Overheating?? DownUnder (1 Viewer)

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jfc

Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Threads
24
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701
Location
Mile 62.5, BC
Hi all, travelling around austraila with our '82 HJ60 we have been experiencing some irregularities in the engine temperature. When we left Sydney the temperature seemed to stay quite constant, almost always under or at half on the guage. As we travelled north the engine seems to be running hotter, especially with the air conditioning on, it somtimes runs at just under the red part of the guage but it holds constant there. It does seem to run a bit cooler with the A/C off, but not as cool as it used to. I am wondering how much the climate would have an effect on the temperature reading, as tempurature and humidity have been rising here. It was roughly 25 degrees in sydney and now its in the 40's where we are. Can the temperature make that much difference on how hot the truck runs? Or do we have a problem. Also what tests would you do or how would you know if the thermostat or water pump need to be replaced. I wont be able to check any responses for a few days as I am travelling (and I will be in the middle of nowhere) Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Jim and Lindsay

It has been running hot for at least a few weeks now and seems to be ok.
:cheers:
 
Sounds way too hot.I have never seen my 2H get that hot and as its in a hj75 they seem to have a more restricted air flow over and around the engine than a HJ60.What engine is in the HJ60? Think I would find time to reverse flush the radiator and drain and refill the system making sure there is no airlock in the block.If it persists then look at the thermostat /water pump, engine.Might also check first if there are any air bubbles in the radiator by removing the cap and watching the water as you rev the engine. Summer is still coming also. LOL. cheers
 
I had a similar situation with my BJ74...all of a sudden my engine was running a lot hotter than usual. When I say sudden, I mean one day it was running normal (needle constant at under the halfway mark), then the next day it was running nearly at the red. Checked my radiator and the top tank was cool, so I suspected the thermostat and that's what it was. When I took the thermostat out, one side of the metal cage had come apart causing the thermostat to partially plug most of the passage way. Changed it and it's been running normal again ever since.
 
IMO I would stop, pull the radiator have it rodded with the bottom and top tanks removed,fit a new water pump if its suspect and a new thermostat.

Probably cost you under $350 if you pull the radiator and fit the parts yourself.
You still have a few thousand miles of tropical weather and the further north you get the more expensive it will get.
You dont want to be stuck on the side of the road in the Northern Territory or the top half of WA with overheating problems.
Long periods of overheating can cause the head gasket to blow
 
The engine will run hotter in very humid weather as the radiator is less efficient - it can't lose the heat so well because of the humidity. That being said it shouldn't run THAT hot. As roscoFJ73 said, suspect that the radiator is [artially blocked, thermostat is not working so well, radiator cap etc.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions. We think its better now after changing the fan clutch, which was totally gone. We keep it to 100km/hr, but we can run Air Cond and it the temp is normal.

Big Brown Dog, thanks for offering to help, at the time we first e-mailed we were already in Alice Springs. We are now in Broome, and are going to head South, we are enjoying the cooler temp.

Jim & Lindsay
 

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