Fan/Condenser/Trans Cooler Spacing

So an update on this issue:

I was able to install the clutch fan (and hopefully fix that passenger window motor for good this time...) and got everything buttoned up this past weekend. I took it for a shake down to see how it would run since I plan on hulling a heavy load over some PA mountains this month. With yesterday being hot and humid I figured that would be great to try it out. I went to pick up paint at Home Depot and took the truck. It is about 10 miles away with the speed limit ranging from 45-25. There was some traffic lights but I would say about 60 percent back roads and 40% suburbia/mall roads.

I saw that the temp gauge was fluctuating between the normal position and half way into the safe range with the A/C on (which needs charged. Again. I am going to try and find a leak detector to see if I can find the problem area). Normally the truck did not do this, it always held a temp unless stopped. Once stopped it would creep up but would go back down once you got moving. Well I noticed the the gauge was half way into the safe range during one of the fluctuations, but instead of going down it continued to climb. well it climbed to outside of the safe range (I did not have a thermometer to verify the actual temp, and I never saw it get that high before). I understand it was hot, but not hot enough to have the gauge climb like that. Once I got it parked I tried increasing the revs, and that did not do anything.

It took awhile and a couple stops at a few stores on the way back, but I was able to get the truck back into the garage.

This is what I can think of:
When I felt the top radiator hose it was hot but I was able to squeeze it. It did not feel like there was a high rate of flow within the hose. So I am thinking that the thermostat was not opening fully, if at all. The fan was not roaring at all, but if hot coolant wasnt getting from the engine to the radiator the fan wouldnt have the hot temp of the fluid to tell it to engage more. So I got a new thermostat and installed it last night. I will put coolant back in and take it for another ride this week. The last time I had the truck out was to a concert and it got to the top of the safe zone sitting in traffic waiting to park. So it could be that the thermostat started to fail back then as well. The thermostat was last changed in 2001 at 122000 miles. It currently has 209000 miles.


Does my line of thinking seem on track? My old man thinks it has to be the clutch fan failing and I should put the flex fan back on since that didnt have the problem (Since the only new variable I added into the equation was this clutch fan). But I tend to disagree.

Thoughts?