88 2.9l overheating anyone use "Blue Devil" I was told it works

[Big Jim M]

TWO things to say here! First you NEED a thermostat in there! The water pump will pump up to sixty gallons a minute with no restriction. RACE cars use a restriction! Your engine is wasting lots of HP on the pump without restriction. So buy one and install it! As a side note what happens is the coolant flows thru the engine so fast that it doesn't pick up the heat is should. Then when in the radiator it doesn't LOSE the heat as it is in there such a short time. Put the proper thermostat in there.

Second. Lifters work from oil pressure. OLD WORN lifters lose there pressure and get SHORTER when the engine is OFF. So every time you shut the engine off the pressure slowly goes out of the (some) lifters. Then when restarting the lifters must pump back up with the new oil pressure. That is why a cold engine has lifter noise start-up.

Third (I know I said two). All engines get slightly hotter on an incline. The rule is if the coolant STAYS in the engine then it isn't too hot! Since the engine is using more fuel at the same speed the coolant gets slightly hotter. The mechanics of the fan clutch and the wax in the thermostat are slower than the heat from the added fuel. So all engines ALWAYS have a slight response time to added heat. The extra heat doesn't hurt the engine, it only hurts the coolant if the pressure cap doesn't work. Your engine can run at an actual 260* all day long with a good pressure cap on it without any failure of parts.
Big Jim

 

[Spott]

Jim, he says he still has to stop and let it cool down to keep the needle out of the red, when climbing the hills. That's lots more than "slightly hotter", and definitely hotter than it should be.

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

TWO things to say here! First you NEED a thermostat in there! The water pump will pump up to sixty gallons a minute with no restriction. RACE cars use a restriction! Your engine is wasting lots of HP on the pump without restriction. So buy one and install it! As a side note what happens is the coolant flows thru the engine so fast that it doesn't pick up the heat is should. Then when in the radiator it doesn't LOSE the heat as it is in there such a short time. Put the proper thermostat in there.

Second. Lifters work from oil pressure. OLD WORN lifters lose there pressure and get SHORTER when the engine is OFF. So every time you shut the engine off the pressure slowly goes out of the (some) lifters. Then when restarting the lifters must pump back up with the new oil pressure. That is why a cold engine has lifter noise start-up.

Third (I know I said two). All engines get slightly hotter on an incline. The rule is if the coolant STAYS in the engine then it isn't too hot! Since the engine is using more fuel at the same speed the coolant gets slightly hotter. The mechanics of the fan clutch and the wax in the thermostat are slower than the heat from the added fuel. So all engines ALWAYS have a slight response time to added heat. The extra heat doesn't hurt the engine, it only hurts the coolant if the pressure cap doesn't work. Your engine can run at an actual 260* all day long with a good pressure cap on it without any failure of parts.
Big Jim

I will put one back in Napa has 180 and 195 for my year and engine Thermostats not real sure what one to get?

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

Jim, he says he still has to stop and let it cool down to keep the needle out of the red, when climbing the hills. That's lots more than "slightly hotter", and definitely hotter than it should be.

Climbing the hills it starts getting hot and the real serious lifter ticking starts. If I run it and not pull over to let it cool a bit it slows down to 5 miles an hour it will go into low gear that's not good. Once the lifters start ticking and it starts running like crud. The old Thermostat was open a bit and something in the little check ball hole

 

[Lone-Ranger]

I believe it should have either a 190* or 195* thermostat. If it does, you don't want to run a lower temp one, such as a 180*. You want to make sure you put back in what it came with from the factory.

 

[Big Jim M]

For sure put the 195* one in there.
I am having a problem with it slowing down and shifting into low gear. My only thoughts right off are about timing. On a hill , or even a slight incline, or even huge tires, we get a decrease in timing and an enrichment in fuel. Now having a lack of either will make the valves CLATTER and cause the engine to LOSE power.
Overheating will NOT cause a loss of power until the engine has toasted itself. NEVER TO RETURN! Perhaps a new temp sender might find the old one is lying to your gauge.
You may have created a problem when you have tried to remove the distributer. I'm betting on timing at this time for the lack of power, not overheating.
It isn't so much trouble to check the timing why not do it?
Big Jim

 

[88 XLT Ranger]

I put a 195 thermostat with the jiggle valve I burped the system best I could. I just drove it on the highway for 11 miles its kinda up and down on incline never got past halfway on temp. I stopped herd rockers clattering lifters ticking checked the upper hose I could put my hand on it its a lot cooler than before. I got back on the highway back its most going up hill the rockers and lifters making more noise than loss of power. I pulled over checked the oil its just a tad 1/2 quart low temp good no overheating. The timming is good the smog check shop always checks it. Its ran perfect ever sence we messed with it to change the sensor in it. The issue now is many years after that. I think the Lucas must have got weak in it

Question how many quarts of Lucas oil stabilizer can I run? I had two in it with 20-W50 Kendall. It there anything els that would help the lifters stay pumped up. I think the overheating is under control now the lifters and rocker arm issue

 

[Lone-Ranger]

I've seen engines that had nothing but lucas in them, however, I think you may just be delaying the inevitable my friend. 2.9's weren't renowned for their top end lubrication.