Cooling problem

[et3surge]

I inadvetently Hjacked someones post so I think I should post my own thread:

I have mostly new hoses and I don't see leakage anywhere until...

I had been overheating quite quickly recently and a mechanic I know told me he thought it was the fan clutch. The fan clutch has tension, is not wobbly or leaking at all, but it never comes on anymore, belt tension is fine also.

I was worried that the thermostat was not working properly but it reads properly on the gauges when it is heating up so why is the fan not coming on?!? I squeezed the upper radiator hose and now my water pump weep hole won't stop weeping. I am going in circles now, is it the clutch, thermostat or pump/seal? UNtil I squeezed it I was barely ever leaking in a parking spot, only while driven I suppose.

If thermostat were stuck how would the gauge show gradual heat up?

Thanks to all the IH8MUD crowd always the best help.

Sergio

 

[TheJackRabbit]

I have an 1987 FJ60 that had cooling problems when I lived in Los Angeles. I replaced the coolant pump, thermostat, checked the fan continuously. No luck. Finally, I replaced the radiator and the problem went away. Some folks tell me that the 2F is known for clogging radiators as the block casting sheds metal. I do not know if this is true or not. I power flush the coolant every two years. The engine stays cool, especially without he Cat converter.

 

[et3surge]

You know I thought about that because it is pretty slow to fill when I run water into it. It is, however, the newest part of my cooling system, maybe 2 years old. That and all the hoses which are months old.

I will try a powrful flush to see what happens.

Thanks

 

[Mace]

it over heat at idle/driving around town or at speed?

 

[et3surge]

At idle definitely, at speed it seems to be ok for a while but I am in Miami so even the air flow is quite warm so eventually it gets up there, incrementally faster as it goes.

At idle it gets up there in no more than 8-10 minutes best recollection.

Thanks Mace

 

[Mace]

Is the radiator getting warm as well?

 

[et3surge]

Mace,

The radiator is getting hot, the upper radiator hose is hotter than the lower but they both do warm up. I have not had a boil over though so I am wondering if it is heat radiating from the engine compartment heating hoses and radiator, not the water flow through them.

I just did a complete full system flush and there seem to be no leakage anywhere but the weep hole of the pump.

What are you thinking? Curious...

Thanks for the help

 

[Mace]

a. if the weep hole is weeping, your water pump needs to be replaced.

b. Just trying to figure out if it is more of a flow problem or a cooling ability problem.

Typically, when you get hot at cruising speeds your radiator is not big enough.
When you heat up at idle, it is a problem with the fan clutch..

As it stands, it sounds like the fan clutch to me.

You also might want to install a real temp gauge. The stock one is more of an indicator than anything else. They are pretty cheap too..

 

[et3surge]

I was afraid of that, I was leaning the direction of the pump anyway simply because of the lack of boil over or even pressurized radiator. I assume if I let it redline for a long while then it would eventually happen but probably damaging the engine in the process.

Well as far as a real temp gauge, do you recommend one in particular? How does it get integrated, somewhere in the Thermostat housing? What are normal temps at that point?

Thanks as always...

Oha and I have a MySpace also so don't feel ashamed. LOL

 

[Mace]

If you cannot keep pressure on your system it will overheat..

There are a bunch of them out there. You can replace one of the stock plugs in the head with the sender.

"normal" are somewhere between 190 and 210