Is my engine running too hot?

[Acesneights]

Mine will get that hot climing long grades but level im fine.

[Acesneights]

It is 94 and humid here today so I took a couple shots on mine for a reference. I had 201f at the top of the rad and 174f at the bottom.\nRad is doing it's job. I was about half on the temp gauge running about 60 mph down the highway. It climbed on the long pulls .

[77Travco]

Thanks for doing that! I haven't had a chance to check mine out yet but that is very useful information for me.\nIt only got up to 92 here today.

[77Travco]

I was not able to find anyone with a hand held temperature gun so I went to plan B. I took a hand held thermometer and held it to both upper and lower radiator hoses. I can see a 20 - 25 degree difference from top to bottom so I believe the radiator is ok.\nI also checked the exhaust to be free flowing and it is fine.\n\nI am now back to the water pump. When I installed the "GMB 120-1200" water pump from Advance auto parts, I just told them that it was for a 440 in a 1-ton truck. I have since found pictures of other 440 water pumps (see pic's below). So now I am thinking that I have the wrong water pump... \n\nI would love to hear from anyone that has a cooler running 440-3... what water pump are you using ?

[77Travco]

For anyone that may be interested... This is a link to a very informative thread on water pump comparisons on a Dodge site. \nIt gets good at reply # 191 from a guy with an FMC motorhome.\n\nhttp://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=60599.175

[77Travco]

I replaced my GMB 120-1200 water pump with a Summit "high volume" unit and it made no difference at all. The engine still runs 210 - 220 going down the road.\nThe pump on the left is the GMB and the pump on the right is the Summit. I also installed a Mr Gasket 16lb radiator cap with a built in temperature guage... so now I have 3 temp gauges.

[77Travco]

I just noticed that the Mr Gasket radiator cap guage is reading about 15 degrees cooler than my Sun-pro aftermarket dash guage... hmmm.\n Since the factory thermostat was a 185, I think that I will go back with a 180 unit... maybe the 160 and/or open unit is not letting the water spend enough time in the radiator getting cooled before returning to the engine?\nI just ordered a VDO water temp guage and a Miloden high flow 180 thermostat from Summit Racing... will post results when I get them installed next week.

[Acesneights]

Sorry been away. The first water pump you installed looks like the one I used. Sunpro is the bottom end of gauges. I would use either VDO, Autometer or Stewart Warner. The temp rating on the thermostat means nothing in hot weather because the engine will usually exceed the lower temp ones anyway.\nie: if you have a 160 Tstat all that means is it opens at 160. The engine can still run way over 160 in hot weather. There defintely needs to be restriction or the coolant will circulate too fast to absorb or displace heat.\nYou could try Waterwetter additive. I use it in my diesels and was going to add some to the Travco after the next coolant flush. I am still seeing crap stopleak residue in mine. This clown that put the stuff in mine must have really loaded it up.when you hit 210 according to your guage is your engine fan clutch kicking in ?\nIt should. I just towed 3,000 lb trailer with mine in 94+ humid heat this weekend. The only time I ran hot was idling with the a/c on.\n\nworth every penny I paid for mine. I can even use it to check tire temps at the rest stops.\nhttp://www.harborfreight.com/non-contact-infra ... 60725.html

[Acesneights]

Another thing that can cause overheating is a bad headgasket. When your engine is ice cold start it up and immediatly grab the upper hose. If it is rock hard with pressure while engine is cold your headgasket is leaking into the coolant.

[Acesneights]

Another possiblity is the heat riser in the pass side exhaust manifold if you still have one. Those manifolds tend to crakc and the aftermarket ones dont have it but if you do it is is stuck partially closed you'll get hot real fast. check it for freely moving and also that the thermospring is opening it.