98 B2500 New Owner

[rrainey]

Hey guys I purchased a 98 B2500(manual) w/150K on it. It runs great but Im getting ready to take it on 1000 mile(round trip) ride for Christmas. Im getting ready to do a tune up but I have a few concerns and wanted some input from the experts(you guys).

1. It only gets 18mpg mixed driving. On the highway it takes a 1/4 gallon to go 50 miles (regular gas average 70-75mph) And it seems to have a slight hesitation under load ex. If Im going up a hill in 5th gear at 30 mph.

2. My temp gauge wont go above the cold mark EVER. Like when Im sitting idle or driving, most times it barely moves but when idle it wont go above cold. Is this normal?

Any help would be appreciated guys. Thanks.

 

[Earl43P]

Welcome to The Ranger Station!


Uphill in 5th gear at 30 mph is foolishness.


Try installing a new thermostat. While you are at it, run a can of SuperFlush through it beforehand, follow the directions on the bottle. Also recommend you flush the heater core out with a garden hose in both directions. If a new thermostat doesn't make it run at the proper temp, you may have a failed fan clutch.

The thermostat job is not a typical thermostat installation. It's not THAT hard, but is considerably harder than what you might expect. Use the stock 195 degree, no lower.