Coolant Question... (1 Viewer)

[Big Timber]

Although I didn't have the leak you speak of, my temperature never got above the first has mark either. I replaced the hoses and thermostat. Turns out the old thermostat didn't have the rubber o-ring on top of it. I suspect that's why it was never getting up to temp as fluid was always getting past. Anyway, make sure you have and replace that o-ring.

Replace the cap and stick with the old style green coolant.

And yea, $1000 is way too much. fins somebody else if you have to have it done.

 

[dbla]

Alright, I was encouraged to crawl under the front end and snap some shots... it looks like the leak is coming from the left side (if you're facing it).

And then the right side:

 

[Gretsch]

Although I didn't have the leak you speak of, my temperature never got above the first has mark either. I replaced the hoses and thermostat. Turns out the old thermostat didn't have the rubber o-ring on top of it. I suspect that's why it was never getting up to temp as fluid was always getting past. Anyway, make sure you have and replace that o-ring.

Replace the cap and stick with the old style green coolant.

And yea, $1000 is way too much. fins somebody else if you have to have it done.

I had this same experience and was gonna mention the temp reading to the OP. Replaced my O-ring and the temp is much more lower-middle of the dial now. I thought that I needed to burp my system because of the raised temp reading but turns out it was just the O-ring.

 

[dbla]

So where does one buy a replacement radiator? Any recommended dealers?

 

[Rube]

Replaced mine last month but I have a 60. I’ll look and see if the box is still around in hopes of getting a lead on a new one.

I would suggest considering replacing hoses, water pump, thermostat, fan and fan clutch while you’re in there if they haven’t been done.

 

[IS2SPICY4U]

Saw your post on the FB group. Coincidentally I just replaced mine on a 1984 FJ60 this week, which is not much different. I haven't even put the new fluid in yet, as I am waiting for the spill-free funnel I order thru Amazon. I recommend getting one, as it will save you time and headaches trying to put 17.4 qts of coolant back into the system. Not to mention dealing with getting the air out as the coolant goes in. You need to run the engine to do this in order to bring the temp up and for the thermostat to open and allow the flow of the coolant to the rest of the hoses. I am doing it solo so this funnel is a great help.

That said, here is what my process entailed so hopefully this should give you an idea what to expect. It may even persuade you to look into the leak further, as that may be a much easier fix. In my case, I had a leak at the top of my radiator that I kept an eye on it for the past 2 years and I just kept patching with JB Weld. I am selling my old radiator in the classifieds so you can see where my leak was. Link.

• First of, there are plenty of resource for parts. My favorites in this order are Cruiser Outfitters and Cool Cruisers of Texas (CCOT), you will see them mentioned on here quite a bit.
• Second, these are 30+ year old trucks and depending on your find, some of the bolts you are going to deal with have not been removed in that same time. In my case, one of the bolts for the thermostat housing broke so I had to deal with that, which added another 6+ hrs to the job. If this happens, you can just buy the entire thermostat housing and save some time, but it will add $$ to the process. You may even just buy the lower portion of the housing where the bolts get stuck when they break. Link
• You will need to flush your AC system, which adds time to the process and the tools you will need. The reason why is because you will need to move or remove completely the AC condenser. There are two bolts that hold the radiator on each side towards the top, and they are sandwiched between the radiator and condenser, so it needs to be moved out of the way to get to these bolts. In order to move or remove the condenser, there is a metal line that will need to be disconnected, thus the system must be flushed and re-serviced after your are done (if you are planning to use the AC that is)
• The radiator is held by to brackets, one on each side. You will need to remove the battery and its tray on the passenger side in order to get to the bracket. In my case, one of the bolts for the battery tray was so rusted, I had to grind it out and go without it until I replace the tray. My tray is so rusted and brittle that is being held by a miracle, it looked like it hadn't been removed in 35 years, reason why I think my radiator was the original one. So that also adds time and maybe $$
• If you are replacing the hoses, CCOT has a kit that will include all hoses. There are two hoses that are buried under the alternator and AC compressor bracket attached to the engine block, which you will need to remove in order to get to these and replace them. Unless your hands are the size of a 5 year old. I have Andre the Giant hands so... that added another 3 hours to my job.
• You may also want to replace your water pump also, but totally optional.

This is not a 3 hour job as many have mentioned on the FB group. They either own their own shops and have someone to do the work for them, or they have some sort of albino unicorn that parts just come off easily and things don't brake.

Take your time, learn as you go, take notes, and enjoy it. You will get to know your LC and the 2F engine better than anyone if you do your own maintenance on it. If I think of anything else I'll chime in. Good luck.

 

[Rube]

You do NOT have to undo any ac connections (I just did this 3 weeks ago). You can pivot the condenser out of the way. It will pull out a bit and pivot counterclockwise allowing you to access the radiator bolts. Plenty of help here. Just have some basic hand tools and all the parts on hand that you intend to replace. It’s not that difficult but can be frustrating and tight in some spots. Just post if you have any trouble.

 

[Gretsch]

You will need to flush your AC system, which adds time to the process and the tools you will need. The reason why is because you will need to move or remove completely the AC condenser. There are two bolts that hold the radiator on each side towards the top, and they are sandwiched between the radiator and condenser, so it needs to be moved out of the way to get to these bolts. In order to move or remove the condenser, there is a metal line that will need to be disconnected, thus the system must be flushed and re-serviced after your are done (if you are planning to use the AC that is)

I'll second that you absolutely DO NOT have to do anything with the AC condenser other than un-bolt it and let it drop out of the way. Un-bolt the condenser where it mounts, as well as the little bracket that directs the AC hoses where they come through the body, pull the hoses out a bit so they move free and let the condenser drop down. It will sort of droop down on the drivers side but as a result will move out of the way of the bolts you need to get to to get the radiator out.

I'll also second that you should replace any old cooling system parts while you do this. The WP and hoses are much easier to get to with the radiator and shroud out. And if you do end up replacing cooling system parts, you might also think about timing cover gasket and front crank seal if its not been done or leaks. This cooling system stuff gets really deep in the weeds real quick on these. I did mine as a whole project. Radiator out, hot tanked and cleaned, new fan, fan clutch, WP, hoses (including that little oil cooler hose deep down), timing cover gasket, front crank seal, new belts, etc. About $700 in parts OEM so not sure if its in the cards for you now, but good to do. Any part on these 35 YO rigs is ripe for replacing. As @IS2SPICY4U mentions, you will want to remove the battery tray. Sounds like a lot of extra work, but it will actually save you time trying to get to lower radiator bracket and is not as bad as it might seem to get out. HTH.

 

[MrMacdugal]

Amazon product ASIN B001G3R7F6
This is the rad you want. This is a direct fit into 1988 FJ62
Not cheap but good quality

 

[Devils Paw 80]

Looks like radiator is the leak source, but another common culprit is/are the lines going to rear heater. Mine corroded and started to slowly weep. Didn't notice for quite awhile.
Guess you need AC in your area. I don't, so all of that apparatus was discarded when putting in a transmission cooler, an item you might consider adding while on this project.

 

[dbla]

Okay so I am fixin to order this: Amazon product ASIN B001G3R7F6
It's the same one as linked above... What hoses do I need?

And let's say hypothetically I want to do the fan, fan clutch, water pump, and thermostat as well... Where can I find all of those?

Any help will... well help...

Thanks!

 

[dbla]

and how do we feel about this one: Amazon product ASIN B00AOCUSAG