Let us not repeat the red light, keep an eye on the guage, should stay 9:00.

Consider an Ultra Gauge, about $70, monitors anything most things that come out of the OBDII port, displays it, has u-program alarm points (like coolant temp over X degrees), and works as a code reader scanner. Knowing that temp is headed above 212, then 220, etc., you can see that things are not fixed and you can stop andd try something else. Repeating the high overheat is no way to extend the life of the engine.

Electric fan should come on at 212F. But that is not the problem with overheat while driving at 40 mph, etc. Much more air just from rolling down the road, don't even need the main fan. Example - try holding a large pizza box out the window at 50 mph...

Water noise you heard then was steam bubbles. So you hit over 265 F (antifreeze and coolant pressure cap raise boiling point of basic water). Keep doing this and you will have to replace head gasket or engine. If you continue to hear bubbles it can be trapped air, or exhaust gases from blown head gasket leaking into the coolant. There is a chemical test for that from parts store.

If you want to keep driving your truck, deal with the cooling issues first. These engines are not like Detroit iron, they do not respond well to over heat.

 

I have considered the ultra gauge, and would own one right now if they sold it local.
The thing is nice, the built in alarm features for the gauges sold me.
Cooling is top of my list now.
Finally got the rave manual dl'ed.
And it looks like the front O2 sensors are in reality behind the motor, that is nice, easy to get to then from what I see.
Things are looking up.
Thanks again for the tips.