Riggs - My 2000 Chevy 3500 4x4 CCLB work truck and family play machine

Spareparts said:

Seeing water flow in the radiator when cold is normal. It is the return from the heater and it always flows.

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Good to know for sure, I guess I'm used to other rigs where you don't see coolant moving until the t-stat opens.
Either my gauge is way off (very possible) or the t-stat still isn't opening or something, it reads around 170 "at temp". I should hook up my bluetooth reader to my phone and see if I can verify the data.

Reluctanse said:

Good to know for sure, I guess I'm used to other rigs where you don't see coolant moving until the t-stat opens.
Either my gauge is way off (very possible) or the t-stat still isn't opening or something, it reads around 170 "at temp". I should hook up my bluetooth reader to my phone and see if I can verify the data.

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How is the engine running? An open tstat is how I wound up putting a 180 tstat back in my 7.4v. It ran better with no tstat than with the stock 195, but eventually winter came rolling around. My gauge reads whatever the big mark is supposed to represent that is slightly more than halfway between 100 and 210. I've never checked the gauge accuracy or what the actual temp is... the engine runs better so...

I run a 195 in my 7.4 year around.

Keeper said:

How is the engine running? An open tstat is how I wound up putting a 180 tstat back in my 7.4v. It ran better with no tstat than with the stock 195, but eventually winter came rolling around. My gauge reads whatever the big mark is supposed to represent that is slightly more than halfway between 100 and 210. I've never checked the gauge accuracy or what the actual temp is... the engine runs better so...

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Runs good so far other than the hot start issue. Don't have a ton of wheel time on it just yet.
But either way, thermostat is high on the list of items to replace when I first buy a rig. I'll be interested to see if the gauge reads different after.

Swapped out the thermostat... the one in there was definitely fine, but now I know how old the one that's in there is. And it was $11 and 30 minutes of my life. Verified with my bluetooth dongle and OBD Fusion temps are WAY off on the gauge... but run from about 190-205 sitting there idling, which seems like it would be spot on for a stock 195 t-stat.

Coolant looks great at least.


The hoses all feel pretty good, I may just forgo replacing any other cooling components for a while. PO said the radiator was replaced just a few years ago, likely hoses etc done at the same time. I feel pretty good this end of the rig wont let me down any time soon, so I'll move on to other items.

Split bench is in. Per some other statements on the forums, I did have to drill 2 holes. They were both pre-located thought, with little dimples! Pretty cool. The rear one, I think is already tapped etc... of course I yeeted right into it with a drill bit and whatever was there I wrecked, but there is at least a really beefy washer welded to the body underneath. The front lands right up on top of the transfer case, I had to install the bolt blind. Little help from the Mrs. and we are in!

Dimples marking where to drill, even a cave man can do it


It's a little worn, but a 100% perfect match for the interior.




Finished up the new grill install. The longer I think about it, the more certain I'll end up going with a work truck front end later on, I just really dig those. But for now, this is so much better than what was on it.



Sneak peak, you can see the valence I also got at the junk yard, ran out of time to get that installed but it'll go on soon.

Anyone know what this box is, it was attached under the seat of the split bench I got. I don't see any provisions to connect it, nor do I have any idea what it's for, anyone know?

That's the same seats mine has, no idea what the mystery box is. Guess I will have to look at the big sum beach and see if it has one?( Too hot to do that now, maybe after dark).

HotWheelsBurban said:

That's the same seats mine has, no idea what the mystery box is. Guess I will have to look at the big sum beach and see if it has one?( Too hot to do that now, maybe after dark).

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I just googled that part number; it's a radio amplifier for the rear door speakers. An option with the better stereos, mine has it according to the VIN number options list. GM says it's discontinued (ya think?on a 20+ year old truck?!). Hope that helps....

Slightly off topic, but what is your avatar from? It looks like some cheesy old crappy CGI in the background.

Supercharged111 said:

Slightly off topic, but what is your avatar from? It looks like some cheesy old crappy CGI in the background.

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Cruisn USA arcade game trophy girl, old N64 game from the mid 90s. Definitely since cheesy old CGI! If you beat the game in the arcade, the end was you in a hot tub with Bill Clinton on the roof of the White House