7.3L temp

[Stankfanger]

I've bought an 97 and noticed the the temp gauge doesn't move much off of cold...At highway speeds it moves at little more. I'm not sure if it's missing a thermostate and was wondering what temps do they run at and does your gauge move more?

[1Dieselman]

These engines where made to run at 203*. That being said if you just bought the truck and know nothing about it's past I would just change out the thermostat and coolant and be done with it. The other thing is where do you live, is it really cold there? If it has a 180* thermostat in it I don't think you gauge will show much more unless if you load the truck heavy or tow something heavy since the cooling systems on these trucks are very efficient. With the 203* thermostat in mine the gauge usually sits around the "o".

[jesilvas]

I'd replace the thermostat. Probably stuck open. I'd put either a normal OEM one or the Dieselsite 203*F thermo.

[Stankfanger]

Thanks guys, I'll just do that.... I live in Fl.

[dcaddy]

I have a hard time hitting 190 in the summer and that's with a new 203 thermostat.


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[jesilvas]

The 7.3 cooling system is just very efficient.
I was out yesterday and I got it up to 194-195*F with A/C on, doing around 1900-2000 RPMs, at about 63*F ambient temp. A lot of the time it'll sit around 180*F with cooler temps where no A/C is needed.
It's been hard for me to hit much over 200*F, and that was with a travel trailer, doing about 2200RPM at around 40*F.

[Stankfanger]

You guys using fully formulated or extended life coolant?

[1Dieselman]

Myself I use prestone 50/50 with napa cool to keep the sca's up because that is what's easily available around here.

[ol_Blue97]

CAT coolant is the highly desired coolant if you can get it around where you live

[Stankfanger]

New stat and flushed the system... Life is good now.