High Temp?

[Rick 2011 SSV]

I am new to this forum and I have a question about my Tahoe I bought last fall. I have a 2011 Tahoe SSV (ex border patrol SUV). What is the normal operating temp? Mine runs about 215 degrees. So far I have put in a new radiator, 180 thermostat, both fans, temp sensor. I even tried a additive (wetter water) and also drilled a 1/8 hole in the thermostat. Nothing has changed. Gets up to 215 and stays there. I believe that’s a little to warm. Any ideas about what to do next? HELP!

 

[kbuskill]

I am new to this forum and I have a question about my Tahoe I bought last fall. I have a 2011 Tahoe SSV (ex border patrol SUV). What is the normal operating temp? Mine runs about 215 degrees. So far I have put in a new radiator, 180 thermostat, both fans, temp sensor. I even tried a additive (wetter water) and also drilled a 1/8 hole in the thermostat. Nothing has changed. Gets up to 215 and stays there. I believe that’s a little to warm. Any ideas about what to do next? HELP!

Are you getting your 215° temperature reading from the gauge on the dash or from an OBD2 source?

The reason I ask is the gauge in my '08 Suburban shows 210° (dead center of the gauge)...

BUT...

Looking at the temperature through the torque pro app via OBD2 shows the actual temperature at 192°.

I have heard that GM purposefully made the gauges read in the center because that is what "people" expect to see.

 

[swathdiver]

I am new to this forum and I have a question about my Tahoe I bought last fall. I have a 2011 Tahoe SSV (ex border patrol SUV). What is the normal operating temp? Mine runs about 215 degrees. So far I have put in a new radiator, 180 thermostat, both fans, temp sensor. I even tried a additive (wetter water) and also drilled a 1/8 hole in the thermostat. Nothing has changed. Gets up to 215 and stays there. I believe that’s a little to warm. Any ideas about what to do next? HELP!

What Ken said! Change thermostat back to a stock one with no holes, new 50/50 Dexcool without additives and she'll run in the 190s in all but the more extreme situations.

 

[Rick 2011 SSV]

Are you getting your 215° temperature reading from the gauge on the dash or from an OBD2 source?

The reason I ask is the gauge in my '08 Suburban shows 210° (dead center of the gauge)...

BUT...

Looking at the temperature through the torque pro app via OBD2 shows the actual temperature at 192°.

I have heard that GM purposefully made the gauges read in the center because that is what "people" expect to see.

That is on the gauge. I haven’t hooked up a scanner yet.

 

[kbuskill]

That is on the gauge. I haven’t hooked up a scanner yet.

If you have access to an OBD2 dongle like an ELM327 and the torque pro app you can monitor it while driving.

I would be interested to see what kind of difference the lower stat and water wetter have on the actual temperature.

 

[Rick 2011 SSV]

Even with all the things l did it still reads 215 at the gauge. So I took a Milwaukee later temp gun and held it about 3” from the thermostat houseing and it read 184. I’m going to chalk it up that the gauge is wrong.

 

[kbuskill]

Even with all the things l did it still reads 215 at the gauge. So I took a Milwaukee later temp gun and held it about 3” from the thermostat houseing and it read 184. I’m going to chalk it up that the gauge is wrong.

Not necessarily "wrong" per se... just programmed to be inaccurate, on purpose... lol

Check out this post to see what I mean...

https://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/2014-tahoe-over-heating-on-grades-or-is-it.105315/

 

[swathdiver]

Not necessarily "wrong" per se... just programmed to be inaccurate, on purpose... lol

Right before all these questions came up I had read GMs thinking on why they did that to the gauge, basically to have it stable unless something was wrong. They also didn't want people getting scared and running to the dealer. I get it but it's not for car guys, it's done so as not to alarm the ignorant.