07 Feb 08, 11:36 pm
I'm sure Kevin can answer this one, but please feel free to chime in.
I am trying to get my 1987 Chevy 1/2 ton ready for my son to drive. Everything operates well, but the engine doesn't heat up much when it's really cold. I haven't driven older vehicles in awhile, but I don't remember them being so cold blooded.
I installed a 195* thermostat earlier this summer. I operated fine and I could see the thermostat open up at about 195*. Once it started getting cold this winter, the truck would run about 150* even when parked. I put some cardboard in front of the radiator, but it didn't seem to help. I think the thermostat was sticking open, so I changed the thermostat again. The thermostat opened at about 195* as it should and the heater seemed to blow fairly hot air. Now at -40* the engine temp may be only getting to 150* when parked and about 135* when driving. Not very warm in the cab either. I don't want to believe the thermostat is sticking open again. Any suggestions? I was thinking of putting some pipe insulation on the heater core hoses since these are fairly long and could be losing a fair amount of heat in the system.
By the way, the truck has a after-market flex-fan and not a clutch type fan. Could the flex fan be moving too much air cooling the system? Do you think a clutch fan would work better in the cold?
If I need to replace the thermostat again, I may go with a 205* thermostat. The guy at NAPA said he did not recommend these with computer controlled vehicles because the higher temps may be misinterpeted by the computer as an overtemp condition. My 1987 truck is the first year of TBI fuel injection, I don't know is the computer is complex enough that a 205* thermostat will affect it
I am trying to get my 1987 Chevy 1/2 ton ready for my son to drive. Everything operates well, but the engine doesn't heat up much when it's really cold. I haven't driven older vehicles in awhile, but I don't remember them being so cold blooded.
I installed a 195* thermostat earlier this summer. I operated fine and I could see the thermostat open up at about 195*. Once it started getting cold this winter, the truck would run about 150* even when parked. I put some cardboard in front of the radiator, but it didn't seem to help. I think the thermostat was sticking open, so I changed the thermostat again. The thermostat opened at about 195* as it should and the heater seemed to blow fairly hot air. Now at -40* the engine temp may be only getting to 150* when parked and about 135* when driving. Not very warm in the cab either. I don't want to believe the thermostat is sticking open again. Any suggestions? I was thinking of putting some pipe insulation on the heater core hoses since these are fairly long and could be losing a fair amount of heat in the system.
By the way, the truck has a after-market flex-fan and not a clutch type fan. Could the flex fan be moving too much air cooling the system? Do you think a clutch fan would work better in the cold?
If I need to replace the thermostat again, I may go with a 205* thermostat. The guy at NAPA said he did not recommend these with computer controlled vehicles because the higher temps may be misinterpeted by the computer as an overtemp condition. My 1987 truck is the first year of TBI fuel injection, I don't know is the computer is complex enough that a 205* thermostat will affect it
![[-]](http://www.arcticoffroad.com/images/collapse.png)