Radiator

[cumminsgirl]

Took my 93 down the road and back today, came back and the radiator was so hot I could barely touch it. I'm new to this, so my question is, should it get that hot? The third gen's radiator never gets that hot..is this common in the older model?

I really need to get a temp gauge I think

Any ideas or suggestions would be awesome.
It may not be a big deal but Im unsure and I def dont wanna burn the engine down lol

[oldestof11]

Get a gauge. It will tell you exactly what you need to know and then can monitor in the future.

Where did you touch exactly?

[cumminsgirl]

The whole top of the radiator was real hot. Looks like its all been flushed out before. I'm kind of wondering if there isn't an issue with it that was left out of the conversation when I bought it. Test drove it, and then drove in an hour home and didn't have issues with it till now

[Tacoclaw]

Yeah. mine gets way too hot for you to leave your hand on. That's the result of having a metal radiator instead of a plastic one.

[cumminsgirl]

Yeah. mine gets way too hot for you to leave your hand on. That's the result of having a metal radiator instead of a plastic one.

Okay lol that makes me feel a lil better. I just have had a lot of people tell me to watch my temps with this truck, so I'm trying to pay attention to things I take for granted with the 03

[Tacoclaw]

I doubt you'll have too much trouble with the cooling system as long as you're not really working the truck. The autos can bleed heat into the coolant faster than the truck can get rid of it, but you've got to either have a good bit of extra power or be hauling a really heavy load. A good converter should be able to keep that in check a lot better, since the that's where most of the heat is made.

[JustinRhodes]

I doubt you'll have too much trouble with the cooling system as long as you're not really working the truck. The autos can bleed heat into the coolant faster than the truck can get rid of it, but you've got to either have a good bit of extra power or be hauling a really heavy load. A good converter should be able to keep that in check a lot better, since the that's where most of the heat is made.

According to her signature, its a 5 spd

[Tacoclaw]

Well, I can't see sigs in the reply screen and I'm obviously too busy to go back and look at it.

I actually had a comment about that not being as big of a concern with a stick, but figured it'd make me look stupid to have that on there...

Whoops.

[cumminsgirl]

Yeahs its a 5spd lol thanks yall though. I know it seemed like a dumb question but im just tryin to keep it runnin right

[slow_90firebird]

Truck should be running 180 to 190 degrees F. You can check it with a infrared thermometer if you got one.

when people say watch your temps they are usually referring to pre turbo EGTs. Personally I have my ve pump almost maxxed and stock injectors, never got around to installing a pyro gauge... Knock on wood

[cumminsgirl]

My temp gauge doesn't read at all, along with my volt and oil gauges either... idk what the hellss wrong with those...but I don't like not being able to watch my temp

[Tacoclaw]

I'm almost positive there's a fuse specifically for your gauges on that little panel under your steering wheel. If that's not popped, the I'd pull the gauge panel and make sure everything's plugged in back there.

[cumminsgirl]

Okay thanks. Didn't even know where to start..figured I better go post it in electrical lol
I hope its the fuses cause I just put the cluster back in.