for the AZ heat, do the inline therm. I've got an 03, inline therm and green coolant and it handled this summer like a champ.

 

Thanks for the advice. I actually got around to installing the new genuine LR 180 thermo that I had ordered a couple weeks ago and it completely solved my problems. The crappy motorad turned out to be the problem all along. My fault for trying to save a few bucks.

 

Glad to hear you were able to sort it out. Temp looks real good.
......

 

I recently replaced the engine in my 03 DII with a remanufactured one. Also replaced the radiator. The temperature gauge and thermostat were only a year old. Everything seemed good driving around town a few weeks, breaking in the engine and then I had to go out of town for work, about 300 miles. Driving down the interstate for 3.5 hrs and I finally get to my destination (mind you the temp gauge was in the middle the whole time). I got through some lights and noticed the temp gauge move from middle to like 3/4 of the "acceptable range", ya know, between the white lines. So I let it sit overnight and checked the coolant level and all was good. Eventually I bought a scangauge II to see what the temp was reading. 230 F cruising down the highway . I'm like how can this be...everything is less than a year old?! So I let it cool overnight, track down a new stat locally, check the radiator for flow and bleed the system. New stat got me down to 209-210 cruising on the highway, but it creeps up to 220 at idle. Fan seems viscous still when I turn it. Condenser fan comes on like it should. I'm kinda out of ideas. I ordered a gray 180 stat to see if that helps. Any ideas?

I'm going to be so if the head gasket went.

 

Could be a faulty thermostat, install the new 180 - do a full coolant flush, then bleed it thoroughly during the days after installing. The viscous fan clutch should be very tough after the car has reached operating temp, it shouldn't spin more than 1/2 or even 1/4 turn if you give it a good pull. If the fan clutch does a full rotation, definitely consider the HD fan clutch.

 

Thanks...I'll install the 180 when it arrives and flush/bleed. I also ordered the Hayden 2991 clutch and early DII fan. Hopefully those will cool it down. If not I might have to look into what Disco Stu AZ did.