radiator problems

[craigbreedlove]

94 ext cab 4.0 4x4 5 spd. Cooling has been a problem lately. I plan on putting a new radiator in but want to know what the best to use would be? My son and I both drive this truck very hard. No rest for the wicked. I have a single row in the truck right now. what are my best options for keeping this truck cool under hard conditions? It has a 2 year old water pump, that is factory ford. new 180 degree thermostat. Thought of maybe getting a electric fan. Any help at all would be great

 

[AllanD]

Unless a water pump is leaking, or so old that the vanes have corroded off
the impeller.. a water pump is never responsible for an overheating issue.

Mechanics want to tell you otherwise because they can charge more
labor to replace a water pump.

the thing to do is replace your "single row" radiator with the radiator
for a 4.0 with an auto trans.

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[crbnunit]

The double row is a bolt in. Have you checked the clutch on your fan?

 

[stx4.0]

Or replace the radiator with one from a 4.0 with air conditioning.

 

[craigbreedlove]

The fan clutch is new and the truck is equipped with a/c. I have noticed htat the automatic radiator has the lower outlet at a different angle, pointing downward at about a 45 degree angle. where the manual outletis 90 degree with the radiator. will the hoses hook up all right? If so the auto is much cheaper than the manual.

 

[AllanD]

In that case you'll need a different lower hose.

a small price to pay for better cooling.

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[craigbreedlove]

I will put new hoses on when I do the radiator. so getting the automatic hoses is no problem. Now does the manual tranny have any kind of pump to move the oil in it? I was thinking that using the outlets to cool the tranny would be a good additive for protection.

 

[AllanD]

No there is no "pump" that is accessable to circulate the trans fluid through
the cooler in the radiator.

There is a tiny little turbine pump inside the trans, but that only force
lubricates ONE bearing in the trans.

the trans cooler can be used to cool your power steering fluid.

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[Will]

Probably the old radiator is full of junk. Mine got bad slowly--overheating when it shouldn't be with more frequency until it finally blew a whole tank off the side at Wellsville. I put in a new stock design radiator--single row, for a manual trans etc. and the problem entirely went away.

If you aren't doing something that should overheat it--like pulling your popup over the Continental Divide in August with the AC blasting, there's a problem that needs fixed. That may not mean you need to upgrade, just fix it. My first stop is the radiator shop to see if they can clean it out. It's about $30 so you have to weigh that against the cost of the new one.

Flush it first though. Get one of those kits. If there is crud in the radiator, it's in the block too. And I have seen the impeller blades corroded off, but not in anything as new as yours.

 

[craigbreedlove]

With giving this truck to my son I want to make sure that it is as trouble free as possible. I think that I want to go ahead and get a new radiator that has two rows. I am even thinking of replacing the ac condenser. Just to make sure that there are no blockages.

 

[AllanD]

If the A/C condenser isn't leaking don't mess with it.

You might want to pressure wash the outside of it, but they don't clog internally.

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[craigbreedlove]

i have hit it with the pressure washer. I am worried about the fins that are bent over blocking air flow.