ok well, since the install of my 2.5L, the truck has only been up to temp once and ive put 700 miles on it.

until tonight, i got on the highway for the first time and it got up to temp fast, within the first few miles.

but here is why im stumped, i can drive around the city streets for hours and it will not heat up, the heat will only get warm and the gauge will move up only a little, i get on the highway and it opens right up.

i keep smelling antifreeze and im not sure why, its not leaking, burning, or going into the oil.


what could cause this?

i know we got all of the air out of the system so thats not the problem.
we installed a brand new "stant? thermostat when we installed the 2.5 in because the old one was broken.

 

sounds like the thermostat is getting stuck open maybe

 

+2 if you replace the stat you should be good to go

 

Sounds more like air in the coolant system. the air bubles can collect around the temp sensor blocking the heat transfer.

A coolant cap that doesn't hold pressure can cause this. Test/replace that, and spend some time bleeding ALL the air out of the system and see if that fixes the issue.

 

im almost 100% sure theres no air in the system, im sure my dad knows what hes doing.

after all, he does have an ase master cert.

i plan to replace the cap and t-stat soon, as of right now the SAS is priority #1.


it seems to be ok right now because its warmer out, but if i turn the heat on it drops down, so does the mpg.
so im still leaning towards the t-stat being stuck open, if the cap was bad the overflow bottle would "overflow" wouldn't it?

 

i know it the radiator cap is bad then water will be shooting out of it when it gets hot or will let air escape

 

Not always. I have a stant cooling system pressure tester, and you'd be surprised how many caps pop off pressure way below their 16 or 13psi rating.

Really, the cap should be replaced every time the T stat is replaced.