OIL COOLER? Should there be one? Oil leak maybe from oil filter housing bolts - GEN1

[unashi]

Install gauges with numbers if you really want to know the temperature.

 

['round n' back again]

stay at 195 degrees. the 180 is generally too low, and will cause the ecm to adjust. if in really hot climate and heat is an issue a 180 might be considered.
half way up the gauge is too high for regular operation assuming the gauge is accurate. that a big assumption. add an electronic gauge or change your sender.
also these old radiators can get blocked and crudded up making a for-sure run- hot condition, also pressure test your system. my montee runs almost always in the lower quarter. my elec fan is dead, so i have no fan and even hard pulls the gauge never shows over half. but my radiator is custom and clean

 

[unashi]

Hey guys - thanks for all the input and advice - much appreciated. Finally got the truck home - here's the update:

1. New oil cooler return lines installed - no issues - temp still holding firm at middle of gauge today, 85 degree day and a 20 mile drive at 70MPH. Seems good to go. No variation or creeping past half.

2. Installed a New IAC Valve - caused some serious weirdness - high RPM and up/down idle. We went with a new MAF sensor (thanks Ebay / China) and the problem persisted, but had better readings on some of the levels, so we assumed the original MAF was bad anyway - best to replace.

Threw a new FAST IDLE AIR valve (parts geek) at the problem and adjusted the idle (which had been adjusted to compensate for original bad IAC valve. Computer reset and we are good to go.

When I had the engine rebuilt, we had a hard time with SMOG - High NO reading...so hoping this helps on the next test. Either way, happy to have a clean throttle body, new MAF, IAC and Fast Idle valve. My mechanic showed me the bad wax thingy in the fast idle valve....so glad to have that sorted.

3. Oh, full transmission flush - which radically made a difference in hard shifting. Smooth as silk. Still having issues with OD...I think it is the coolant temp sensor, which I've ordered and will swap out myself.

So - today we are happy

286,000 on the OD with a new engine and starting to get stuff sorted out.

Next project is suspension and maybe some new injectors - but I think we will take a breather for a bit and enjoy the ride.

 

[unashi]

stay at 195 degrees. the 180 is generally too low, and will cause the ecm to adjust. if in really hot climate and heat is an issue a 180 might be considered.
half way up the gauge is too high for regular operation assuming the gauge is accurate. that a big assumption. add an electronic gauge or change your sender.
also these old radiators can get blocked and crudded up making a for-sure run- hot condition, also pressure test your system. my montee runs almost always in the lower quarter. my elec fan is dead, so i have no fan and even hard pulls the gauge never shows over half. but my radiator is custom and clean

Thanks for that....I'll consider swapping out the sender - see if it changes the reading.