Bug Screen in Front of the Radiator

[WyoJim]

Coming back to Wyoming from PA with the slide in on the outside temperature got up to 93 degrees in Iowa.

At 65 mph on the Cruise Control the transmission gauge was at 175 degrees and the engine was running at 190 degrees. A little High.

I thought now would be a good time to remove the bug screen and see if it resticts the air very much.

I stopped at the next road side rest and removed the aluminum door screen I had in front of the radiator and left it off the rest of the day.

The temperatures did not drop one bit. They ran exactly the same as with it on, so I will run with my bug screen on always!!!

 

[RustyJC]

Oh, Boy!!

Jim,



Dang, ya done gone and done it now!! This always turns into a transmission/Amsoil type manure-slingin' contest. Guess I better get the La-Z-Boy pulled up here and find the Fritos and queso sauce.



Rusty

 

[Okie-Go]

I told a guy the other day at a rest area that was letting his truck cool off it is running hot with the bug screen he has more troubles than the screen. The screen could not block enough air to make engine run warmer. I reckon this proves my theory.

 

[claymike]

I have been towing with a bug screen on for years never have had any problems.



Mike

 

[Bob Wagner]

Look who else came over to the darkside

C-Man the anti-screen nazi has changed his outlook too.



#ad
















Bug Screens Rule

 

[BK]

great thread

thanks guys. . it's been one of those things bouncing in my head (like all the other voices) and I've wondered what the effects would have been. When traveling through upstate, and it's the worst in May, the radiator and windshield gets full of the newly hatched insects of all types.

Now I know. . no issues and worth the slight effort.



-Bob

 

[drawson]

The day I brought my truck I put a SS screen in front the the intercooler/ A/C condenser and with 125K my rad, intercooler, and A/C condenser is still like new the fin aren't bent from bugs rocks. The only problem getting hot I have ever had was after following a loaded hay truck and having the screen get completely clogged. Had I not had the screen it would have been fare worse.

 

[TowPro]

thanks for reminding me, I been going to add one. This time of year I start making weekend trips up to Crossfork, pa. Its about a 4 hour ride, with about 2 of those hours being along side the Susquahana river. I have seen bug hatches off that river so bad I thought it was snowing ! (for your fly fishermen I think its a White Dunn)



Never thought of just finding the correct window screen with frame, Thanks!

 

[B.G. Smith]

Buggy

Jim, Pull your thermostat out and inspect it, the early 24 valve trucks had a batch of bad thermostats that the rubber came loose on the valve and restricted the water flow. Run fine till you load it up then higher temps. bg

 

[Jumbo Jet]

The day I brought my truck I put a SS screen in front

I did the exact thing too!



I've only logged 42k miles, but I could not imagine the debris (bug parts) that would have already stopped everything up.



About once a week, I take a brush to the screen to clean it. I use a stiff paint brush. The two lower openings have allowed some rather large bugs to splatter. The grill normally does a pretty good job of mincing the bug parts first.



Temperature was 95-97 yesterday as I was towing on I-40 between Fayetteville and Little Rock. Only time truck went over 190 was when I was climbing a steep hill. Fan would kick in with a roar and then cool right back down below 190.



Empty at 70-75mph, fan never kicked in at all.

 

[hammersley]

Bad Theromostat?

Does anybody know which serial # of rigs had the bad thermostat for the 24 valvers.

 

[claymike]

I know the 98. 5 trucks had a problem, I had one and it ran fine until I would pull with a load on.



Mike

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

500 miles on my new truck - cut out a piece of screen yesterday and installed it in front of the radiator... Sure is sweet the way the grille is attached to the hood, and lets you get right to the exposed radiator area for service...

 

[BK]

I had heard that the 99's probably had bad thermostates. I read a few posts from guys saying that the variations they had were solved by replacing the thermostate and that when they uncover the thermostate it was in peices...



Did mine this weekend. . it was perfect and my temps still seems to act the same. my replacement was from Genos, branded and marked and boxes Cummins.



What was in mine from the factory was an exact looking clone of what was from genos.

 

[TowPro]

My 98. 5 thermo went bad the 2nd summer I owned it.



I threw it in a pot of hot water on the stove, it hit 195 deg and it only opened 1/2 way. The brand new one in the pot next to it worked fine. No problem since. (as preventive maintaince I got a new one to throw in this week)

 

[B.G. Smith]

Engine serial #

Hammersly, the bad thermostats were supposed to be in engines with serial numbers of 56512007 or below. bg

 

[illflem]

Don't see how a screen can raise temps, I still haven't put my fan back on after removing for the winter. Couple of weeks ago pulling a 7000 ft pass, 94° outside, noticed my coolant temp climbing over 190°. Pulled over and removed the winter front, everything back to normal. Going to see if I can make it all summer without the fan.

 

[radar doctor]

SCREEN WIRE

Can anyone tell me if there is a screen out there on the market or do i have to make one ? TKS

 

[hammersley]

Thanks for all the gata

Hey folks - BG et al - thanks a lot for the data on the Thermostat.....

 

[Joel Richards]

I got mine through 4-Wheel Parts here in Denver. It came with a bug-screen and a winter "blanket". I'll get the manufacturer and P/N tomorrow and post here. .



Joel