Temperature gauge?

Dmnguyen28 · June 21, 2019

2004 Chevy Silverado 3500 6.0L Vortec

Got this truck used. Is this normal temperature? The gauge sometimes goes up and down (just sometimes). It passes the 210 notch one or 2 notches sometimes. Then comes back down to notch before 210. Oh yeah, I have the AC on also. Already replaced the thermostat.

riverbanks · June 21, 2019

Not out of the normal,you thinking maybe do coolant flush,not a bad idea,clear them fins in the radiator

Grumpy Bear · June 21, 2019

Mine ran like that from new. Normal. 160 on that gauge is 110 F actual. The middle one that should be 185 F is 16* ish and 210 is anything between 185 and 215. Sort of a dead zone. That movement is the thermostat opening and closing. More of an idiot light than a real gauge. In my truck anyway.

Dmnguyen28 · June 21, 2019

1 hour ago, riverbanks said:

Not out of the normal,you thinking maybe do coolant flush,not a bad idea,clear them fins in the radiator

Already drained the coolant when I replaced the new thermostat. You saying it's not normal?

Dmnguyen28 · June 21, 2019

51 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Mine ran like that from new. Normal. 160 on that gauge is 110 F actual. The middle one that should be 185 F is 16* ish and 210 is anything between 185 and 215. Sort of a dead zone. That movement is the thermostat opening and closing. More of an idiot light than a real gauge. In my truck anyway.

So this is normal? It goes up and down sometimes

CamGTP · June 21, 2019

Yes, it's normal.

GM has had the cluster read 210 with a stock thermostat for the last 20 years pretty much. If you hook up a scan tool you'd see the coolant temp while moving will be roughly 195 and the gauge shows 210 anyway. It's when the temps creep up to 205-210 does the gauge start to show more than 210.

A moving temp gauge is normal, coolant gets hot, thermostat fully opens and the radiator starts to cool it down. Also either the clutch fan will engage or the low speed fan turns on and cools the temps back down.

Dmnguyen28 · June 24, 2019

So I been searching forums. I have a strong feeling it's my clutch fan. This guy on another forum has very similar problem like mine. He fixed it with a new fan clutch.

https://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/topic/ ... le-idling/

MaverickZ71 · June 25, 2019

Dude, you DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM.

Running 210F or thereabouts is totally normal.

The way GM sets up their instrument panel gages, under normal operating temps and conditions, if the gage indicator needle is pointing straight up or thereabouts, it is normal.

See those 5 longer hash marks on your oil pressure, voltmeter, and coolant temperature gages? Anything within the range of one larger hash mark to the left and one hash mark to the right of straight up is the normal operating range, once the engine's coolant is warm.

And unlike Fords and some other manufacturer's gages, the needles on these GM gages actually move as you drive. That's how you know the gage is working.

Besides, if anything was out of normal operating parameters, you'd get a warning light and chime anyway. So relax. Cheers and enjoy your HD truck.

Dmnguyen28 · July 3, 2019

On 6/25/2019 at 11:57 AM, MaverickZ71 said:

Dude, you DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM.

Running 210F or thereabouts is totally normal.

The way GM sets up their instrument panel gages, under normal operating temps and conditions, if the gage indicator needle is pointing straight up or thereabouts, it is normal.

See those 5 longer hash marks on your oil pressure, voltmeter, and coolant temperature gages? Anything within the range of one larger hash mark to the left and one hash mark to the right of straight up is the normal operating range, once the engine's coolant is warm.

And unlike Fords and some other manufacturer's gages, the needles on these GM gages actually move as you drive. That's how you know the gage is working.

Besides, if anything was out of normal operating parameters, you'd get a warning light and chime anyway. So relax. Cheers and enjoy your HD truck.

Finally got it fixed. It was the clutch fan. I replaced with Hayden Automotive 2786 Premium Fan Clutch and no more slightly overheat and no random warm ac at idle. I knew it wasn't normal.

I'm sorry but those of you that don't know shit, don't give advice to people.

riverbanks · July 3, 2019

Profanity?shit? do you feel better now?good bye

Grumpy Bear · July 3, 2019

4 hours ago, Dmnguyen28 said:

Finally got it fixed. It was the clutch fan. I replaced with Hayden Automotive 2786 Premium Fan Clutch and no more slightly overheat and no random warm ac at idle. I knew it wasn't normal.

I'm sorry but those of you that don't know shit, don't give advice to people.

Up and down doesn't tell anyone anything they could give advise on. They all do it. Evidently yours more than most but you didn't say that, did you?

"Is it normal for the sun to come up"? is a different situation than "Is it normal for the sun to come up in the west"?

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