eyeteeth wrote:
Replaced the thermostat to try and cure a problem running hot. Was fortunate enough to figure out I needed a special Skirted Thermostat. It helped... but only up to about 50 mph. As soon as we got on a freeway, it shot up again. Temp reading at the radiator are around 230. Thinking now we have an airflow problem. Engine was rebuilt a few years back, the radiator was re cored shortly after. There is a transmission cooler and the A/C Cooler in front of the engine radiator... Unfortunately, I need to rebuild the cab over.. not sure I want to tackle that. don't have a place I can really do it... don't have the money to pay someone else... that is my biggest quandary...
Three things on the radiator:
1. Does it have a fan shroud? A lot of times, the OEM shroud gets broken or otherwise doesn't get replaced. The shroud is necessary to getting good airflow through the radiator.
2. The coolers in front of the radiator aren't helping. If you can get rid of them, or at least move them out of the way, do so.
3. The person who re-cored the radiator may have used the wrong core or may have installed it incorrectly. (Did the overheat problem show up as soon as the radiator was installed or later?) Otherwise, something may be blocking some of the radiator tubes. Use an infrared thermometer to spot check various areas on the radiator's surface to make sure coolant is flowing through all the radiator. (I'm not sure but I'd guess there shouldn't be more than 10 or 20 degrees difference between areas.)
As for the cabover, I don't have a garage so I do most of my work outdoors in the summer. Being in interior Alaska, that means 3-5 months maximum, with large tarps when it rains (about half the time). I tend to build small components in the winter in my 12'x12' shop or house and assemble them outdoors during the summer. (I'm working on getting more space but will still need to work outdoors sometimes.) I also have to plan for cooler temperatures (below freezing) because some materials don't cure as well.
