radiator circulation

[dizdak]

my truck decided to jump up to 230 deg today under normal driving, usually runs 190ish -200 max if i am pushing it without a load... so 230 scared the chit out of me for a minute...stopped at the house before heading to get the kids, put some cool water in the radiator and it dropped to 190 again.. and stayed there..but after more looking the radiator may have been just a tad low, nothing crazy.. but i did notice that it didn't look like it was circulating in the radiator.. now it had cooled back down to under 190, so my question is will it not circulate if the t-stat isn't open?

 

[77f250diesel]

Just within the block and heater with t-stat closed.

Dennis

 

[icanfixall]

Thats correct. No circulation will be seen in the top tank when the thermostat is closed. You will have coolany bypassing the stat too but it goes directly into the water pump and not the radiator. Its that small hole under the thermostat in the block. Not the tiny air bleed port either. How did your coolant get low. We usually have about a gallon in the catch tank. So you must have a leak or its found a way to hide from you...

 

[dizdak]

I do have a small leak in the radiator somewhere. .I am gonna pull it out soon and get it pressure tested and fixed or replace it..i was just trying to hold off a few more weeks since I am gonna pull the engine anyway for a Cummins swap..

 

[idiabuse]

on a warmed up engine find a way to rub you radiator with your hands and search for a cool section of the radiator, clogged section...

 

[dizdak]

thanks IDI i will give that a try tomorrow, gonna see if i can get it warmed up enough to open the tsat and check circulation... supposed to take the play truck out tomorrow so i know with 10k lbs in tow it will heat up... usually runs about 205-210 when hauling if i keep it at 55-57mph in 4th gear.. so i was certainly surprised to look down and see 230 with nothing in tow and just normal driving on a cool day for FL...

 

[OLDBULL8]

You need a new t'tsat, only IH or Motorcraft. It has to look like this.

 

[icanfixall]

Be extra careful buying a thermostat. The chinese crap looks really close to the oem stats. But they have all broken too. Those metal brackets on top of them break and then it wont open or close causing a possible meltdown. Because its a deep area to remove the stat I can't understand why some will buy crap and end up doing this job twice. But money talks... Only the Ford or International dealer is the place to know your getting the right thermostat...

 

[dizdak]

i have a new t-stat in the truck from ford, pulled from part number from this site, so that should be good... i think it just got low on water, cause i drove it several more times over the last 10 days even pulled my gooseneck and play truck and it never broke 205 so i am leaning toward the small leak i knew i had finally just let the water get low enough to let it run warm...