07' H3 Replaced stat with the recent one, ( higher temp I hear).
forget about the idiot gauge, I know about that pc of junk .
im wondering if I have water pump issue.,..
Temp outside 35F-40F , intake temps 42 running & high as 54 at traffic light .
When on highway I'm at 204-206, in city at traffic light I will hit 212-215, soon as I step on pedal it lowers to 204, settles in at 208-210 at 35 mph stop & go . When stopped for 5 minutes I'm up at 219-220. Seems to hold there at idle.

The way it seems to drop so quickly when accelerating, I'm wondering if this could be a bad water pump? Or is this just the H3? Fan clutch seems to be ok, I do not have an E-Fan. ( yet). Im stock.
I'm old school, I don't like seeing 220 lol. Especially in winter. I can only imagine this will go higher in 95 deg weather . The erratic changes have me thinking something may be up??? 12-13 deg drop in seconds when accelerating..

As always thanks for any & all help here .

 

When the T stat was replaced, did you use the correct coolant and fill to the proper level?

Those temps are a bit warm, but an overheat is over 250F.

Have you tried rinsing the radiator to get rid of dirt, road grime, crud....?

 

I let her run about 40 mins, to burp system with cap off using one of those overpriced, yet great , plastic funnels that lock in. Used Dexcool, same type that was in there .
I will have to check the radiator and clean it . I have not done that yet .
What's getting me is how quickly it drops when I leave traffic light. It happens within a few seconds. It's not a gradual drop. Its no more than 4-5 seconds and she's down to 204 . After a minute if driving I'm back at 208 range .

 

The fast drop suggests a bad fan clutch, although that's still a bit high while driving in cold weather. Mine runs 195-205F on the road, even here in SoCal. Only time I've seen mine anywhere near 220F was when I was towing a trailer slowly in a parade during summer (100F outside temps) and running the A/C; turning the A/C off immediately dropped it back down. Mine is an Alpha, not sure if the I5 typically runs hotter.

 

Is it possible the clutch is bad, if it still has resistance? I see some that spin freely, obvious that it is no good. I have no free play in mine, both directions have resistance.
That's a cheap swap, I will try a new one this weekend. It probably the original from factory.

 

If you have done any wheeling where mud/dirty water has hit the radiator, I would clean the radiator before buying any parts.

Rent a clutch fan wrench from Advance Auto, O'Rielly's, Auto Zone to do the swap if that is where you are going (they are free rental with a refundable deposit). Makes it much easier.

 

Swapped out the fan clutch, replaced the noisy tensioner pulley, belt. ( No water pumps in stock...I know....stupid move)
this seems to have lowered the temp, but still have same symptoms. Now with warmer weather as well, it will stay around 200-203 while moving. Once I stop at a red light, it will creep up to 213-215, soon as I accelerate it drops back to 203 within 30 seconds of moving .

( Was told not the water pump, they either work or they don't . Is this true? Can they weaken, without stopping completely? )

​​​​​My guess is I installed a defective t-stat.... Any thoughts? Fan clutch did lower temps a bit, but still have same symptoms. Ruling out radiator because I can raise RPM to 1500 in my driveway and it will drop just as quick as when driving .
t-stat was a bitch.... Hate to relive that one! But I'm thinking that may be my issue . Can it be an air pocket?
As always, thanks for any info .

 

What ever you do, be sure to add one ounce of PURPLE ICE per quart of coolant. It will keep your system corrosion free and drop your temp by several degrees! And no, I don't have any ROYAL PURPLE stock. Good luck.

 

If you have the 195 tstat, thats the temp it starts to open at (should be fully open at 205*) so you shouldnt expect any temps lower than that (after your truck is warmed up offcourse). At idle your airflow is at a minimum so its normal for the temps to creap up esp with a/c putting hot air infront of the radiator.
A front electric fan can help alot at idle if you dont like it going up. But dont expect it to go below 195*.
For comparison, LS engines stock fans turn on at 225* low speed and 235* high speed. Its all about emissions

 

I use it on all of my vehicles. Thanks man. I agree, it does help!! Good stuff . Seems to be better than other brands I have tried .