I apologize for joining and posting, but I need help, and I'm hoping this is the place to get it. Maybe a few of you started here the same way.
Bought used. Discovered water pump was bad.. replaced it. Ran fine for months (I only drive the 3 acres I have and a mile on dirt roads up to my son's.) One day I was off to my son's, temp light came on. Rested it, red lighted again before I got there, and was pushing fluid out of reserve.
Found a post about being airlocked. Doubted it, as it had run fine for weeks, and I'd bled out both screws in the back when I filled it after replacing the pump. Fan occasionally came on, but never sustained, and had never red lighted.. including a run-in for a new belt.
Changed thermostat because it was easy, no change. Read about airlocking. Jacked up front end, heard gushing at the radiator.. air coming in. Problem apparently solved; ran fine for months.
Friend took it for a drive, did a little mudding. Going to my son's the next morning when it red lighted half way, preceded by fan coming on and staying on. Rested it, red lighted again before I got there. Reserve tank was well above the high mark.
Drove it onto trailer ramps and ran it for a while. Got off, let it cool, cked radiator, way low on fluid. Must have been pushing fluid out on the way there, as I've never seen any evidence of leakage at any time. Probably why reserve was high when I got there. Didn't want to add just water, so took it home, resting it halfway. Brought radiator and reservoir up to level, still red lighted quickly. Hooked winch to raised tractor bucket, raised the front wheels about 3' off the ground. No change.
Drained coolant, flushed system forward and back through radiator hoses, flushed radiator, hosed radiator to make sure it was clean.. it was. Removed thermostat. Filled w/ water only, ran til the two bleed screws in back were putting out water, no bubbles. Brought radiator and reservoir up to level. Jacked up the front just for good measure. Still red lighted in less than 1/2 mile.
Ran compression ck,100 and 102 psi; book says should be 145 - 220. Ordered and ran chemical test for combustion gases in coolant twice, both showing negative. No white smoke, no power loss, no coolant loss or leak other than mentioned, radiator checks out fine in and out, new water pump, new thermostat, new coolant. I had new plugs in it, showing a little white, so running lean, but that shouldn't be enough to make it overheat.
I can come up w/ 3 possibilities. Head gaskets: Ordered gaskets. Compression is low, but numbers are close, no white smoke, runs great, combustion gas in coolant tests negative. Temp sensor: if water temp sensor activates both fan and red light, and is bad.. could be lying to me. Water pump: It's new, and direct drive, not leaking. A friend who's had a radiator shop for 30 yrs says it's unlikely to be radiator, water pump, or thermostat. I don't know how it translates to inside temp, but when I used infra-red to monitor radiator hoses into and out of the engine, they start out different, then equalize, which would seem to indicate water pump is functional, unless it's only running through the bypass and not the engine.
Not much of a mechanic, learn as needs present. Would greatly appreciate the sharing of any pertinent knowledge you might have on the topic. Thank you.
Bought used. Discovered water pump was bad.. replaced it. Ran fine for months (I only drive the 3 acres I have and a mile on dirt roads up to my son's.) One day I was off to my son's, temp light came on. Rested it, red lighted again before I got there, and was pushing fluid out of reserve.
Found a post about being airlocked. Doubted it, as it had run fine for weeks, and I'd bled out both screws in the back when I filled it after replacing the pump. Fan occasionally came on, but never sustained, and had never red lighted.. including a run-in for a new belt.
Changed thermostat because it was easy, no change. Read about airlocking. Jacked up front end, heard gushing at the radiator.. air coming in. Problem apparently solved; ran fine for months.
Friend took it for a drive, did a little mudding. Going to my son's the next morning when it red lighted half way, preceded by fan coming on and staying on. Rested it, red lighted again before I got there. Reserve tank was well above the high mark.
Drove it onto trailer ramps and ran it for a while. Got off, let it cool, cked radiator, way low on fluid. Must have been pushing fluid out on the way there, as I've never seen any evidence of leakage at any time. Probably why reserve was high when I got there. Didn't want to add just water, so took it home, resting it halfway. Brought radiator and reservoir up to level, still red lighted quickly. Hooked winch to raised tractor bucket, raised the front wheels about 3' off the ground. No change.
Drained coolant, flushed system forward and back through radiator hoses, flushed radiator, hosed radiator to make sure it was clean.. it was. Removed thermostat. Filled w/ water only, ran til the two bleed screws in back were putting out water, no bubbles. Brought radiator and reservoir up to level. Jacked up the front just for good measure. Still red lighted in less than 1/2 mile.
Ran compression ck,100 and 102 psi; book says should be 145 - 220. Ordered and ran chemical test for combustion gases in coolant twice, both showing negative. No white smoke, no power loss, no coolant loss or leak other than mentioned, radiator checks out fine in and out, new water pump, new thermostat, new coolant. I had new plugs in it, showing a little white, so running lean, but that shouldn't be enough to make it overheat.
I can come up w/ 3 possibilities. Head gaskets: Ordered gaskets. Compression is low, but numbers are close, no white smoke, runs great, combustion gas in coolant tests negative. Temp sensor: if water temp sensor activates both fan and red light, and is bad.. could be lying to me. Water pump: It's new, and direct drive, not leaking. A friend who's had a radiator shop for 30 yrs says it's unlikely to be radiator, water pump, or thermostat. I don't know how it translates to inside temp, but when I used infra-red to monitor radiator hoses into and out of the engine, they start out different, then equalize, which would seem to indicate water pump is functional, unless it's only running through the bypass and not the engine.
Not much of a mechanic, learn as needs present. Would greatly appreciate the sharing of any pertinent knowledge you might have on the topic. Thank you.
