Topic: 85 22RE OVERHEATING

[chance85]

I have an 85 22re with a fresh overhaul that keeps overheating within minutes of start up. Took it out to wheel on it's maiden voyage and never went past the trail head. The guage will fully peg just after startup. We gutted the new thermostat and it and after few start ups it began to run a little cooler (at the little white line on the hot side) but wasn't buiding any cooling system pressure. I pressure tested the system and found the water pump leaking out the weep hole. I replaced the water pump and installed a new (stant) t stat and radiator cap, now it builds good pressure but is once again pegging the guage. It seems like the coolant in the bottom end is getting way too hot before the t stat opens then the whole system stays HOT. It runs hot even if i'm cruising at 30-40 mph. I did do a search on this topic and found the upgraded 2 stage t stat from toyota that I will try tomorrow. I do not have another guage yet to confirm the temp, the damn sunpro pos I bought at auto zone has too short of copper wire to reach from inside the cab to where i need to mount it. The radiator and instument cluster is out of a wrecked 87 i picked up for parts but it ran good and cool. If I disconnect the sensing wire from the coolant sensor (also new) on the intake manifold the guage will drop so i know its not the wiring. Any ideas woul be greatfully appriciated. Though i hope i answered my own question when i try a new t stat  from toyota and get a better guage.

[JD]

Check to see if your radiator fan is blowing air in the right direction (toward the radiator). It is easy to accidentally mount the fan blade assembly backwards so that the fan is blowing air away from the radiator instead of into it.

[madhunt]

make sure you do not have an airbubble trap in the system, that will cause you to overheat, also it dosn't take much to plug up a 4cyl. radiator. make sure your fan clutch is engauging, and locking up when hot.  plus check your timing.

[ZUK]

I have an 85 22re with a fresh overhaul that keeps overheating within minutes of start up. Took it out to wheel on it's maiden voyage and never went past the trail head. The guage will fully peg just after startup. We gutted the new thermostat and it and after few start ups it began to run a little cooler (at the little white line on the hot side) but wasn't buiding any cooling system pressure. I pressure tested the system and found the water pump leaking out the weep hole. I replaced the water pump and installed a new (stant) t stat and radiator cap, now it builds good pressure but is once again pegging the guage. It seems like the coolant in the bottom end is getting way too hot before the t stat opens then the whole system stays HOT. It runs hot even if i'm cruising at 30-40 mph. I did do a search on this topic and found the upgraded 2 stage t stat from toyota that I will try tomorrow. I do not have another guage yet to confirm the temp, the damn sunpro pos I bought at auto zone has too short of copper wire to reach from inside the cab to where i need to mount it. The radiator and instument cluster is out of a wrecked 87 i picked up for parts but it ran good and cool. If I disconnect the sensing wire from the coolant sensor (also new) on the intake manifold the guage will drop so i know its not the wiring. Any ideas woul be greatfully appriciated. Though i hope i answered my own question when i try a new t stat  from toyota and get a better guage.

If the lower radiator hose is cool....and the upper one is HOT.... then you have a clogged radiator.

[weirdtimes_7]

If the lower radiator hose is cool....and the upper one is HOT.... then you have a clogged radiator.

X2... and also check for the bubble in the system... had this problem myself

military_stang

[TRACKER]

when it overheated   did the coolant boil over?  if the guage is at HOT  and no boiling over then there is some thing wrong with either guage or sensor. also check your fan clutch  as mention by manhunt .  good luck

[chance85 [OP]]

Well I hooked up an auto meter guage today and it was reading on the cool side, so I guess the guage that worked when pulled from a good running wreck failed when I swapped it over. or a guage from an 87 is not compatible with a 85 22re.  When it was getting hot before i did not let it run long enough to find out if it would boil over, did't want to take the chance with a fresh overhaul.
Thanks

[Plekto]

I'd stick a real temp gauge in there, then.  The OEM ones tend to have a dead spot in the middle and don't actually tell you the actual temp(which should rise and fall a bit as you drive).

ie - cold cold - jumps to the middle.  Then nothing nothing - pegs itself almost instantly.  OTOH, knowing that it's 185 degrees... that's useful.