Running Hot

[SewperDrewper]

So I had to replace my radiator at the same time I had my heads replaced since I blew the bell housing APART...before I parked the truck, it would never go above the "r" on "normal" even when we would push it hard. Now it cruises around town right around the "m". This is a big problem since I pull my camper and boat in the summer time, and can't hardly make it to the lake with the boat alone without getting worried about cracking another head.

When I first installed the radiator, we thought that was the only problem, so I filled it with water and drove it just to find out we had other issues. It sat full of tap water for about 4 months before we fired it back up, and there was so much contamination from the block sitting with water that we decided to run it with water for about a week before we spent the money on the anti-freeze. Flushed it out after about a week and couldn't believe all the contaminants that came out. Flushed it through a couple of times, and then filled it with 50/50.

So, there's the rundown on the history of the radiator. What can I do? And does anyone know of any good fans I could throw on to get it to stay cool?

 

[Dieselcrawler]

put a real guage on it to know what the temps really are. when it rains my temp gauge will read off due to water grounding out the wire.... also my water in fuel light will flicker. just from water sitting on the plug. the factory gauges SUCK!

 

[SewperDrewper]

What kind of range are we looking for on these motors? I am pretty trusting of the gauge that is on it for the most part, but I wouldn't put anything past these old electronics. Haha. I blew past the "normal range the other day, so I pulled over to let it cool, and when it didn't come down after a couple minutes I freaked and started to roll to try and throw some air over the radiator, then all of a sudden it jumped all the way from pretty much pegged out down to the normal range again.

 

[Dieselcrawler]

but what does normal mean? lol.


mine runs normally around 195 degrees unless i push it hard. thats with the autometer mechanical temp gauge.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

That sounds like an electrical problem or the gauge is bad. the coolant temp won't just decrease in temp like that.

 

[SewperDrewper]

and 210 is considered hot right?

 

[SewperDrewper]

I understand the gauge probably isn't perfect, but it's atleast a reference point. When you see the needle creeping up to H and you smell coolant, it doesn't take a good gauge to let you know it's getting hot...I just need to know what I can do to ensure it stays cool towing about 7,500lbs at 55-65mph on grades no bigger than 6%...

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

I am going to assume that when u put in your new rad u put in a new t stat also.
I beileve most t stats open @ ~ 205-210*F

 

[gatorman21218]

I have my gauge plugged in the factory overheat sensor. 205-210 seems to be what she runs most of the time.

 

[icanfixall]

You really need to know the factory gauges are not realiable at all. Install a quality aftermarket gauge. then you will truely know whats going on... To try and address your issues I'm having to make some guess's here. A thermostat will cause your temp fluctuations like you have posted. Install a factory thermostat because any after mearket stat will not cool effectively.Only one thermostat is offered and it opens at 192 degrees and is fully open at 212. This has been proven over and over again here. These engine cooling systems have two senders that affect the dash gauge function. The small sender located just to the drivers side of the injection pump is the dash gauge. Then in the drivers side head you find another coolant sender. this is the "check engine" lite on the dash. When the coolant reaches 242 degrees this sender grounds out the dash gauge and pegs it way past the "L" in normal. To test this just remove the wire and ground it on any temp coolant. Never use tap water. The disolved minerals in it will clog your radiater tubes. True distilled water is the only correct thing to use. A quality coolant is necessary too. I don't run a 50-50 mix. It will not cool as well as 40 coolant 60 water will. actually water colls the best but its not safe to run only that. I'm thinking you need to run a coolant flush because of the crap you found when you drained the water so... Hopefully this sends you on the right path..... Check your fan clutch. If you see dirt packed up around the temp spring or the shaft seal it shot. Only the factory clutch is worth anything... Many after market comapnys sell them but they are terrible and a waste of time and money. Hopefully you got a quality radiater. They need 4 rows of tubes and more than 13 fins per inch... anything less will not work very well. A dimple three row is not going to cool these engines. The sellers will tell you they slow down the flow of coolant thru them so it has more "time" to transfer heat... Yeah suree.....

 

[The Warden]

Just curious, what year's your truck?

'83-'86 trucks have a different water temp gauge than '87 and later trucks...IIRC '87-'94 trucks shouldn't see the needle move at all, whereas '83-'86 trucks will see the needle move a little bit (also, the "overheat" sensor won't peg the gauge on an '83-'86 truck).

In any event, as Gary and Dieselcrawler have pointed out, the factory gauges on ANY model year are unreliable at best...you'd do well to get a "real" gauge on there, even if just on a temporary basis, to see what sort of temperatures you're really seeing. My thermostat starts opening at 192, and I start getting nervous if my water temp's above 215 or so (and my fan clutch kicks in at about 210 degrees)...

 

[SewperDrewper]

Thanks so much for all the help...as usual, icanfixall has been more than helpful. Now, for the coolant flush, I hooked one up in my ranger a couple years ago using my heater hoses...for some odd reason, those have been cut out and capped in this truck. How would I go about hooking up the couplers for the flush system? And for "quality coolant" I have heard, and having worked in a small segment of manufacturing before I have a strong feeling that this is true, that most coolants are all the same and are all made by a few companies. What would be a "quality" coolant then?

 

[The Warden]

Now, for the coolant flush, I hooked one up in my ranger a couple years ago using my heater hoses...for some odd reason, those have been cut out and capped in this truck. How would I go about hooking up the couplers for the flush system?

I'm assuming that the hoses have been cut and capped on the engine side? If so, it sounds like the heater core blew and a previous owner decided to cut and cap the hoses instead of repairing the heater core...in Arizona, that probably makes perfect sense

One hose should go down to the passenger's side cylinder head, and the other should go to a fitting on top of the water pump. You should be able to remove the caps and put the T-fitting in place of them...just put one hose into one side of the T-fitting and the other hose to the other side, and you should be good to go

 

[gatorman21218]

Thanks so much for all the help...as usual, icanfixall has been more than helpful. Now, for the coolant flush, I hooked one up in my ranger a couple years ago using my heater hoses...for some odd reason, those have been cut out and capped in this truck. How would I go about hooking up the couplers for the flush system? And for "quality coolant" I have heard, and having worked in a small segment of manufacturing before I have a strong feeling that this is true, that most coolants are all the same and are all made by a few companies. What would be a "quality" coolant then?

I run Fleetcharge. Its available at Tractor supply and select NAPAs. Its low silicate and comes precharged with SCAs. It is made specifically for diesel engines

 

[gatorman21218]

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