Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Should it take a LONG time for the coolant temp gauge to move when cold?

[VIPERBLUELX]

Now that's it's starting to get cold outside in the mornings I've noticed it takes about 10 miles of driving before my coolant temp gauge moves off the far left marker (140). Once I've been driving 10+ miles it will move on up to the 1st mark but it never gets any higher and I don't ever have really good heat. The coolant is full and I blocked half the radiator with a piece of cardboard but that didn't seem to help. Should I swap the thermostat?

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Depending on how cold, it could take that long. Sounds like you need to order a winter front from Geno's...

 

[MCharlebois]

sounds like something is wrong,i have heat after a couple miles and will melt me out of the truck... . do not know

marcel

 

[NoSeeUm]

My truck takes about that long.



Jim

 

[VIPERBLUELX]

I'm not talking extreme cold either, like 35-45 degrees in the mornings.

 

[CLamb]

It should warm up farther than that. But the time it takes to get off the peg sounds OK. I only work 6 miles from home so when its cold I drive my jeep lol. It is blowing warm air . 5 miles from home. My Truck doesn't really get warm until I pull into my spot at work.

 

[jwilliams3]

Sounds like your truck has a case of the normals...

 

[isb360]

Normal... especially if you a) aren't plugging it in, and b) your first ten miles are light throttle stop and go, or smooth flat road or downhill. Mine warms up faster depending on which way I take to get to the highway because one way there is no hill and other way there is. Motoring up the hill works the engine a bit more and helps it warm up more quickly.



If you think it moves slow now... wait till Feb

 

[SKargo]

My temp gauge moves within a mile, and by 3 miles it's toasty.



My drive to work is 3 miles though, and soon to be 1 mile

 

[isb360]

After you plug it in, right?



And I hope you're taking that baby on some drives longer than 3mi one way to properly clear her throat

 

[Cummins Thunder]

I plug mine in even if its just in the 50s. The truck starts like its 90f outside, and warms up very fast. You are doing the motor a huge favor by using the block heater.

 

[Murle]

Your thermostat is hung open... . Happen to my buddies truck. Put in new thermostat and it work right now.

 

[SKargo]

After you plug it in, right?



And I hope you're taking that baby on some drives longer than 3mi one way to properly clear her throat

Oh I take her on some romps, just about daily.



To be honest, i never plugged it in at all last year. We've been in a rental since we sold our old property, and while we built our house. It was just inconvenient to plug it in.

Heck, I work at a dealer and we are mainly a truck dealer and even covered in ice, during frigid temps, they start right up.



That being said, I'll plug mine in on a timer at the new digs.

 

[johncameron]

If I plugged mine in when it gets into the 50's it would be plugged in 10 months of the year! I dont even think of plugging mine in until around -20F. Even then it starts no problem. since I got it it hasn't let me down once in the winter and it has seen a few -40 mornings without being plugged in.



John

I plug mine in even if its just in the 50s. The truck starts like its 90f outside, and warms up very fast. You are doing the motor a huge favor by using the block heater.

 

[cojhl2]

Gotta remember this:



1)Diesels take in a complete charge of cold air on every cycle, unlike a gas engine which partially fills the chamber. Therefore a lot of heat is transferred out of the engine just due to air flow through it.



2)Again unlike a gas engine diesels do not work against themselves . A gas engine has to work against a vacum for each complete cycle. (During warmup idle)



3)Diesels are mainly huge castings that by themselves absorb a lot more heat than the typical gas engine.



All that being said there could still be a thermostat issue. You usually can determine that by watching the gauge. If it drops quickly when you remove power requirements then it is prob stuck open.



Also, many times I run diesels in the winter with the radiator completely blocked off with cardboard. There is enough leakage about to keep the engine normalized.



I usually let the engine run for at least 15mins before putting it to work when it's cold. On big trucks we do the same even in moderate cool temps.



In my opinion it is silly to have these big engines to run a few miles back and forth.

 

[JStrasser]

... ... Also, many times I run diesels in the winter with the radiator completely blocked off with cardboard. There is enough leakage about to keep the engine normalized.....

I have run our '06 for the last month with nearly the entire radiator blocked off- placing a reinforced foil sheet directly in front of the radiator, behind the intercooler/ a/c condenser. Keep watching the temp gauge and it just goes up to normal quicker but doesn't go over. That has been OK temperature wise up to 50 degrees.

 

[SKargo]

In my opinion it is silly to have these big engines to run a few miles back and forth.

Really? I do it, and so do some diesel techs here. In fact, one tech drives his 1994 that he bought new, 1 mile to work each day. He's approaching 300K miles so we do NOT think it's "silly" at all.



Him, like me, pull trailers often too though.

 

[magaliasram]

I just went through this with my truck. Couldn't get it to warm up for beans. The comment about the thermostat being stuck open is partially correct. I found that the Thermostat doesn't actually stick open, rather the iner seal deteriorates and the flow of water is not interupted at the Thermostat. I replaced the thermostat and what do you know I am now back to my normal toasty truck. I run about one needle width below the 190 mark. Check the thermostat I will bet the seal around the inside of the valve is shot.

 

[Jim Brewer]

Just for extra data . . this is what my stock thermostat looked like when I pulled it out a couple years ago. I have no idea what caused this other than maybe pulling some RPM while it was closed. The new one has been working fine . .



#ad

 

[VIPERBLUELX]

I replaced the thermostat and the gauge was already moving after only 1 mile of driving. It's got good heat now and sits right on 190.