Trucks running hot

[mn_smokeater]

my truck seems to be running hotter then it should be when i drive to town thats about 9 miles away it runs at the top bar of the norm range and if i stop and idle for more then a min. or two it would start creeping up so i put in a new T-stat today and drove it around im pretty sure i got all the air in there out and the fluids full. it still runs up at the top of the norm range but so far hasnt hit that lil bar at the very top.

i did the Tstat. i do need to get a new Rad as it was leaking but now it seems to have stopped or it slowed down enough that i havent noticed the drips. im thinking that the rads clogged up maybe. could the temp sensor be wonky too?

ohh what rad can i put in there that would be an upgraded one that would bolt in without moding anything if its possible

 

[J281v8]

How old is the radiator cap?

 

[mn_smokeater]

hmmm on that note... uhh think its been on there quite a while. replace that then go from there?

 

[J281v8]

I always like to start with the easy stuff first. Any steam out of the tail pipe when the engine is warm?

 

[mn_smokeater]

not that i can see. il cheak that in the morning when i start it up. i read the label on the truck witch told me to backfill the engine with 3 quarts of coolent i did that then followed the guide to start it with the cap on the "pressere release" setting and high idle it until the lower rad hose got warm but it never did an i had cheaked the temp gage it was up to the top of the norm bar so i shut it down then checked the coolent in the rad it was down so i topped off. i then restarted it then ran it arond a bit and did the same topped it off so i think it was air being worked out?

 

[J281v8]

It might make a little steam when cold. What kind of fan do you have?

 

[mn_smokeater]

its the stock fan that came with the engine

 

[J281v8]

The fan clutch may not be working. Turn the fan by hand when the engine is warmed up. It should not spin freely or move too easily. If it does, the spring in the clutch has failed.

 

[mn_smokeater]

fan clutch is good i checked that.

 

[Shran]

Could just be the gauge...might need to check the actual engine temp with a laser thermometer

 

[adsm08]

If your rad stopped leaking its def clogged somewhere which could contribute to but not necessarily cause your problem. I would replace it any way and back flush the system with a garden hose. If you find a 3.0 or early 4.0 ranger/explorer rad that should be a bit bigger then the 2.9 unit and still drop in, we are talking maybe 94 as the last possible year for that tho. I really doubt your sensor is hinky unless its got a bunch of scaling built up on it. If it was wires or the gauge itself the problem would be a pegged needle one way or the other. GL

 

[strvger]

will the 3.0 or 4.0 rads fit? his is like mine, a 2.8. the new ones have lots of plastic and mine is all metal. if you have to buy a new one, go with a 2 core rad for increased cooling.

 

[mn_smokeater]

OK guys heres todays update. i drove it from a gas station by my work zeroed out the trip odometer an to home was about 18 miles and from about 7 miles onward til the end it ran at the top of the norm range to just above it and would switch between that seemingly at random. when i got home i shut down the engine and took the rad cap off and checked the temp of the coolant an it was under 140(used a cooking thermometer) and i could put my finger in it easy.

i had also looked and i believe that the water pump may be leaking as well there was drips of coolant falling on top of the housing that the shaft that the fan is attached to that looked like it was dropping from right above it.

i checked the tailpipe and there is no steam from it nor is there any coolant in the oil on the dipstick and i looked on the side of the engine and its just the Lil bit of leak of oil.

Edit: i will be going to napa monday to get a new rad cap too

 

[mn_smokeater]

Update: put the new rad cap on and it is running cooler the needle now sit between the "N" and "O" so its helping. i let it sit and idle for about 5 mins as i went an grabbed a paper and came back and it was still at that so that makes me happy but as others have suggested i will be replaceing the Rad and water pump.

 

[mn_smokeater]

getting ready to order a new Rad but wondering whats the differance between one that is a 3 row vs one thats a 1 row? both are OE type but the 3 row is more spendy.

Edit heres the one im looking at:http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.c...diator/1984/XLT/6_Cyl_2-dot-8L/SILLA0916.html

can i get better for less? ie better brand or cost