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Yesterday, I ran the beast up to temp with the Cascade solution still in the engine. As soon as it cooled, I drained it and flooded the engine and rad with fresh water. I had the block drain out and stuck a hose in the radiator inlet and allowed it to run for about 20 minutes while I grabbed a bite to eat. I then added a container of radiator flush and drove that around for a while. I drained that and let it flush for another 15 to 20 minutes. I then installed the OEM thermostat. I refilled the system with plain water and took it for a spin. Crap, that didn't do it. The temp leveled off at mid gauge for a minute until I started up an incline where the temp once again climbed to and beyond the H. Turning on the heater blower once again made an instantaneous difference, again, as if it were literally hooked to the gauge. I couldn't figure out how it could do that, that fast. Still can't. It was getting late and I parked it back in the garage and came back upstairs for the night. This morning, I pulled the old rad and shroud and the old water pump out. I took a picture of the inlet hole in the engine behind the water pump. It looks like new metal in there. It ought to. I installed the new water pump and replaced the old radiator with the new one. I also installed a Scott Drake Gano filter in the upper radiator hose. I took the opportunity to replace the fan belt with a new one too. I refreshed the system with fresh water and headed for the shower. We drove the rig to my parents house for a family Thanksgiving. The gauge dove to the right side pretty quickly as I had allowed it to warm up before we left. The heater worked normally, keeping us toasty even while driving what would equate to a Coleman tent in the low 30's. I pooped, no, popped the hood when I got there and put my hand down behind the fan, not having turned the engine off. If the actual temperature had been as high as what the gauge indicated, I believe the air behind that fan would have been hotter than it was, barely warm. There was no abnormal sound, the upper radiator hose was hot but not overly so. The engine sounded as good as I've heard it. I replaced the vacuum hose from the carb to the distributor too, before we left this morning. After gorging and visiting for awhile, we left. The engine fired up immediately and purred. We came home in outside temps in the mid 20's. The heater is more than adequate. Of course, my low speed fan works not, just the high speed and it never occurred to me to push the heater valve control in to limit the flow of hot water to the heater. I'm so used to trying to control the engine temp with the heater, I forgot it had other positions other than full on. I'll have to try that tomorrow. I think my idea of controlling the engine temp was well meant but looking back, if the engine was indeed as hot as the gauge indicated it was, there is no way you could cool it that much, that quick, simply by turning on the blower fan. A block of steel that big, that hot couldn't be cooled that quickly with a fire truck. So I've come to the conclusion, it has got to be that stupid gauge. Even the voices agree. ("I told ya, goofy")
(I hate it when they're right). The radiator really needed to be changed, I needed practice changing the thermostat and now I have an extra water pump. I too have a very clean engine interior. So, all in all, it hasn't been a goose chase. Giving Him thanks in everything brings good things, every time. So now I need gauge help. Here's some pictures:
(I hate it when they're right). The radiator really needed to be changed, I needed practice changing the thermostat and now I have an extra water pump. I too have a very clean engine interior. So, all in all, it hasn't been a goose chase. Giving Him thanks in everything brings good things, every time. So now I need gauge help. Here's some pictures:
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