LUVTruck.com

What is the recommended temperature for an 81 Chev.Luv-2.2,Diesel
Because there is several thermostats that are available to buy for it-160, 180, and 195 degrees?

i think 180 is most comonly used

For the gauge in the instrument panel, the temperature should be halfway or less. In my truck, the temperature reads about 2/5 on the guage. As for temperature in numbers I don't know the exact figure.

will it be alright with the 195 thermostat?

Be cool...go with 160. Unless you live in Alaska.

Diesel engines run better when they are hotter.

Contrary to what you know on gas engines diesels actually run hooter when you add more fuel, just back off the throttle to cool things down.

_________________
1981 Chevy LUV 4x4 2.2L Diesel 4 Speed Selling out moving over to VW TDIs.

my trucks temp goes over half way . when i run it after i first start it. after that it comes back down and runs fine. is it normal or is something wrong. radiator cap? 81 luv diesel 4x4

My gauge would run at 3/4, but mainly becasue my heater core is plugged. I just pulled the thermostat out for the summer and it runns at 1/8 to 1/4.

_________________
1981 Chevy LUV 4x4 2.2L Diesel 4 Speed Selling out moving over to VW TDIs.

my 2.2 runs from about 1/4 to around 1/2 more or less on the highway and i just took out the thermostat. is this normal or is my water pump going?

Is the thermostat out and still running AT 1/2?
if it is you have a problem with your cooling system:
1. It is not flowing 100% (clogged radiator or heater core)\
2. loss of pressure AKA hole in hose or cracked housing
3,. Kinked or collasped hose.


I would recomend a complete flush of the cooling system, and then if you still have the problem change hoses, then change water pump.

Start with the cheap fixed work up to the expensive ones
BTW I changed my water pump couple months ago it cost me about $50.00 and had no core charge. It took about 2 hours to put in, and I had some trouble with the rad shrout not wanting to come loose.

_________________
1981 Chevy LUV 4x4 2.2L Diesel 4 Speed Selling out moving over to VW TDIs.

new owner of 81 2.2 diesel. what kind of maintnace u do on it? how often do u change fuel filter etc.? any tips?

I usually change my fuel filter every 35000 miles. I have had to change them sooner, if I get bad fuel, or stop driving for longer than a month.

Other things I do
I cant seem to stop working on the cooling system on my Luv, however My S-10 with the 2.2L I drove it 3 years with out doing anything but fixing the exhust, by anything I mean I never changed any fuild including oil. Not something I would recomend since it had trouble starting in the winter I changed the battery and still had trouble. I went to change the oil, pulled the drain plug off (engine was warm) and nothing came out. I had to pull the oil out using a screw driver(came out in clumps) well the tuck ran fine after that, however it does blow a lot, alot of black smoke now.

Since driving these little diesel trucks have found that I have to fix little thingssuch as

Battery (I by die hard gold) every 2 years)
Belts two to three years)
Both trucks got water pumps (both trucks were at around 145,000 miles)

_________________
1981 Chevy LUV 4x4 2.2L Diesel 4 Speed Selling out moving over to VW TDIs.