Topic: 83 DD running hot

[hilux-1983]

I have an 83 longbed, 529's, aussie locker in rear only, 35's and it's my daily driver. I live in AZ. Right now it's getting into the 120's. My motor temp has always run hot in the summer with a/c running. It's identical to before and after the rebuild. It has a new factory radiator and fan clutch. I've even tried removing the mechanical fan and using an electric one. No difference. Would the 3 core radiator that's sold on Daves offroad bring my temps down under the same conditions? I know this sounds logical, more cooling surface area, I'm just second guessing myself.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

 

[*ROKTOY*]

I run a three row here in AZ have ran it with my 22RE and now 3RZ I would not run anything else. I have had no overheating problems with or without AC running.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

It wasn't worrying me much till yesterday. I got caught on the I-10 at 3o'clock and bumper to bumper traffic because of an accident. It didn't overheat but the temp got right up to the white line before the red area. The a/c shut itself down untill the engine temp came down far enough to cycle back on. It did that the whole 1.5 hrs of stop and go. The motor didn't bubble over though.

[79coyotefrg]

you need to get the 3 row in there asap

i run a 3 row V6 radiator and i never get over 180* even when towing in 100* weather

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

I figured you guys would say all that. So I ordered a 3 core just a bit ago. thanks guys

[*ROKTOY*]

Wise decision.

[Snowtoy]

The 3rd row should help, but you should go ahead and check everything else, and make sure to use an oem t-stat.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

The 3rd row should help, but you should go ahead and check everything else, and make sure to use an oem t-stat.

I'm gonna install and OEM t-stat and new rad cap too. Anyone got some muffler bearings? I was told mine are rusty and that would help too:)

[hotrod]

do you have any body lift?
if not post pics of it installed! if my junk doesnt stay cool after i break the new motor in im gonna figure out a way to stuff a 3 core in there.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

do you have any body lift?
if not post pics of it installed! if my junk doesnt stay cool after i break the new motor in im gonna figure out a way to stuff a 3 core in there.

NO body lift. I have front 6" springs, rears are 4" springs w/2" blocks and removed the overload leaf from NWOR. I've had this lift for about 5yrs now. I'm eventually going to install Marlin springs front and rear. The radiator is coming from Daves off road performance. It's supposed to drop right in.

[hotrod]

is it an aftermarket rad? ive heard a couple people say the 3row from the v6's are too tall for us first gen folks without a bodylift. i really want to get ahold of one and try to stuff it in there with the mech fan.

is the turbo 3row the same rad as the v6?

my muffler bearings are goin out too, exhaust rattles a ton. . .

[coryc85]

I put the transpro 3 core radiator in my '83 (when I had it).  Part number was 432041 and at the time Autozone carried them.  I had to grind the front crossmember a little bit to get it to fit, but it fit fine and the hood closed.  I also did some grinding on the shroud to get it to slide back down in there with the fan still on the engine.

[Snowtoy]

I'm gonna install and OEM t-stat and new rad cap too. Anyone got some muffler bearings? I was told mine are rusty and that would help too:)

Not sure if you meant this to be a smart-ass reply or not, so I will respond as if it wasn't. 

I mentioned the oem t-stat because everything else was new, and a lot of people end up with an over heating issue when being cheap and using an after market t-stat instead.  A buddy of mine had the same issues after a rebuild of his '84 22r, he even went with a 3 row rad hoping it would solve his over heating issue, and it didn't.  Swapped out the cheap after market t-stat for an oem one and the over heating issue was gone.

If a cooling system is operating properly it shouldn't over heat in hot weather simply by using the A/C, unless you are working the engine hard.

It has been a long time since I owned a 1st gen. so I am not sure there is enough room between the grill and the A/C condenser, but of there is, you might want to consider a small pusher fan to help w/air flow when sitting in traffic, if the 3rd row rad doesn't help resolve the over heating issue.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

It was meant to be funny not necessarily smart butt, sorry  It's just kinda like asking a cherry parachutist to and get the keys to the drop zone. Ka-pish? On another note, I got my 3 core today and it doesn't "just drop in". Its about 3inches too tall and a smige too wide(with crossover steer). I sent a pm to Dave at Dave's 4x4 performance and just waiting to see what he has to say. It's definately beefy compared to a stock 2core.

[hotrod]

It was meant to be funny not necessarily smart butt, sorry  It's just kinda like asking a cherry parachutist to and get the keys to the drop zone. Ka-pish? On another note, I got my 3 core today and it doesn't "just drop in". Its about 3inches too tall and a smige too wide(with crossover steer). I sent a pm to Dave at Dave's 4x4 performance and just waiting to see what he has to say. It's definately beefy compared to a stock 2core.

thats why i replaced my cracked one with a stocker. i did see somewhere where someone spaced it back a little and clearanced the hood a tad and it fit.

on a second note, i would like to see marlins truck with the 4 row diesel rad and where he got that thing.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

I got the 3 core yesterday and it was the wrong one. Dave assured me that he has sent out the right one today and I should receive it monday. I did by a new oem t-stat and tested it along side the old one. The new one responded a smidge faster and opened a tad more but when I installed the new one in the rig, there was NO difference. It just seems that the hotter it is outside the hotter the motor runs. I hope the 3 core does the trick. I checked the timing and it's at 8 degrees. I cant get it to 5 degrees. I pulled the dist and moved it a tooth. Now it will only go to 0 degrees. So I put it back to the original timing. Is that weird or what?

[hotrod]

I got the 3 core yesterday and it was the wrong one. Dave assured me that he has sent out the right one today and I should receive it monday. I did by a new oem t-stat and tested it along side the old one. The new one responded a smidge faster and opened a tad more but when I installed the new one in the rig, there was NO difference. It just seems that the hotter it is outside the hotter the motor runs. I hope the 3 core does the trick. I checked the timing and it's at 8 degrees. I cant get it to 5 degrees. I pulled the dist and moved it a tooth. Now it will only go to 0 degrees. So I put it back to the original timing. Is that weird or what?

sounds exactly like my truck. down to the timing. running a 190 or 195 toyota dual slug t-stat. timing at 8*. cant get it to 5 either.

anybody looked into the 4 row diesel radiators? or did the diesels first gens come with this same 2 row?

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

I finally got the right 3 core today and just dropped it in. Not much of a difference. I'm lost......  New oem t-stat(88c/191f), 3 core radiator, fan clutch is working, timming is at 8* and a new water pump. I don't know what the heck else to do. I even looked up a t-stat on an 82, it's the same. Is there a cooler running t-stat? Will it make any difference. With what I have done already, it should be running cool 

[Snowtoy]

What is the mixture ratio of the coolant, and did you use tap water or distilled?

Are you basing your temp readings on the oem gauge or are you using an after market gauge, if after market what is the temp?

Have you considered using a small pusher e-fan on the A/C condenser?

[8T3]

Have you checked to see if it's running too lean?

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

Have you checked to see if it's running too lean?

How do I check that?

What is the mixture ratio of the coolant, and did you use tap water or distilled?
Are you basing your temp readings on the oem gauge or are you using an after market gauge, if after market what is the temp?
Have you considered using a small pusher e-fan on the A/C condenser?

50/50 coolant with tap water, oem temp guage(runs at the line before red), no room for a pusher fan. When the temp gets that high(the line before the red) the temp sensor for the a/c shuts the a/c down until the temp comes down a few degrees.

[8T3]

How do I check that?

You can start by looking at the plugs. Do a google search for "spark plug color chart"

Here's a decent one> http://www.4secondsflat.com/Spark_plug_reading.html

I may have missed it but does it run hot without the A/C? That's a lot of additional heat in front of the radiator.

Are you going to the roundup?

[Snowtoy]

The spark plugs will give you an idea if the engine is running lean and making it run hot, however if it was runninglean it should heat up all the time, just not w/the extra load of the A/C.

Do you have the stock fan shroud still on?

I wasn't sure if there was enough room to squeeze a small A/C pusher fan in there or not.  I installed one on a buddies '83 for the transmission cooler(he had a Vortec swapped in it), but he had the grill off, and I have never bothered to look how he has the grill attached.  There might be enough room to squeeze a Toyota Supra fan in there, I will take a measurement of the one on my '87, it isn't very deep.

You could try 50/50 mixture using distilled water over tap, though Ia m not sure if the minerals found in most tap water would be enough to cause the over heating issue.

IIRC, it only over heats when sitting in traffic w/the A/C on, not when cruising down the highway, right?

Are you still running a R12 system, or has it been converted to R134?

[8T3]

If you know someone with a 3 gas analiser, or better, a dyno you can check your air/fuel ratio under load.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

I may have pre-maturely reacted. Yesterday when I posted, it was after just a quick test drive down the road a bit. I drove it the usual distance on the freeway with the a/c cranked and freeway speed. The temp would actually ride the white line before the red area. Heres the before and after the 3 core.Take a look:





Although, today it only got to around 106 outside. So we'll see what it does on a 115 degree day. So far better than I thought. Maybe I didn't burp it correctly? Aah who knows.

Heres the difference between the 2 core and 3 core:







The stock fan shroud still fits even with the fatter thicker 3 core. The fan clutch seems to be more sensitive too. I hear it come on faster and stay engaged longer. This radiator though not stock, bolted right in with no mods what so ever.

[Snowtoy]

Here is a pic of the small e-fan on my Supra that comes on w/the A/C.

It measures 2-1/4" deep, and has 6" blade.  If you have the room along one side of the rad or across the bottom, you might be able to squeeze one on, that is if you the 3rd row doesn't do the trick.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

Here is a pic of the small e-fan on my Supra that comes on w/the A/C.

It measures 2-1/4" deep, and has 6" blade.  If you have the room along one side of the rad or across the bottom, you might be able to squeeze one on, that is if you the 3rd row doesn't do the trick.

I like it, I like it. Thanks for your input.

[hilux-1983 [OP]]

Today was a hottt day. 112* and ran just a little over half on the guage. A/C stayed cold too. I like my new 3 core from Dave's

[TxFireman]

I'm pretty sure that's where the needle is on my 82 durring normal hiway driving, with the stock rad, so most likely you've made progress. I'm in south Texas, so the outside temps are not as bad, but close enough (100+) to compare with.