this problem out last year with my van, it had tendenies to run much hotter than it should. Replaced several things such as the water pump, by pass hose, thermostat while changing out the timing gears, did not solve my problem. Even replaced the fan clutch as it was bad, helped a little in town but nothing on the highway. Radiator was very clean looking but had been cleaned and soldered a year or two before. Turned out the radiator had to many tubes soldered up and on the hotter days with the AC on it could not handle the load. Turned off the AC and it would maintain but not drop the temp. Replaced it and no more problems