Too Hot

TempatureRising · Dec 1, 2004

I have a 96 bronco 5.8. its been losing coolant for a long time now.I put a new flex fan , radiator cap, and thermostat in it..over the last year..and have been chasing the leak.. i finally decided that its the timing chain gasket due to moistuere around that area where the cover and the block meet... I planned on fixing that the next couple of days..BUT now the truck wants to run hot as soon as it gets up to operating temp leading me to beleive that may not fix it..could it be because i ve been running the heater lately?? any ideas??

Bradt · Dec 1, 2004

Running the heat should lower the temp if anything. You're basically pushing air over a second radiator to heat it before pumping out through your vents.

If you're chasing a leak, save some cardboard boxes and open one up and put it under your Bronco when you park. Look for the spot on it, and go up from there there.

Stupid question, but are you sure you have water in it? The only time I've had mine heat up like that it was dry. Air sometimes sits in the lines so the radiator looks full, but your system isn't. If your leak is above, or level with, the top of your radiator you'll likely not see a loss in the radiator right away.

brad

Seabronc · Dec 1, 2004

The overheat may be a stuck thermostat, clogged radiator, clogs some where else in the system, or water level. Try a new thermostat and why not do a flush of the system using a flush kit from somone like Prestone. That usually takes a lot of crap out of the system.

Good luck,

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