Typical engine temperature?

[bmax1985]

While driving home from work I noticed the temp gauge was a bit higher than I've seen. To be fair it's the first warm day since I've owned my '97. Engine is 5.2 L. Only odd thing about the cooling system that I've seen is that there's two ports on the passenger side where I assume transmission lines would go. There's nothing on them and trans runs through trans cooler only.

Temp dial split the second 0 in the 200 mark today. I'd estimate that's 210 to 215? Is that normal?

I haven't flushed coolant system but it is flowing. Heat works fine and there's plenty of fluid. Fan on the engine of course spins too.

 

[Dave2018]

Yes, heavy duty cooling has an internal radiator and an external trans oil cooler. Most replacement radiators don't have the proper plumbing to use the internal transcooler so you just bypass it to the external trans cooler out front.

I've got a 180 termostat in mine and it generally just gets about 1/4 the way up on the low side of the mid mark on the coolent temperature gauge. I think it is supposed to have a 192 thermostat. About 1/2 way should be 'normal' if you have the factory thermostat. Works great most of the year, but I miss not having a higher rated thermostat in the cold months. It takes a lot longer to get any warm air.

 

[dapepper9]

Most factory trucks came with the trans cooler integrater into the radiator. Replacements only come this way. However, there were options to have an external cooler (vastly preferred) and never go through the radiator. My truck is one in fact. These trucks the radiator had no extra fittings.

It sounds like somebody either added an external trans cooler or replaced the radiator at some point.

200 degrees isn't a huge deal. However, if you want some extra security you can drain and replace the coolant (which nobody ever does so it's probably a good idea) and drop in a 180 or 185 thermostat.

 

[Yeret]

I'm currently running a 195-degree thermostat. Never goes above that, even during humid, 90+ degree days. In my case, I tore out all the AC stuff, including the condenser, so the radiator is nice and exposed to airflow coming in. In the winter, I've got a cover constructed out of three sheets of plexi-glass, which I found lying around the barn, and duct tape. I just slide it in front of the radiator and my operating temperature increased much closer to normal (I was running 180- without it).