Loosing Coolant Part II

Depending on your location, there could be a dust build up. I have deal with this constantly in the near-desert conditions here. I usually turn the fan on, and run a garden hose down the intercooler so the water gets drawn through. It amazes me how much dirt comes out of a supposedly clean radiator.
Another issue may be the temp gauge itself, or it's sensor. 255 is really high, I take action if it heads over 230. I would use a non contact pyrometer to measure the actual temp of the thermostat housing. Harbor Freight has some fairly accurate models they sell as "laser thermometers" for under $40.

 

Thanks for that tip. Never tried that

 

The computer read the information the ECM gets the history can be looked at, and it will show max tempatures, or the shop can give you a data recorder and when the truck gets to 255 you touck the button and it will record the paramaters.
The clean the rad I would use the preasure washer, with the fan on manual and the engine at 1200 RPM spray the soap solution straight threw the rad and I mean straight do it from the top to the bottom in a three pattern. Then do it again with water to flush doing it the same way.
Just a thought!

 

A pressure washer can bend the fins over, making the problem worse. It's nearly impossible to get direct head on to the radiator without removing stuff.

 

Good points, what I will do is remove the intercooler and attack the fins str8 on. I had tried with the pressure washer in the past but was not able to be effective. I could not get a str8 shot.

 

I'd verify that it actually is hitting 255 ..it may be a gauge and fan sensor isn't getting hot enough to turn on .. If you have a oil temp gauge is it that high as well if not I'd suspect a faulty gauge .. Unless you took shutdown safeties out of ecm engine should shut down before 255 unless. Gauge is bad and it actually only 190 or so

 

I bought the truck used and I am not aware of any settings being disabled. I have been watching the gauge and manually turning the fan on in anticipation of a temp spike for example on hills or traffic. Sometimes temp comes down other times not. I will keep an eye on oil temp to compare. i was thinking to install a manual old school gauge just to compare. I am not loosing any fluids and not seeing oil in coolant nor coolant in oil so I would love to rule out head gasket, but with my luck that,s what it will be. Just does not make sense but, hey. I get from PA to FL. then to GA on to OH over to PA. with the gauge spiking on me occasionally. Most of the time it stays at 190 cruising. Confusing

 

Update on my temp issues. I cleaned the fins on my radiator using my pressure washer and the temp has been very stable ever since. I modified the handle on my pressure washer to make it a stubby with no wand, so i could get directly in front of the radiator. I started the truck and turned the fan, then bumped up the rpm's then went to town. I used the white pressure washer nozzle which is more of a wide fan, so as not to damage the fins of the radiator. A lot of dirt came out, more than I expected. Thanks for the input