tempature problem?

[MUDDING B-3000]

ok well about 3 weeks ago my brother took my truck (94 mazda b3000 4x4) camping an the rad happend to blow up so he got it towed home an i went an about 5 days ago i bought a new dual core explorer rad for it. an me an my dad filled the rad an up ran it threw the motor an everything getting it up to tempature. i havnt done any long drive over maybe 5 min max in the truck till the past two days i had to drive it longer an the temp gauge never went over 130 - 140 degrees F.

i have an aftermarket gauge an it starts a 130 usually my truck will run around 180 - 190 but its never gotten over 140..

what could be the problem?

 

[graff104]

Sounds to me like the t stat is stuck open.

 

[MUDDING B-3000]

well me an my dad just went to look at it an had the thermomator in the rad an ran it up to 180 an the temp gauge still said 130 but then suddenly the gauge jumped up to 190 an the collant temp went to that an now its working fine so i think the gauge was sticky an wasnt moving but it seems to be working fine now.

 

[Roadkill]

That gauge is a sealed unit. The hose from the sender to the gauge MUST NOT be kinked or else it will not read properly. You probably had a kink in the line or a bubble in the heater hose that wasn't allowing the coolant to flow across the sender.

 

[MUDDING B-3000]

ok thanks

 

[mixwell]

I would say ask what kinda T stat.. Some are rated higher (mine personally doesn't open until 180) Maybe they put in t stat that doesn't open until 180 or 190 ?? Regardless should be an easy fix.. I used to have a t stat that opened at 160 but replaced it with a fail safe one but I would at least ask that 1st before swapping parts.

 

[MUDDING B-3000]

ya it ended up being my t stat it had a fail safe at like 195 so it made it stay open so i replaced it an its all good now thanks for the help

 

[Roadkill]

Those fail safe t-stats are handy but the bug the crap out of me. LOL I prefer the old style. Had more "fail safe" ones fail on me than the original types. Never overheated an engine yet with the normal style either.