recomendations for plan of action

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I have an 85 60series with 90k on the odometer. Around town everything is great but when i get it on the highway cruisin at 60mph after about ten miles or so she starts to heat up. So then its a major pain cause I gotta over run the engine and cook myself with the heater. I replaced the thermostat and thoroughly cleaned out my radiator. So now im thinkin new water pump and then if that doesnt work new radiator. what do you guys think.
 
Did you burb out the air after you did the work. The spot where the temperature sensor is located is actually the high point in the system, so air gets trapped there and the temperature in the bubble is higher than the water temp.

I purchased a radiator cap with a thermometer in it. it helped me understand whether my truck was really running hot or whether it was a problem such as an air bubble or inaccurate OEM gauge

Mr. Gasket
 
Yeah i got the air out of the radiator. But i didnt realize you could get a cap with a temp read, because the gage is definitely something i suspect could be the issue. But what do you think the chances are of a bad waterpump being the source of my frustration?
 
I purchased a radiator cap with a thermometer in it. it helped me understand whether my truck was really running hot or whether it was a problem such as an air bubble or inaccurate OEM gauge

Mr. Gasket

Damn, that's slick. :)
 
I vote for a bad fan clutch.

Dynosoar:zilla:
 
well i dont think its the fan clutch because i only have problems on the highway at highspeeds, but going around town she cruises like a pup.
 
yeah only place i can find a fan clutch is ccot which is kina convinient because its only a 20 minute drive from my house ill see if i can get them to install one.
 
IF you are fine driving around town, I do not think its the fan clutch. You can hear it turn off an on pretty easily as well, so no need to replace if its working properly.

Waterpumps to my knowledge usually work or do not, so if its cool in every situation except the freeway it should not be the water pump either.

Either your temp gauge/temp sender is fault, you still have air in your system, or your radiator is not cutting it.

Do you boil over or just overheat?
 
No when the problem occurs i nurse it the best i can with the heater and then i will overrun the engine. never had an overflow. Once or twice i have looked down and its been in the red. I already replaced the thermostat but the one i replaced it with could be a lemon so im going to replace it with another new one that i have just to be sure. I think your right about the temp sender those are cheap, wouldnt be a bad idea to go ahead and replace it. So if that fails i guess its gotta be either the gage itself or the rado like you said.
 
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Iv had the rado cleaned by a toyota and volvo specialist in Addison, TX so im assuming he got all the air out. I know the Mechanic hes been specializing in volvos and toyotas for over two decades. But i guess something like getting all the air out could be a pretty careless mistake so ill have to check that out more thoroughly.
 
Do yourself and your truck a favor and replace the radiator and the fan clutch. If your water pump isn't leaking from the weep hole, it isn't the problem.

It's nearly always the radiator, especailly if it gets hot on the highway when the fan clutch isn't doing much anyway.

Replace the radiator. You can't clean one out in the driveway.
 
Yeah Im looking at the radiator from carradiator.com i read in a different post they perform better than stock and they run $235 which doesnt sound bad at all. Your right though its gotta be the rado the fan and thermostat are obviously working if they can make it around town without a problem. Plus 23 years is a pretty good life span for a radiator anyway.
 
Fan clutch is definitely one of the items you ONLY want Toyota OEM. Aftermarket ones are junk.
 
Does your gas gauge move when you temperature spikes? If so, one of the terminals on the back of the gauge cluster could be semi-corroded causing fluctuations in your gauges. Specifically the water temp and fuel gauge. This terminal can be cleaned with something like sand-paper. There are threads about this on here you'll just have to search. I'm heading to class, but I'll search when I get back.

Hopefully this is the problem so you don't have to go replacing a whole bunch of things.
 
I have seen h2o pumps that did not leak that were well past needing retirement. The impeller vanes were rotted away by rust or cavitation, or both. Aftermarket pumps that use a stamped sheet metal impeller are the worst for this problem. So don't discount that possibility.

What psi is the cap and how new is it? I've had overheating issues with a cap that was simply tired. Replacing it fixed the problem.

The thermometer cap looks interesting, but won't tell you when the t-stat opens because you can't see the coolant flow with a cap in place. Plus, I've yet to be impressed by the quality of anything made by Mr Trashket.

On some of the race cars that I've worked on we've had similar high spots in the coolant system. The usual cure is to install an NPT to AN aluminum adapter, and then put an AN cap on it. Makes bleeding air from the system super easy to do.
Another bleeding option is to buy the bleeder assembly from a wilwood brake caliper. You'll have to call their tech/sales dept to get a part number as I don't think that number is listed anywhere outside the company.
 
Please go out and buy a $20 mechanical guage and hook it up. You NEED to be sure its overheating before you spend the type of money and time you are talking about. Start at the beginning of the project not at the end. These trucks are famous for having bad guages
 
Did you burb out the air after you did the work. The spot where the temperature sensor is located is actually the high point in the system, so air gets trapped there and the temperature in the bubble is higher than the water temp.

I purchased a radiator cap with a thermometer in it. it helped me understand whether my truck was really running hot or whether it was a problem such as an air bubble or inaccurate OEM gauge

Mr. Gasket

How well does that cap clear the hood? Looks quite thick, and I'd be concerned about the hood slapping it when closing.
 
Hi Im in Plano .I agree dont just throw parts at it.If your up this way we can look at it in my driveway. Mike
 

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