running cool.

[dazedandconfused]

I'm pretty sure my thermostat is stuck open. I drove it around for about 2 hours today and pulled my radiator cap off and stuck my finger in the radiator and it was barely luke warn. I did this after feeling the hoses.

[PToombs]

Start it up and see if the water is circulating.

[dazedandconfused]

I did it while it was running and it wasn't circulating which I thought was strange. I pulled over off the interstate ramp after a 9 mile 80+ mph run flogging on it and it wasn't hot. Never hear the fan engage either. My temp sensor is broke but as hard as I was running it there should have been some heat.

[oldestof11]

How does the head behind the rear valve cover feel?

[dazedandconfused]

Never felt it. The antifreeze was warm as tap water and has been everytime I've checked. I'm gonna pull it apart and replace the thermostat.

[ahale2772]

thats how mine feels too, engine is honestly not getting hot. FWIW my headgasket had all sorts of goo on the small water passages, almost plugged.

need to flush system...

[dazedandconfused]

Yeah I flushed mine 4 times when I first put it together to try and avoid this issue. While my truck was in pieces I flushed and cleaned everything.

[ahale2772]

Now have the colling fan off the truck, replaced the temp guage and sender, piece of cardboard completly blocking off the radiator. took a ride yesteady (30* day), bout 25min on the highway, temps never got over 165

[Hansen01]

mine only gets up to about 170 in the winter time, with the radiator blocked by cardboard, workin now on some stainless steal winterfronts for all my short trips:D