Getting Hot

[Hellcat]

My 93 Ranger has a 4.0 automatic the truck is a 4x4 x-cab. The problem is the engine gets hot when I pull a moderate sized hill, As soon as I hit level ground it cools right away . I flushed the radiator it flows water well,I checked the drive belt it was tight ,the bottom hose was questionable so I replaced it. The water pup is 3 months old and seems to be working fine. I replaced the thermostat.. I checked the air filter and exhaust as well.
I am going to pull a trailer on a long trip and I know these heads don't take over heating well, I want to solve the problem before I leave but I am at a loss. Any and all ideas will be appreciated
Thanks

 

[--weezl--]

how dirty is your radiator? got lots of bugs and crap stuck in it? i'll bet your rad isn't letting air flow through it well enough to cool down...

happens often to me when i go offroading from the mud... usually gotta pull over and spray a few bottles of water at the rad to get some air flow to cool it down sounds like yours is moderately plugged, but still letting some through

this can also cause you to overheat when moving down the highway at a good clip... try being heavy on the throttle while driving on the highway (good speed) see if it overheats... that's where my money is!

another thing you can try is a product called redline water wetter, it goes in the rad and cools the engine incredibely well... don't know what's in it, but a 1 qt bottle on average brings the engine temperature down by about 15 degrees! (it needs to be replaced if you flush the rad again, as it stays liquid and stays in the coolant

 

[wiesket]

I had a similar problem with my ride getting to hot even though it appeared that the water flowed well. Found out that the rad was partially clogged. Took a piece of 3/8 inch copper tubing, flattened one end and made a partial hook to the end, ran a piece of plastic strapping material through each and every fin in the core. cleaned it out with some CLR, and it was as good as new. First flush with the CLR after probing the rad came out looking like rusty chocolate milk. Ran clean water to flush out the CLR and it runs very cool now, and has for about 3-4 years.

 

[--weezl--]

yeah, if you've taken too many rocks to your rad, the fins bend over and close the airways too

 

[Hellcat]

Thanks Guy's
I will check both of those things and report back this evening.

 

[HRTKD]

When pulling up a hill try manually downshifting so the engine RPM's increase. The increase in the RPM's of the engine gives the transmission the opportunity to pump more (cooler) fluid through the transmission. At lower RPM's the transmission won't pump as much. At least that's the way it works on my Nissan Titan.

 

[--weezl--]

it's his motor that's overheating, not his transmission

 

[HRTKD]

Doh! Sorry, I misread it as an overheating transmission.

 

[Hellcat]

OK I tried both of the suggestions and in the end there might be a little improvement but not enough to matter. I may be wrong but I am convinced that the radiator just isn't flowing well enough. Maybe just old enough to have some real damage inside.
I am thinking that a 4.0 Explorer might have a more heavy duty radiator but I don't know if this is correct. I am quite a drive from a Salvage yard so before I head out I was wondering if anyone knew if this is correct. I know the 5.0 Explorer has to have a bigger radiator I don't know how much work is needed to make it fit.

 

[--weezl--]

just go to your local cheap parts store (up here, it's canadian tire, or auto value) and get a brand new radiator... a new one designed for your truck will work MORE than well enough, they are designed to over cool so when it starts to gum up 2 years from now, they are still sufficient... and there is no guarantee that the rad you pull out of the junk yard works any better than the one you have, not to mention it might have a hole in the core!

for the hastle, and the cost, just go buy a new one... there are lots of parts you can get from a junk yard that are great, but a radiator IMO, is not one of them

 

[Hellcat]

Good Idea
I will be pulling my radiator out tomorrow and taking it to a local radiator shop where they will check it for flow. they offer high pressure cleaning, used radiators with warranty and sell new radiators as well. I hope to have this solved tomorrow !!!!!

 

[--weezl--]

that is an acceptable alternative, i hope they can just give you a service on yours and get you back on the road!

 

[Hellcat]

Lesson learned !!
My radiator was flow tested <I watched to be sure> it was only flowing 45 % of what it should have. Seems strange that I could watch the water moving when it was on the truck and yet it was over 50% plugged. Here were my choices
1. Full cleaning was $80.00
2. High flow used was $95.00
3. New $120.00.
I am taking a long trip and for the price difference I just bought new.
I appericate everyones advice thank's

 

[--weezl--]

for that price spread, i woulda done the same, though a full cleaning wouldn't be much different than new... (unless it blows)