2.9l bubbling in the reservior/recovery tank

Reads like there was and is sediment in the rad which was why the drain wasn't working at first.

The brass plug in thermostat plate is the "jiggle valve", it is there to let air out when refilling, the loose plug "jiggles" to keep the hole open so any air can get out, the "jiggle valve should be installed at 12:00 position, where any air might be.
This part is about air not cooling.

Thermostat is located on the upper rad hose, when you start a cold engine the thermostat is closed, so upper hose should not get warm.
When engine has heated coolant up to 180-190degf(5 to 8 minutes) then thermostat will start to open and coolant will flow into upper hose and it will heat up then.
Cold coolant in the rad will then flow out of rad thru lower hose and into water pump.
When the cold coolant reaches the thermostat it will close again.
Then as the new coolant heats up it will open again.
This open and closed cycle repeats until rad coolant is warm.


You need to remove a radiator to flush it.
You can also do a "Flip test" when it is out to see if it is worth while flushing it.
Remove rad
Plug trans cooler openings
Put rad cap on
(Look at the tubes in the rad, turn rad so tubes run up and down)
Stand rad up with tubes running up and down
Turn on garden hose
Put hand over lower rad opening
Fill rad with garden hose using upper opening
Stop filling when full
Remove lower hand
Rad should drain very fast
Tilt rad to get all water out

NOW the test
Flip rad upside down
If ANY water comes out it could only come from blocked tubes

You can not "Flush" out blocked tubes, time for new rad

If rad passes test then lay it flat, hose outlets facing up
Use warm or hot water with CLR or Vinegar mixed in
Fill up rad and let it sit for 20min
Flush it out and repeat as you see fit.

Give it a good flush with water before reinstalling.

Bubbles coming up in cold fill indicates a blown head gasket ussually

Sent from my HS_9DTB37 using Tapatalk

Maggie may said:

Bubbles coming up in cold fill indicates a blown head gasket ussually

Sent from my HS_9DTB37 using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Only if it does it while it's running; he's already done and passed the glove test, so we're pretty sure it's not a head/gasket issue.

Spott said:

Only if it does it while it's running; he's already done and passed the glove test, so we're pretty sure it's not a head/gasket issue.

Click to expand...

Thanks Spott

The issue is after running it the temp here is in the 90's I go to town in a steep grade up the highway. The temp is always halfway mark never hits in upper half or in the red. I come home shut it off and few minuts later it starts bubbling in the reservor tank. I start it up than it sucks the water back up shut of its perfect no bubbling. I did take the Thermostat out and remove the brass jiggle valve to make a free flowing small hole. That was a 50% plus now I have just maybe few bubbles but nothing like before. I do still feel the upper radiator hose bubbling at times while running

Now Friday I got California smog test I put a quart of Lucas and STP the lifters got quite. Well see if she passes the lifter ticking I hope it wont seal the deal on the death row deal on my Ranger.

BTW, what kind of coolant mix are you using in your truck?

Spott said:

BTW, what kind of coolant mix are you using in your truck?

Click to expand...

Spott

Right now its 50/50 mix Napa antifreeze. I did add a quart of water it seam to help it. At first I was running 100% that's when the over heating started after new Napa radiator

Now you got me thinking Spott

Maybe I should go to a top brand antifreeze 100% full strength like Peak it maybe reaching its boiling point using cheap Napa brand 50/50 mix? I am lost now and lots of stress with Ca smog check tomarrow. If it passes I will change the antifreeze to 100% of the top brand

50/50 is good. You should not run straight antifreeze, as it doesn't transfer heat nearly as well as water. The extreme limits should be 30-70%. Running 100% antifreeze likely contributed to your problem.

More water means better cooling capacity, but it also means less freezing and boiling protection and less corrosion protection.

If you started with 100% antifreeze and added a quart of water, you're not anywhere near 50/50, and you need to fix that problem. On the other hand, if you had 50/50 in there and added a quart of water, you're in good shape now (chemically).

You need some water in the radiator fluid for it to work properly. The minimum water I would go is 30%. I've read a little bit about using 100% antifreeze but from what I understand it's not ethyl glycol type anti-freeze and there needs to be 0% water, as in NO water at all. Even 1/2% will screw up the cooling. I don't remember off the top of my head the chemical name of the 100% coolant but if you buy name brand it's very expensive initially. The selling point is because there is no water there is no oxidation [rusting and corrosion] and it's supposed to last tens of years.

Spott said:

50/50 is good. You should not run straight antifreeze, as it doesn't transfer heat nearly as well as water. The extreme limits should be 30-70%. Running 100% antifreeze likely contributed to your problem.

More water means better cooling capacity, but it also means less freezing and boiling protection and less corrosion protection.

If you started with 100% antifreeze and added a quart of water, you're not anywhere near 50/50, and you need to fix that problem. On the other hand, if you had 50/50 in there and added a quart of water, you're in good shape now (chemically).

Click to expand...

I am with 50/50 Napa antifreeze I added one quart of water its doing great on temp. It always at half way mark on temp the bubbling is only on shut off after a few minuts than I re-start is perfect no bubbling in tank. It sucks the coolaint in and pushes it out normal in recovery tank

One thing that's got my toes in a clamp

I never had any overheating issues until the lifter ticking started. It always seam to do the bubbling when them nasty lifter start its ticking ordeal. When I start it up cold it ticks loud runs like crap I hit the freeway up hill the ticking goes away until I shut it off than crappy running and ticking


People say I am crazy but the lifter issue I think it is making the engine run hard getting it hot? No ticking it runs perfect no issues. Now if the lifters start ticking loud would the cylinder run more lean making more heat?

Lifter ticking should not affect the fuel/air mix, and thus cannot make the engine run "lean".

If you have oil pressure problems, then you'll have a little less lubrication than normal, which will mean a little more heat. But, it shouldn't be enough heat that you would see it on your temp gauge, because most of the heat already comes from the combustion in the cylinders, and is unchanged.

On the other hand, more heat from some other source shouldn't cause oiling problems either.

Obviously the two problems are related, as they always occur together. But I can't, for the life of me, think of any way they're directly connected.

Spott said:

Lifter ticking should not affect the fuel/air mix, and thus cannot make the engine run "lean".

If you have oil pressure problems, then you'll have a little less lubrication than normal, which will mean a little more heat. But, it shouldn't be enough heat that you would see it on your temp gauge, because most of the heat already comes from the combustion in the cylinders, and is unchanged.

On the other hand, more heat from some other source shouldn't cause oiling problems either.

Obviously the two problems are related, as they always occur together. But I can't, for the life of me, think of any way they're directly connected.

Click to expand...

I started is back up its cold I hear a slight ticking not like before I did add a quart of Lucas it had 3 quarts before with 20W-50 Valvoline. The ticking was loud at start up and driving for a bit now its a mellow ticking running smooth. I added one more quart of Lucas and one pint of STP oil teatement after draining the same amount out. I hope she passes Ca smog in the morning got my fingers crossed

I was thinking if one cylinder is ticking bad or a few and lifter not pumping enough to open the valve enough. Would this in turn not burn the fuel the injector is pushing in that cylinder. Thus making a lean condition in that cylinder making it run hotter?

Nope

88 XLT Ranger said:

I was thinking if one cylinder is ticking bad or a few and lifter not pumping enough to open the valve enough. Would this in turn not burn the fuel the injector is pushing in that cylinder. Thus making a lean condition in that cylinder making it run hotter?

Click to expand...

Just the opposite. The computer doesn't know the valve isn't opening wide enough or long enough and pushes the original amount of fuel toward that cylinder anyway. Making the mixture slightly richer than normal rather than leaner.
Big Jim