there is a transmission oil cooler in one of the radiator tanks, there is transmission fluid running through those lines.

I would go buy an IR(infrared) thermometer. you can get them for around 40 and up. you can watch the temp of the thermostat housing.

anther thing to do is feel the upper radiator hose, it should be cold when first started up. and get hot rapidly after 7 minutes or so(about a minute between cold and too hot to hold with your hand)

I have ran into more stuck open thermostats than stuck closed

 

there is a transmission oil cooler in one of the radiator tanks, there is transmission fluid running through those lines.

I would go buy an IR(infrared) thermometer. you can get them for around 40 and up. you can watch the temp of the thermostat housing.

anther thing to do is feel the upper radiator hose, it should be cold when first started up. and get hot rapidly after 7 minutes or so(about a minute between cold and too hot to hold with your hand)

I have ran into more stuck open thermostats than stuck closed

I will look around for a temp guage like that. So you figure its the thermostat?? I will feel the hoses when i get home to see how warm it gets with my hand. Sorry for being too quick im at work.

 

Might as well try the thermostat anyhow, its like a $5 part and takes 20min to put in, not even,

 

Exactly. If its not the problem, it will at least rule it out. Mostlikely it is. They are quite common.

 

Your right, they are so cheap I am just going to change them out real quick now that I am home, and find out hopefully tomorrow if it was the problem when I drive back to Tampa.

What would be the best temp to get? I live in Florida.

 

Ok just changed it out, 20 minute job my ass lol. Took me around 1.5 hours, ended up breaking 2 ground wires that were attached under the bolt, they stuck to the bolt when I was taking the thermostat housing bolt off.

When I took the old one out, there was a 2mm gap where the stat was stuck open. Hopefully this should fix it.

 

Some stick open, some stick closed - it's a crapshoot. Autozone sells a "Fail Safe" thermostat that is designed to stick open when it fails. The idea is, of course, that if the thing fails at least you won't overheat your motor and you can still drive home (or even drive around with it as-is until you have time to swap it out).

However, every single one of these that I've ever used has always stuck wide open in less than 3 months. They should just remove the "Safe" part of the name and just call them "Fail Thermostats". The ONLY thermostats I've ever used that have never caused me problems is a Stant Superstat. Drill a 1/8" hole in one to bleed the air bubbles (unless you get one with a little bleeder valve already built into it), poke that sucker in there with a new gasket, and fugeddaboutit. :tup:

 

Crap I didn't put any hole in it, though its funny how everything I use to complain about is now fixed lol.

Now I have a normal idle at around 600rpm or so, and not 900 like I use to. I hit overdrive within 2 miles of my house tonight, which would have normaly took around 10 miles or so in this weather. And my heater worked in less then a couple minutes..

Crazy how a $5 part can cause so many problems, I am just glad I put it all together and relized all this stuff was linked to that. Thanks for all the help on the tip guys, once again yall have saved my butt from walking to work

 

Yup. Stuck thermostat's cause all sorts of strange problems. They are quite common too. Luckily the housing is right on the front of the engine.

Two bolts and its out. Thats your own fault for breaking the ground wires.

 

u think that could cause shitty mpg on a 2001 s-10 with a 4.3? im gettin 10 mpg and cant figure out y ive replaced just bout everthin i can think of air filter sparkplugs o2 sensors exuast and its not gettin better and ive noticed my truck heats up but it seems like its only gettin to like 160ish

 

u think that could cause shitty mpg on a 2001 s-10 with a 4.3? im gettin 10 mpg and cant figure out y ive replaced just bout everthin i can think of air filter sparkplugs o2 sensors exuast and its not gettin better and ive noticed my truck heats up but it seems like its only gettin to like 160ish

That pretty cold. Im not 100% sure, but I think a cold motor runs richer, so you could be burning more fuel. Try it, it only cost me $10.

 

ya well im gettin a dtc but its sayin o2 sensor which ive replaced 3 times and maf or var sensor which ive tested by switchin it out wit a buddies which was a knowen good and same thing so im thinkin my trucks runnin to cold cuz ive noticed the temp doesnt get 2 were it should b cuz this my 6 s-10 and it normaly runs right under the 210 mark and im a couple marks under that

 

mine is stuck open right now and my mileage sucks. if i really try i can get 16-17 mpg

 

mine stuck open as well and gas mileage dropped a little

 

im gettin bout 10mpg im just ready to drop a 350 in it that way i have a reason for the shitty gas mileage

 

The Z-R2 get crappy gas mileage right from the door. The lift and 33s without a gear change won't help any.

 

ya i understand that but still shouldnt b 10 mpg id b happy wit 15

 

I barely get 14 on the 00. Not sure what it will get when I put the 33s on.

 

33s shouldnt change the gas millage all the much i was runnin 31s on a stock 4cyl and was still gettin round 25 on the highway and bout 22 in the city

 

Well Saturday my thermostat defenitly stuck. Gauge went to 260.

Changed the stat today and it working fine.

I've got a 202 Extreme 4.3 Auto with 51,000 miles.

Driving from Orlando to Titusville Fl everyday at 70 mph and the AC on, I averaged 20 mpg.

 

I was getting about 15mpg out of my 99 s10 4x4 4.3 and my temp was very low.
not sure how low, but guessing under 160.
Pulled the thermostat out that was in it and couldn't find a number to tell me what temp it was. Replaced it with stock 195 and now I am getting closer to 18mpg. I also cleaned the MAF screen at the same time, so not sure where the benefit came from. But I am not complaining.
oh, this truck has 146k miles on it.

 

i tought the hole was suposed to be 1/16...is it okay or i should make it bigger ???
do i have to put something in the hole or i just leave it like that ???

 

I don't think it would matter much if you drilled a 1/16" or 1/8" bleeder hole in the t-stat. You just want a way for the air to pass through when it's closed so you don't have air stuck in the system and end up overheating. If you plug it it would defeat the purpose.

I just replaced my t-stat and I forgot to check it for a bleeder hole. Well it needs a little stronger coolant mix anyway so I guess I will have to check and see.

 

don't bother drilling the hole in it.
most thermostats already have an air purge notch
or hole in them, usually on the edge of the valve.
some newer ones even have a "floater" valve in them,
that opens the bleed only when air or steam is present
under it.