LelandC1

1996 5spd 4.9 6cyl..

I need help! I've recently changed my radiator (with one I pulled from a u-pull-it yard) and it wouldnt stop over heating. I changed the thermostat, and put on a new fan clutch, burped the thing till im sick and still cant control the over heating. Going to do another radiator flush tomorrow, but did I miss anything? Ive got a 50/50 coolant mix going..

burning up in New Awlins...

ford_tough_5L

some people do it from time to time.. but did you happen to put your thermostat in backwards?

also, squeeze your top rad. hose to see if theres water in it and that there's pressure.

check your water pump also.

LelandC1

Ive got the thermostat in correctly, I thought of that and double checked it. I can sort of look into the radiator with the coolant a little low and see the water being pumped through, so Im guessing the water pump is doing its job. There was quite a bit of rust in the replacement radiator but it all washed out clean after extensive flushing. (I bought a few bottles ofthe prestone flush tonight, hoping that works in case I missed something in there.) Ive replaced the radiator cap as well with a new one. Wondering if I shound go with an electric fan (as suggested by a few buddies of mine) Im out of ideas..

ford_tough_5L

i contemplated a e-fan. but there's so much wiring and you would more than likely forget to turn the fan on and your truck would ever heat.

but i'm sure that what your seeing in your radiator is vibrations from your engine. because if your looking into your radiator, then your pump isn't moving water because you'd probably be at the hospital right now.

correct me if i'm wrong. but i'm pretty sure there isn't any flow from your radiator to your engine until it's up to normal operating temperature or the temperature your thermostat is rated for.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

You might have a cracked head/blown head gasket. Check all the spark plugs and note the color and condition of each and their location. One or two would look different from the others, either white powdery looking glycol deposits or it will look sort of washed cleaner than the others.

ford_tough_5L

wouldn't he also see a little white smoke from his exhaust pipe if it was being burned in the cylinders? im not sure if that's where you're going with this.. but that's my thought.

f150cam

yea my radiator dont blow water unless i let the truck warm up then take the cap off, if i leave the cap off cold and turn the truck on my coolant goes out of the radiator and back down so its normal for it to do that. so yes the pump is working. dont mean you dont have a blow gasket though sadly.

Just call me Sean

iTrader: (1)

Everything else seems to be in order. Didn't really notice any smoke when I cracked my head, but it sure did overheat.

LelandC1

I was actually trying to burpthe radiator and had the thing running with the radiator cap off, I let it run for a bit until it was up to temp for the thermostat. the coolant was slightly below the neck of the radiator. I looked down into the radiator with a flashlight and could see the coolant moving in the radiator( hard to explain that one..lol) then it would bubble a bit of air out and settle down. it would stay somewhat cool until I actually put the cap back on and ran it around the neighborhood. In only a few minutes the temp will jump up to halfway between the 'L' on the normal on the temp gauge and the red line on the right side of the guage. Could the radiator still be clogged up in a few places? I was also told that I could hook up an e fan in such a way that it would come on when the truck was started and stay on, then turn off wjen the truck was turned off.. ?

ford_tough_5L

off-topic.. somewhat.. isn't it the anti-freeze that smokes when it burns? because i read in another thread you posted in that you run straight water. maybe this is why you didn't see any smoke?

just a thought i had. not meant to offend by any means. just curious.


there is a way of hooking up an e-fan that way. i read about it where someone did it that way on a jeep forum and did a relay or something that he could manually turn it off when he went through water (avid offroader). i didn't think about this until you mentioned it.