M1009 Not warming up in cold temperatures. Help!

[dduncan]

Ok guys, I live near Dayton, Ohio. Right now the temps around here are dropping. It seems like the colder the temps are outside the colder the truck runs. Two days ago, it was about 35 degrees outside and my temp gauge didn't go over 120 going down the road. When it was parked, warmed up to about 150 before I shut it off. I even checked it with an infared sensor, the temp gauge is right on. Over the summer I put a thermostat in because it was overheating. I just put it another one in to see if it was sticking open, same thing. Also you know the thermostat isn't sticking open because at idle it warms up. Is the nature of the beast?? I've never seen a motor not get up to operating temp just from being 35 to 50 degrees outside. Also is there anyone who makes an original style copper heater core?
Thanks everyone!!

 

[mangus580]

where did you get your thermostat? How much $$ was it? Most autoparts stores sell the WRONG one for the 6.2..... The proper one is in the $20+ range...

 

[dduncan]

I believe it was $25... Its 195 degrees thermostat. Like I said its my second thermostat, same problem....

 

[Barrman]

I hate to write it, but it seems you have either the wrong one or a bad one. Take your other "new" replacement one and put it in a pot of water. Heat the pot up and use your infrared gun to see when it actually opens.

You do have the hockey puck looking one, right?

 

[dduncan]

Yes its a hockey puck style... But if it was a bad thermostat that didn't close, it wouldn't warm up at idle like i mentioned before... It would actually cool down wouldn't it? But i will try it!

 

[1986Blazerk5]

I bought a thermostat from LMC Truck with no problems and with a gasket it was LESS THAN $10 SHIPPED

 

[1008Newbie]

heater core

The heater core I got from LMC was aluminum, and the vents where air passes through were much smaller than the original copper core. Also, I had to bend the hold down brackets to get them to work with the LMC heater core. Not sure where you could get a good old one like they came with.

I'm glad you posted this as I saw my thermostat was not a hockey puck style the other day when I had the housing off (to fix a leak). Guess I'll be taking it back off again. I was going to put a hockey puck style in but it said "China" on it and I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

 

[pctrans]

At idle it will warm somewhat, because you don't have the cold air blowing through the radiator.

 

[dduncan]

With a wide open thermostat at idle it would never get the temp up. Im wondering if the engine is just extremely easy to keep cool. The warmer the weather the warmer the truck runs, I could understand running a little cooler if it was, say, -10 degrees. If its 60 or 70 it seems to get up to operating temp going down the highway. Does anyone else have temp gauges on their 6.2 and have this problem???

 

[dunedigger]

I picked up a copper heater core but can't remember what parts store, it was local seems like autozone and very hard to order, they didn't find it right away, I think I found it on the online website. Even though it was copper it was still nothing in comparison to the original.

 

[rnd-motorsports]

I'm in central lower michigan and its in the 20's here and I have a gauge in it put a new thermostat in it after I got it. It run about 180 all summer even when temps were 98 yes it gets warm here! LOL And now that its in the 20's it runs about 165/170 but takes abit to get there! Will put a grill cover on this winter to get some steady heat while moving

 

[dduncan]

Well, I put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator, I'm getting up to 150 degrees when it's 34 degrees outside.
Is there a coolant line that bypasses thermostat? It took about 15, 20 minutes for it to warm up to 150.
Also, for those of you that have water temp gauges. Where did you put your temp sensor? Thanks guys!!!