Below zero temps and radiator flush.

[96Indyram]

This 87 ranger (2.9 v6 4x4) has sat awhile before I bought it from the previous owner.
I was fixing this truck up to give to my father inlaw, and was making good progress.
All 3 fuel pumps replaced. ( 2 low pressure in each tank..High pressure in-line) and new filters.
New Shocks,
New 30x9.5x15 maxxis bighorn m/t.
Replaced the fm145 5 speed with one from craigslist.
New Slave and throwout bearing.
new o2 sensor

I know it needed a oil change, tune up,etc...they are on the list.

BUT... My dodge decided to start losing oil pressure so I had to park it.
Then bad weather started moving in and I needed a vehicle to drive to work and leave the f150 for wife and kids.
So I put insurance on the 87 ranger and started driving it yesterday during or snow storm..
I noticed the temp guage wouldn't move but a tad off of cold. I know when I checked it was full of antifreeze...a little discolored..but full.

So today ( -24 windchill) I start the truck, pull the radiator cap and rev the engine up. Yep coolant started circulating...GREAT..no thermostat. Well that explains the temp guage not moving. But the antifreeze looks like crappy muddy water circulating in there.

I put a piece of cardboard blocking most of the radiator to help get some temp built up in the engine today...and it helped.

Looks like tomorrow morning I will dress like the kid off of "the Christmas story" and attempt to do a radiator flush in -4 degree weather not counting windchill, and try to get the cooling system in better shape....I would hate to have the engine freeze up.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, no thermostat = no heat.

 

[96Indyram]

Or the thermostat is stuck open. The garage I work on vehicles in has my dodge in there...but I can pull it out if the garage doors wasen't drifted and frozen shut.

Still...not fun in this weather to work on a truck outside.

 

[swynx]

I have to flush with hot tap water.

 

[96Indyram]

The joys in buying 20+ year old vehicles.
I bought the 84 and 87 from the same guy. paid $1100 for the pair...both ran and drove.

was told the 87 had a bad throwout bearing....nope turned out to be a bad transmission.
was told the 84 needed a water pump. I changed the waterpump, and as soon as the thermostat opened up water started pouring out of 4 freeze plugs.
I have not touched the 84 since...just sitting in the driveway until I finish this 87.

fun fun.... lol

 

[96Indyram]

Got lucky..had a heat wave today! It wasen't below zero temps. it was 4 degrees with almost no wind.
Went to drain the radiator and completly unscrewed and removed the drain plug and nothing came out. A bunch of brown globby stuff was on the plug.....nice right.
So I removed the lower radiator hose and drained everything out. I bought some radiator flush stuff at O'rilley's. I poured one bottle in and topped off with hot tap water and let the truck run for 20 minutes.
Pulled the lower hose, drained system, poured in 2nd bottle of radiator flush/hot water and ran truck another 20 minutes.
Drained the system again, replaced the thermostat, and filled the system up with 50/50 mix antifreeze. let truck run with the radiator cap off and topped off radiator when needed. I put the cap on and let truck run for about 15 minutes.
No leaks! yay!
Temp guage was in the middle...yay!
heater was trying to melt my face off....oh yay!.... happy dance! "(_(_)" "(_)_)" "(_(_)" "(_)_)"
sorry about that.....

I shut it off and go inside for a few hours to warm up.
I go out and check antifreeze level before leaving for work and it was low as expected.
Filled it up and headed to work.

Got to work ( 16 mile drive) and checked the upper radiator hose.....no pressure? What?
slowly remove radiator cap...yep no pressure...and coolant was almost 1/2 gallon empty. So I left the truck running and filled it back up....and had a bunch of little foamy bubbles circulating in the radiator.

Now with the loss of coolant, and the bubbles in the radiator Im starting to think blown head gasket/cracked head. I checked the oil and it is nice and brown/black. no water/ snot on dipstick. removed the oil fill cap and nice and clean...no snot.

I cant tell by the exhaust because it is 4 degrees outside so there is heat/condensation steam/smoke blowing out anyway in the cold air. I did smell near the pipe and no sweet antifreeze smell that I could tell.

I have poured in almost 2 gallons total .....that is about what the specs call for (7.8 quarts) so
Guess I will keep a eye on it the next few days and see if I am still losing coolant...If I do.... I have a issue.

 

[Andy D]

The brown crud was probably Bars Leaks , the cellulose and latex stop leak. Now you have cleared it out you will have to find out what needed stopping up. When I was in the final stages of refreshing my 528e, I was replacing the coolant. It really needed it , it was brown. I flushed and rinsed and added coolant until I had a 50/50 mix. I looked at the radiator. There was easily 2 dozen pin holes in the aluminum core.

 

[Mark_88]

Hmmmm...I'd say air in the system if not leaking. Air in the system will cause the anti-freeze to belch out of the overflow as you drive...you may actually see this happening if you stop and let the engine idle for a few minutes.

Been there...done that...when you topped it up before your drive to work it would have been better to actually leave the rad cap off and let the engine idle with the blower fan on high...when it hits operating temperature you should see the fluid move and if it dips at that point top it up, let it idle for a few more minutes, then cap it and take it for a spin.

 

[96Indyram]

Drove it to work a few more times, and it is still losing coolant.
crapola!
I haven't pulled a valve cover yet, but I think it still has the orignal thin casting heads.
anyone have a set of good.. newer thick casting heads for a 2.9 laying around that you might be willing to part with?
All the junkyards around me all scrapped the older stuff.