Hello, today I found that I could read my coolant temp through my guage cluster. First of all is the number it gives me correct? I'm not reading it through any guage but it's a digital read out a number in the message center of the guage cluster. Today after an hour and half highway drive it read 201° for my coolant temp. Now that I have found out how to read my coolant temp of really like to see,my oil temp as well to give me an idea on if I have a clogged oil cooler. My truck is for the most part completely stock, no extra gauges or anything yet. Is there any way that I could check my oil temp without having to buy anything? Low on funds right now so if there is a way that would be awesome!

 

I can't answer the question of reading oil temp via the message center, but you can buy an ODBII adapter for next to nothing and then load a free program like Forscan and see all kinds of stuff.

If you can't afford an adapter, you are playing Russian Roulette owning a 6.0...

Let me go find a cheap one and post it for you...

 

Here's one on Amazon:

And one from eBay:
Super Mini Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner OBDII ELM327 v2.1 Adapter Auto Android Torque

You load Forscan on a blue tooth capable device, droid phone, tablet etc. or laptop and connect the adapter to your OBDII port under the dash, pair the two devices and a whole new world of information is now available to you!

On Edit, I forgot: DO NOT LOAD ANY SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH THE ADAPTER!!! disc is full of malware!

 

Wow! I had no clue they got that cheap. Absolutely gonna buy one right now. Thank you!

 

How did you find the coolant temp in the dash gauge cluster?

 

I was able to check it through the rest mode of the cluster. I'm not sure if you know to get to it (I didn't until a few days ago) but you hold both the reset and setup button at the same time with the key in the off position then still holding the button turn the key on (to where your glow plugs go on not actually starting the truck) once you turn the key in the message center it will say test and once you see that let off the buttons. If you wait to long the display will go from saying "test" to the normal things. Once you're in the rest mode the first thing it will say and do is sweep the guages but if keep pressing reset you can go through a whole lot of different options like one is a digital speed readout and on is your coolant temp read in Celsius.

 

I just posted this last week in another thread. Here's both methods depending on if you have just the cluster stalk or the 3 buttons on the dash.

With key off, hold down the cluster trip reset stem. While holding, turn key on to run but NOT start.
If you have the 3 buttons on the dash instead of the stem in the cluster you need to hold the Setup and Reset buttons at the same time, then turn the key on and when you see TEST release the buttons and then start the truck. Use the RESET button to cycle thru all the options.
This will put you in the first test mode of sweep. Youll notice initially the needles will tremor and then sweep after a few seconds if everything is normal. Pressing the stem again will test bulbs. Keep pressing it (16x's) and you'll come across a digital readout for MPH. In this mode start and drive the truck and see what it is reporting compared to the analog needle. If your traveling @ 50mph and the digital says 50 but the needle says 100 then you can assume the sensor is fine and you have a cluster issue.
This cluster test mode can be used for other diagnostics such as bulb test, key ign., miles since DTC set, MPH/KPH/Tach readout, coolant temp in °C, battery voltage, oil pressure indicator, door switches, seat belt switch, stored codes, and many other CANBUS.