normal operating temp

[denali99]

I just got my 99 denali less than a week ago and when i first got it the temp was between 100 and the quarter mark, so i figured the t-stat was stuck open. I replaced the t-stat with a 195 deg one, but now the will creep up to just under 210 then come right down to the quarter mark and stays there all the time. I also replaced the rad cap at the same time. is this normal in colder weather?(about 45F deg during the day) or do i have another problem?

 

[Bad bow tie]

I have a 195 in mine and it stays right below 210 degrees when the engine is warm and it won't move.

 

[black95]

check coolant level mine did the same but the coolant was a little low , i had a 195

 

[denali99]

coolant was a little low, I filled it but still same thing. temp is a lil over the 1/4 mark.

 

[TheBeast99]

ya my Yukon when i got it would go up to right in between 160 and 210 and stay right there.
then my intake manifold gasket blew...
got that fixed.
now my temp ever so SLOWLY goes up to like 215 and then drops down to about 160 in a matter of 7 seconds. from that point on it'll bounce between 160 and about 180.

i don't understand what's going on now, but just the fact that it goes up to 210 and a little past just freaks me out.
i mean does the water pump like kick into high gear or something once it reaches that temp or something?

 

[bluebear15]

ya my temp was creeping up to a tick over 210 then would drop down to the 195 area so i figured the t-stat was going bad so i replaced it. well less than a week later it went back up to a tick over 210. is this normal for these engines to run hot?

 

[992door]

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6302

Mine runs about 155 or so

 

[TheBeast99]

well like i said for mine, it warms up to 215 then drops to 150 in about 30 seconds. it's so weird. and thermostats don't exactly come bulk in bad batches, would they? cuz the 'stat is a month old

i'd say that ~180, give or take a little is a good norm. i'm saying this because i was driving my friend's Cobalt yesterday, and with the digital info center it'll tell you the exact temp, and the norm for that 4-banger was settling on about 180.
i'd give a comparison to my old car, but the temp gauge didn't have numbers - just C for cold and H for hot - too ******** simplistic.
and the old Jimmy with a 305 ran at 180...

 

[04SS99Denali]

mine operates a line above that the big solid bar between 210 and 100 i think thats 155?

 

[ChrisInWI]

I could be wrong (my wife says that I usually am), but isn't there a coolant temp sensor that provides the info that the gauge reads out? Could those sensors or the gauge dial on the dash be tempermental with age more likely than everyone's new 'stats not doing that they're supposed to be? Just a thought. And for they guy wondering about a high gear on the water pump, no they just run off the serpentine belt and follow the rpms of the engine up and down (but faster I believe as the WP pulley is smaller than the crank pulley i.e. ratio).

 

[TheBeast99]

ok, i was just curious if the pump was still mechanical too

to see if my gauge was anywhere near correct, i was thinking this might help -
http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=203072829&c=10112

i was thinking of buying one not just to check temps, but for all the other stuff it does too! and i can either leave it right on my dash, or stash it in the center console when i think someone might jack it from my truck...

 

[ChrisInWI]

ok, i was just curious if the pump was still mechanical too

to see if my gauge was anywhere near correct, i was thinking this might help -
http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=203072829&c=10112

i was thinking of buying one not just to check temps, but for all the other stuff it does too! and i can either leave it right on my dash, or stash it in the center console when i think someone might jack it from my truck...

Umm, yeah.....stash it in your center console....umm where do you live again?!?!

 

[fyremanpat]

its possible to have a bad thermostat..even though its new.

 

[blueflamed03]

if you have a 195, it will go up to 210, maybe a tad more, then it should open up and lower back down to 195-200, but that's normal.

 

[riviera rider]

i just noticed mine goes up to damn near 250 mark before it finally drops down to like 130, what is wrong?

 

[blueflamed03]

does it stay at 130??

 

[fyremanpat]

if its going all the way to 250 and dropping down thats your thermostat.

 

[Grebbler]

Wonder if a hose is collapsing. When a temp meter fluctuates is gonna be the meter, sender, T-stat, fan clutch / E-fan, or air pockets going by the sensor (low coolant).

Make sure the heater is on, both front and rear, before topping the coolant off.

I read somewhere that an air bubble can be a ***** to get out of these trucks, sometimes.

I hope it's something simple - and cheap.

 

[riviera rider]

ya well im going to change my thermostat and see if it fixes it, if not im gonna see if theres a sensor bad somewhere maybe

but ya it stays below 150 i know that for sure, but yes it definetly everytime hits around the 250 mark and takes for ever to get the heat blowing in the truck

 

[blueflamed03]

sounds like a bad Tstat.