Low water and/or coolant level or a cooling system leak are other reasons that your car engine can overheat. You may also be experiencing a failing water pump or thermostat.

 

Even with brand new water pump, fan clutch, and thermostat?

 

Even new ones can be bad

 

Just a few thoughts on this . There is no upgrade water pump for the Colorado that I know of . A V8 radiator will have more tubes and greater coolant capacity than stock . It may be possible that your pump doesn't have the ability to create the needed flow through that V8 radiator . As to the noisy fan , if you don't go ACDelco for a replacement you will have that clutch lock up noise being louder and longer than with the ACDelco unit . That doesn't mean that it will not function well , it just is a noisier unit. The thermostat may not be opening fully , that's why you test before installing . The system may have an air pocket in it ,or a hose could be collapsing , or a temp sensor that is off in calibration . I would try putting the old sensor back in and see if the temps come down a bit . As dirtwarrior said new parts can be bad.

 

as Old Time mentioned, it could be air pockets in the system. an easy check is that both hoses should be pretty hard to squeeze. (caution HOT, so wear heavy gloves or similar). the funnel method works great for this. another trick is to use less antifreeze and more water and add WaterWetter. i'd suggest a Prestone guage, the other cheap brands are not accurate. I wouldn't go below 30% antifreeze and 70% water rated at 5*F. from 214* to 191-194*, it sounds like your waterpump and thermostat are working.

 

I agree, you might need to get all the air out of the system.

 

What is the funnel method? I ran the truck with the radiator cap idling in my driveway for 40min, never saw the coolant level drop in the radiator, the bottom hose is cool and the top is hot. Unless I am doing something wrong

 

You ran the truck at idle only? Does the heater get hot? When I bled the air from mine, simply letting it idle didn't cut it. I needed to rev it at 2k rpms for a couple of minutes. All this is done with the reservoir cap off. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but best to start with simplest, most common fixes. Also, 212F or so seems reasonable. I think the gauge is reading high if it is at 3/4 and that temp.

 

I used to call it burping the radiator. Easy way is take the cap off and just let it set over night

 

The first few months I owned this truck it did not overheat what so ever, right at 1 click over halfway. That was fine with me. But, I figured running at idle for 30 min with the AC on would warrant the same results at least open the thermostat and allow the coolant to move throughout the motor, but I was wrong. But guessing I maybe need to change the amount of cool and to water ratio. And also maybe burp the system.

 

I would get the coolant/water ratio set, then run the engine, revved to about 2k with the overflow cap off and the heater on full. That should rule air being in the system and the ratio being off. Let us know how it goes

 

Also make sure that the front of the truck is slightly elevated to ensure any air in the system migrates to the radiator and your heater is set to FULL hot.

 

Well, do they sell a higher temp fan clutch? Because it's feel like a bogging down 4 cyl while I am driving around, and it always sounds like a jet engine under the hood. Maybe I will cut part of the coil from the thermostat, since a thread on here says it can lower opening and closing temp from 160-180.

 

I think you may have solved the issue in this post . The clutch fan will only give that ''jet engine '' sound until it warms up and then locks up . You state the sound is always there. If that's true the fan is malfunctioning . The sound should quiet considerably after no more than one mile , even when temps are at freezing.

 

160 is to cold. You will burn gas like crazy

 

Sounds like that as soon as I start the truck, and as it gets warmer in traffic it gets even louder. Maybe just a brand new bad fan clutch. It was an autzone special. Maybe I should order a new one

 

Members of 355 Nation are not shy when it comes to giving you their opinion as to replacement parts and the only clutch fan people here say is any good is ACDelco / OEM . I'm living proof of this as I bought what I consider a decent brand , Hayden . While the cooling is on par with ACDelco the roar before lock up is now 8/10 of a mile compared to 2/10 with the ACDelco . The one time I try to save a few bucks on non OEM parts backfires on me . You may want to exchange that Autozone one for an ACDelco .

 

I can attest to this, my experience being with a replacement wiper motor. The aftermarket one was DOA. Replaced with a Delco and problem solved. Makes me reluctant to buy aftermarket parts for such components.

Good luck to OP, sounds like a fan clutch could be the culprit. Especially if the temp is holding higher but not climbing.

 

The best advice here is buy the best quality parts you can afford or you may have to learn to live with under performing knock offs . Remember , the money savings is in the labor cost of you doing the repair versus having a shop or dealership do it for you .

 

There are some decent aftermarket parts available, but like AC Delco they are not low priced bargain parts, you get what you pay for,,,,,usually! Sensors and engine parts are usually best kept to GM/AC Delco, I needed a new water pump a few months ago and grabbed a cheap one from NAPA which ended up not being capable of flowing enough coolant, I later installed a AC Delco water pump and viola' no more hot conditions. But with bearings, ball joints and tie rod parts I always use MOOG (because of the zerk fittings).

 

Have you checked your radiator cap? A bad cap will not allow it to build up to the proper pressure and cause it to run hot.

 

What do these trucks usally run at? I'm in Arizona and it gets to the notch above half but never usally hotter. Gonna check all these things people have mentioned tho. Thanks in advance

 

Mine (2010 V8) runs 191-193 under cruise, Can get to 210 in hot weather and traffic, At cruise it is a notch or so under halfway.

 

If a shop did any reflash of the ECM, is temp gauge position can change

 

I went with the ECP aluminum heavy duty radiator and it hasn’t gotten above 194*. That’s with the SupeMod electric fan. I have an 06 reg cab I5/auto.