5.0 HO running hot

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5.0 HO running hot

April 28, 2013, 05:36:08 PM

message center says [COLOR="darkorange"]Low[/COLOR] [COLOR="lime"]Radiator[/COLOR]

I checked the radiator cold and overflow while it was cold, overflow was way passed cold full line, and radiator was topped all the way to the top of the cap and spilled out a little when I opened it, the car runs like new but this radiator problem I think is making it run hot some how, I was on my way home just now and saw the needle climbing and was like.. What the heck..? it climbed very slowly, and while i was turning onto my street, it was just about to go to the H on the temp gauge.

Thanks.
Anyone ever have this problem before and what did you do to fix it.

I'm thinking it might be the thermostat, because the previous owner had just changed the radiator hoses and radiator, and maybe they put it in backwards(probably not, my 88 TC only can go in one way), or didn't change it at all, and now it's stuck in the closed position and cant allow flow of coolant to the engine.

5.0 HO running hot

Reply #1 – April 28, 2013, 05:59:30 PM

That would be the place I would start. If you have an electric fan, make sure it is functioning as it should also. I live here in Arizona and traffic can be hard on a car and it's only going to get hotter. So, don't put it off or it can be "pay now or pay later".

5.0 HO running hot

Reply #2 – April 28, 2013, 06:15:04 PM

It's a clutch fan, came on just fine just now, car is at middle of Norm now after cooling off

5.0 HO running hot

Reply #3 – April 28, 2013, 07:26:00 PM

Changing thermostats is not a hard job and it's a lot less expensive than buying a new engine.

5.0 HO running hot

Reply #4 – May 01, 2013, 04:40:33 AM

I changed the thermostat today, cleaned up the housing and mounting area, put a new gasket, and cleaned all fittings, and hoses. definitely was the original thermostat, that thing put up quite the fight coming off, the hose was giving me hell. I almost sacrificed it and almost ended up cutting it, but I pulled with all my force and it finally budged.

The car runs like new now, after starting it and taking it around a few blocks a couples times, it got to operating temp and then the thermostat opened and the temp went down to cool side again, so its working awesome now, usually it would get to operating temp and then keep climbing.

I hadn't run it since finding this problem out, so I didn't damage anything.

Hooray :D