Fan Question

[CDenton]

My 2010 DRW has a problem of getting the radiator water temperature up to around 230 degrees when I’m pulling and it has spent her hole life pulling. I cracked a head about a yr ago. When it did I had a new head , water pump, hoses,belt,and thermostat put in her. My question is, is there anyway to lock my fan up full time? I know this might hurt the fuel mileage but I keep her in top service shape with fuel filters, air and oil filters and changes. It does have an automatic transmission and I service it every year along with my differentials. She is pushing 200k. Any help would be appreciated. Also she is 4x4 but I put Geno lock-in and out front hubs to try to help the drag.

 

[C M McCormick]

If it got up to temp before the cracked head I would check the thermostat for starters. Even if it's new it may be stuck open. If it didn't before the cracked head don't know what to tell you. Sorry miss read my bad...

Craig

 

[Ltngdrvr]

230 is not crazy high, but not normal.
When it gets hot, is the fan clutch fully engaging?

 

[Ozymandias]

Consider to change the Fan Hub, it degrades over the years.

 

[AH64ID]

Yes, with some custom tuners you can lock up the fan. That would be much more expensive than a new fan clutch, and that doesn’t count the considerable amount of additional fuel it would take.

Fix the issue, don’t bandaid it.

 

[CDenton]

Yes Sr. The fan clutch is engaging but it doesn’t fully engage till the water temp is about 220. I just put a new thermostat in 3 days ago before I left on this trip. It’s a 200 degree syst. When I get to where I can pull my foot out of it, it will cool back down to 199. I was just wondering if anyone had a way to trick the fan clutch into staying on full time?

 

[Ozymandias]

You don't know how a vistronic-fan works?

There is no need "trick" that system, if it is in top shape your truck will never overheat, no matter how much load you throw onto it.

Your clutch is worn, that's it, it's 11years old and was, according to you, well used during that time. It's time for an exchange.

 

[AH64ID]

I’m sure there is a way to trick it, but not easily. The ECM has rationality checks for the temp sensors you would have to work around.

Not a lot of specs on the 200° thermostat as they were only used for a short time and only by Dodge. But based on what I’ve seen they should crack open around 200°, go full open around 217°, and shouldn’t get much above 225° with a working cooling system. 235° would indicate more severe issues.

I can tell you the temp the fan should fully engage at in a few days, but for an OEM 200° thermostat what you’re reporting isn’t far out of line, but it is a little warm.

Put a new OEM fan clutch in it and call it good, assuming you went with an OEM thermostat. Non-Cummins thermostats are known to not work as well.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Yes Sr. The fan clutch is engaging but it doesn’t fully engage till the water temp is about 220. I just put a new thermostat in 3 days ago before I left on this trip. It’s a 200 degree syst. When I get to where I can pull my foot out of it, it will cool back down to 199. I was just wondering if anyone had a way to trick the fan clutch into staying on full time?

Can't tell you full engagement temp on a 2010, on the 2013-2018 standard engine, it is 217 degrees.

A dealer level scan tool can show the percentage of engagement, the percentage varies depending on temp and load, a/c on, etc.

On my 2015, when it had cooling issues, it turned out to be a fan shroud that failed, the rubber had disintegrated and allowed air to bypass the radiator.

But, I do know the fan shroud is different on the older trucks, so again, can't tell you much about it on your truck.

 

[CDenton]

I got the thermostat from geno’s but I have had Hell with thermostats on this truck. I’m sure that what got my head it was cracked in 9 places. I don’t know how it keep running.
Thanks for y’all’s input.

 

[Ozymandias]

You can also drop in a 190 thermostat, that's what all Cummins have and had except for your MY.
Nobody really knows why Cummins went with that 200t for a year or so.

 

[AH64ID]

You can also drop in a 190 thermostat, that's what all Cummins have and had except for your MY.
Nobody really knows why Cummins went with that 200t for a year or so.

Without modifying the programming for a 190° I wouldn’t. The temp for full engagement is too high for a 190°, especially when towing.

Cummins went with the 200° thermostat to attempt to get slightly better mileage and slightly longer between regens, which it didn’t really do either.