B2 cooling issues

[Tactical Bronco 2]

My b2 is running hot but still in the normal range on the gauge the needle stays around the bottom of the o I can understand it running a little hotter with no fan shroud and body lift but here's the screwy thing I don't understand when I turn the heater on the heat rises ????? Also the thermostat was bad replaced it stays a little colder when I turn the heater on but still rises ???

Also I have a ? About thermostats I have been running a motor rad 180 fails safe last night I switched to a motorad 180 high flow what would you guys suggest for a semi built motor 160 180 192 high flow, oem or fail safe also what brand motocraft, motorad, stant or the jet performance thermostat

 

[mylittleblackbird]

Not that I have any experience with modified 2.9's or 2.8's, but generally speaking, as high as possible without getting detonation.

I've worked with a lot of 3.8L GM's and 4.6L Fords. About the only reason anyone would go as low as 160 is because they were running so much boost/compression that they couldn't keep it from pinging under high load.

A thermostat that is too "cold" will not allow the engine to reach the normal tolerances it would achieve at the higher OEM temp.

That said, I cannot suggest if you should get a high flow/whatever as this engine and application is a new field for me. If it were me and I intended to wheel or revving the piss out of my engine for whatever reason, I'd probably opt for a high flow t-stat. Also, under that circumstance, just for a safety precaution, I'd probably go down one step in temp(192 to 180) just for a little head room.

I'd only run a 160 if I had a lot of boost, nitrous, or screaming 9000 rpm and 10+ CR, where it would build heat quickly and need to start dissipating heat earlier.

As for your temp gauge, I don't have a good answer for you. Near as I can tell, they are "dummy gauges" which have variations in where they read as "normal".


One possible cause, however, could be the need for a cooling system flush. If antifreeze isn't changed as recommended by the antifreeze you are using, it builds up sludge and will start to plug up the radiator and build up around the cylinders inside of the water jacket. Just a thought.

I'm sure that someone with more knowledge and/or experience can chime in to correct me.

 

[AllanD]

that actually sounds more like an instrumentation problem.

And on 2.9 powered trucks of any vintage my knee-jerk response is to tell you to disassemble and clean both ends of the ground wire that runs between the back side of the driver's side cylinderhead and the stud on the wiper motor.

if you don't mind draining the coolant remove the temp sensor wirebrush it until it shines and reinstall it DO NOT use teflon plumbers tape on it, it needs to conduct to ground through the pipe threads.

 

[Tactical Bronco 2]

Thanks guy spot on I used plumbers tape good call