I am trying to find out if someone knows the normal operating water temp range and at what temperature is considered overheating for a 2002 3.4l V6 Tacoma. My temp gauge is broken, but I have a scan gauge and while out wheeling today I got a 251F spike while going uphill. Wondering if I overheated the truck, after it did this I turned the AC off (I know dumb for having it on, but it was dusty and really hot) and the temp doped down and hovered around 190-220 for the rest of the day. Thanks

Also I am running MaxLife ATF which got up to 242F (somewhere around there anyway), do synthetics (MaxLife is) form Varnish at this temp or am I ok? I just flushed and filled, and I am wondering if I need to do it agian after exposing the fluid to this high temp (after it went this high I stopped and let it cool back down, but then it still kept climbing up to around 200-210) I checked the ATF when I got home, and it does not smell burned, and it is still bright red.

 

bump for help

 

bump cuz im curious too