I have the stock fan and a 180* thermo and in 75* weather my truck stays between 180* and 185*. That is with the ac off and driving normal as per my totally accurate GM temp gauge
I dont really know enough about coolant systems to offer any real insight.
In the hotter months it will get around 200-210 with the ac blasting in a little traffic.

 

Did the overheating problem start after one of your mod's?

 

I have also changed the coolant temp sensor.

 

The overheating problem started after I installed my cam,valve springs/retainers,1.8 ratio roller rockers. Well actually when I first put the cam in crane cams did not send me the right retainers for my valve springs but I drove it around anyway and it ran at 180 like it always did. I got the right retainers and put them in and ever since it has been running hotter. But what could I have done wrong to make it run hotter because the truck runs really good so good in fact from a 30mph roll until about 80mph I can pull away a little from my friend's 01 camaro ss which I thought was pretty good considering the truck weighs 5200 lbs with me in it. I still don't understand WTF is going on. I think I have covered just about everything.

 

hey this may sound stupid but check it out real quick. there is a little hose that runs from the tb to the pass side valve cover. is it on both ends. i have seen this hose cause wierd things like this. check it see. pull on it and reinstall it to make sure.

 

I've seen this before. Did you also change your timing chain? With much stiffer springs there is alot more stress on the chain and the stock one tends to stretch, and not totaly uncommon to jump a tooth or two. So what i think it is, is when you swapped to the big springs your timing jumped a tooth or two and is running retarded. Anytime you retard your cam and timing like that an engine tends to run much warmer. It'll only take about two hours to go yank the cover and look.

BTW, if it did jump teeth retarded a logging program will still be seeing the same timing.

 

??????

 

Does it actually run like it's overheating?If not have your gauge ohm'd to make sure it's somewhat accurate.Also you say the upper radiator hose is hot,what about the lower, the ls1 motors have reverse flow cooling systems.good luck.

 

When I had my z71 (much heavier truck) it would never stay at the 160* even with e-fans blowing at full speed all the time. On my much smaller new truck, the temp will stay at 175 until the AC kicks on, then its up to 210'ish. That's with the bigger radiator, e-fans and a custom harness, and the 160* thermo.

Snake Eater might be on to something though ... I would take a look at the timing chain and see if it's still lined up right.

You didn't by chance cap those vent hoses off that are at the front of the heads, that has a small metal hose going between the heads and a rubber hose going to the throttle body, to the radiator did you? It's OK to bypass the radiator, but the hose still need to connect the vents and the radiator.

 

I was under the impression that if it was retarted it wouldn't be running hotter, but if it was advanced too much it would be running a decent amount hotter. That could be why he has an "unusual amount of power". You should have noticed that before the new retainers though. It would have happened right when you installed the cam. The only other thing that I can think that it is would be your radiator. Shouldn't be with it being so new, but stranger things have happened. Also, who tuned your truck and did they tune it after the cam, about the time that this happened?