Spontaneous Overheating
- Thread starter Intentional Wanderer
- Start date
david despain
Adventurer
Sounds symptomatic of a bad radiator, if I were you I would change it before you damage the somewhat delicate all aluminum engine.
Last edited:
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
So what is the going rate for a new radiator for these trucks? Best place to buy without "bend me over, it's a Land Rover" prices?
find a local radiator rebuilder and have them recore the stock unit.
The factory unit is a 4 core in the auto's and a 3 core in the stick trucks.
both can be upgraded to a 5 row heavy duty core that will go right into the stock tanks and that will increase the flow rate and the surface area.
I have been running a 5 row for a long time and its a great upgrade if you really load your truck down or use it in high load situations.
rovertech
Observer
timmy!!!!!!!
Explorer
I paid about 60 dollars to get the clogs cleaned out of my radiator at a shop.
As I mentioned earlier in the thread, ... the OEM radiator has 1/8 inch tubing running through it. It is easy for it to get clogged.
When you have the OEM unit recored, have them up the tubing size. It made all the difference in mine.
Mine almost stays too cool.
It was $700 to get it done though (but that included pulling, re-coring, installing, and purging the system).
Hope that helps.
D
When you have the OEM unit recored, have them up the tubing size. It made all the difference in mine.
Mine almost stays too cool.
It was $700 to get it done though (but that included pulling, re-coring, installing, and purging the system).
Hope that helps.
D
Nonimouse
Cynical old bastard
I would say radiator.
But what I would do in this situation is change all the pipes when the rad is off, put on a new viscous coupling, check the water pump and stat
Whislt the rad is away being cleaned I would get a second sensor mounting point fitted in the lower RHS (looking out of the vehicle) to fit a decent secondary temp guage; giving post rad water temp.
To be honest 10% down is a lot. If I said to you that your heart was 10% down on capability, would you say that was okay? Or if your motor was 10% down on performance; 10% worse fuel consumption. Get my drift?
But what I would do in this situation is change all the pipes when the rad is off, put on a new viscous coupling, check the water pump and stat
Whislt the rad is away being cleaned I would get a second sensor mounting point fitted in the lower RHS (looking out of the vehicle) to fit a decent secondary temp guage; giving post rad water temp.
To be honest 10% down is a lot. If I said to you that your heart was 10% down on capability, would you say that was okay? Or if your motor was 10% down on performance; 10% worse fuel consumption. Get my drift?
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Not talking about whether or not he needs a new rad per se, but.... About the 5 core thing... It's pretty common for some hot-rod guys to swap in higher core count rads to try and solve cooling problems. And often it doesn't work. The reason being that the thicker rad core has more heat exchange area, but then it also restricts airflow through the core. Net result is no increase in cooling. The real solution is usually stronger fans, better ducting, or fixing other problems with the engine.
Are you guys SURE that a 5 core rad actually helps the situation compared to just a standard replacement?
Are you guys SURE that a 5 core rad actually helps the situation compared to just a standard replacement?
Yes I am 100% sure that the 5 core makes an improvement. I have one in my truck and it solved the heat loading in my truck in the worst conditions. As and example there is a huge beach covered in granite slag from the copper mines in upper MI. This stuff is like little beads and can require full power just to move the truck at times. all locked up in low range with the foot pegged to the floor you can heat up just about anything to the brink of disaster. In those conditions my truck runs dead cool where with a 4 row radiator it would heat sink after about 10 min of use before.
I also installed one into a 95LWB that pulls horse trailers all the time. From the time it was brand new it would heat up while pulling grades with the horse trailer. With the 5 row it never gets hot at all. The owner could not believe the difference that the 5 row radiator made.
I also installed one into my 95 RRC and I have pulled my heavy ski boat alot with it and it runs much cooler all the time including 90+ degree days with the AC on pulling the trailer.
The 5 row radiater does make a difference and does improve the cooling on these truck.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Ok well, might be because the LR mechanical fan pulls pretty hard. The problems I've seen with the approach generally involve street/drag cars with smaller engine driven fans or aftermarket electric fans that can't stay cool while idling.
Just to bring more info into the thread, how does this situation relate to D2 rads?
Just to bring more info into the thread, how does this situation relate to D2 rads?
KMW
New member
Find a good local shop and have it recored. Bite the bullet on it, I have on my trucks (went from a 3.5 to a 3.9 in the my '87 Rangie, and the resurrection build on my wife's Disco).
When I did the 3.9 swap on the Rangie I went to a shop a "friend of a friend" suggested -- I hadn't been back in town long, was still finding my way around who did what. That radiator leaked early on, and still had the "spontaneous overheating" issue, I think all they did was a sloppy rod job...then I went back to the shop that had done the radiator on my first car way back; they were still around, had moved on to doing heavy truck and military work, but still did "small" radiators for some customers. They've built both of my current Rover radiators, no issues, engine temp right where it should be even in 100+ weather...a really skilled radiator guy is a good "car friend" to have.
I don't regret it at all. Considering what passes as "original replacement" with some of the parts vendors I wouldn't waste time ordering "new" when a good shop can build better than new. To be honest I don't recall what cores were used, I'd have to dig up the paperwork. I think these recore jobs were in the $400 to $600 range.
When I did the 3.9 swap on the Rangie I went to a shop a "friend of a friend" suggested -- I hadn't been back in town long, was still finding my way around who did what. That radiator leaked early on, and still had the "spontaneous overheating" issue, I think all they did was a sloppy rod job...then I went back to the shop that had done the radiator on my first car way back; they were still around, had moved on to doing heavy truck and military work, but still did "small" radiators for some customers. They've built both of my current Rover radiators, no issues, engine temp right where it should be even in 100+ weather...a really skilled radiator guy is a good "car friend" to have.
I don't regret it at all. Considering what passes as "original replacement" with some of the parts vendors I wouldn't waste time ordering "new" when a good shop can build better than new. To be honest I don't recall what cores were used, I'd have to dig up the paperwork. I think these recore jobs were in the $400 to $600 range.
I have not seen the heat loading in a DII like in the D1.
I have a gut feeling that the trans cooler in the D1/RRC adds to the issue because when the trans shifts down to third on hills is when the temp really soars. That is also when the TC unlocks so the creates heat.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Yeah, could be. The DII doesn't have an in-tank cooler, just the oil-air cooler. So it's not dumping heat into the cooling system. And with the 4.6, I don't kick down into 3rd very often.