Running Hot

[trail B2]

My original 86 motor used to heat up on long slow runs it had a small fan and no shroud just a little safety plate on top of the radiator.Look around for a bigger fan and a shroud if its only when your going slow but you did'nt mention that.When my second motor a 4.0 lost a head gasket I could tell by bubbles coming out of the radiator cap neck.What you do is keep topping off the radiator watching the filler neck so if bubbles come out there right there where you can see them.Watch it carefully though so it dos'nt blow out and burn you.If that dos'nt work there is a test for burned gases in the radiator so you can tell.It could also be your radiator not getting good circulation I put a double thick radiator in out of a gen one explorer that made a huge difference for me now I can be plowing through snow spinning all four four tires for as long as I want and it stays on the bottom of normal.

What I would do is see if I could find a thicker radiator at the wrecking yard don't mention that it's better than the others unless you have to for price.Save the hoses sometimes the bottom one is a little different mine bolted right in.With this and a good fan with a shroud plus your thermostat if it still gets hot i'll bet you have motor problems.

 

[Twister]

Well i plan on getting a explorer rad to see if that helps.

Will this one work

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/91-9...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Let me know.

Thanks

 

[bonedoc]

Hey, I have an '85 and had similar issues. I replaced my motor and changed everything in the cooling system and it still ran hot at the gauge. My mechanic actually checked the temp with a probe and it was good so it isn't overheating, justreading hot at the gauge. Sometimes it will operate fine and it will set right between the O and The R or right over the R. Other times it will sit over the N, with no rhymn or reason for it. My truck still has the factory feedback system...and I've wondered if there is a connection because my truck's feedback system will run better or worse along with the gauge. So for me I'm gathering everything for duraspark conversion and will replace the gauge if necessary

 

[trail B2]

That looks like the animal, notice the bottom nipple hooks up a little different so you need the explorer bottom hose.Thats a great price but its probably the thin radiator if you bother to change try to make sure its a double core.

 

[Twister]

So is a 2 row rad a 2 core rad?

 

[Twister]

and how much work is it to put the 4L rad in?

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Is your t-stat on the lower hose from the radiator. I put mine on the upper hose coming from the manifold it is a two piece housing with a 1 inch bypass nipple I just shoved a plug in the hose coming from the manifold and used a longer 1" hose for the bypass and tweaked the upper radiator hose to fit. I believe the t-stat housing is off a late 85-86 V-6 and the sensors come out the bottom front of the lower housing. After i did the duraspark it still ran hot but putting the stat on the water going out with a 108 degree stat the temp guage has not gone over 1/2 the range and hold steady even at an idle.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

180 deg stat

 

[adsm08]

So is a 2 row rad a 2 core rad?

Usually. Some aftermarket companies call them screwy things, but that is usually a 2 row rad.

and how much work is it to put the 4L rad in?

Its just about as plug and play as it gets. Heptofite just put one in his B2 and I think he said it bolted right in no problems.

 

[Little_blue_B2]

So do you think i should get a new rad?

And how hard is it to put the 4L one from the xpolder in my B2?

thanks

I have a 2 core rad from an early 90's explorer with a tow package in my '85 BII. I'm 95% sure it was from a 4.0 and it bolted right in, I had to cut a couple holes for the fan shroud (sp?) but it was no problem. My uncle had the same problem with his and no matter what he did it still ran hot.

 

[Twister]

Yes my tstat is in the lower house.

 

[Robert_1967]

Thats a new one on me, I thought they was always in the top hose next to the block ?!?

Robert

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I could never understand why they put it there I got a two piece housing for the upper hose off the intake manifold with the 1" bypass and capped the existing bypass and moved the stat on top and the temp guage never goes past half the scale even at an idle if your running the computer the sensor wires might need to be extended a few inches because the ports are on the bottom front of the lower housing I am sure it will help keep the engine at a steady temp just take note of the year of the donor for bypass and upper radiator hoses. Just something to look at from personal experience

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I tried to find it at the part stores and could not. I will take a pic tomorrow and try to find more info about the part numbers I feel it would be a good upgrade for any 2.8 that has the stat on the bottom unless anyone can give me a good reason it is not a good thing to do.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

When I did the engine swap 5yrs ago the engine I got had the housing on it and I changed the intake manifold to keep it stock because it did not have the bypass port on it or it was plugged I cant remember anyway I found the one I have on my truck now at the bone yard when I was looking for a carb spacer for a duraspark conversion. I believe it was a 85 ranger or BII but you will know as it is a two piece housing that bolts right up with a 1" bypass hose and I had to tweak the upper radiator hose to fit.