[bombsquad6116]

My 87 Pickup with the 22r automatic is running hot. It only does it when I'm sitting still. In traffic of in the drive thru..etc.. But when I'm moving it runs cooler.

The truck blew a head gasket so I took it to my local Toyota Dealership and had it done. They fixed it and gave the truck a whole look over. Thinking the heating issue was a head gasket I assumed that fixed it. But sure enough it was doing it again. Before the head gasket I had put a new radiator in. I purchased it off of eBay but it seemed like a decent radiator. It has plastic tanks. The isnt using any coolant and its not steaming but the temperture gauge rides high and climbs higher when Im idleing. I've got over $1600 invested in it and I plan to keep it for awhile so Id like to get this problem fixed. The fan works, too.


Thanks for any help.

 

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

Sounds like a good place to look would be the fan clutch. When you are at an idle, the fan clutch is suppost to kick on, but when you are driving, it shuts off.

Now, the fan clutch may just be low or out of silicone. Here is what I would do if it were me. I would purchase two tubes of silicone part# 08816-03001 and CAREFULLY AND I MEAN CAREFULLY split open the clutch (If you destroy the gasket/oring, game over, it cannot be replaced). Put both tubes inside the clutch and then seal it back up. This one method of doing it. The other is just replacing the fan clutch as a whole; depending on your model, 16210-38050 or 16210-38060. MSRP is $143.98 so I would assume you would go aftermarket.

But that is at least a place to look to get you started. A lot of people forget about the fan clutch when dealing with an overheating issue. So I hope this information serves you well and points you in the right direction.

 

[fourwd1]

The fan clutch is a possibility, you can check it yourself to see if it's bad.
Fan clutch 101 -http://www.aa1car.com/library/cooling_fan_clutch.htm

 

[Zembonez]

A dealer replaced the head gasket and gave it back to you overheating? WOW.

First, the head gasket was not the cause of the engine overheating. The blown head gasket was the result of the engine being overheated. The fan clutch others have mentioned sounds like a good place to start... assuming the thermostat is new (and you have already replaced the radiator).

That's a cool trick Toyopartsman mentions for fixing the fan clutch. Never heard of that!

 

[bombsquad6116]

Thanks for the responses guys. From what I've checked the fan clutch seems fine. I don't think the toyota dealership caught the problem because they didn't drive it long enough. If I drive for about 10 minutes on the highway with the A/C on and then hit town and slow down to about 30-35 with stops every now and then, the needle rises within 5 minutes. I made a 2 1/2 hour trip with it with the A/C off and it never once ran hot when I was on the highway. I haven't replaced the thermostat in it but I'm assuming the dealership did. Then again maybe not... Hah. But they were kind enough to not charge me for the oil change since I did $1,500 worth of business with them in one day.

 

[Zembonez]

The symptoms you describe point directly at a bad fan clutch or an inadequate radiator.

 

[Jayota]

Do you have a good fan shroud??

 

[bombsquad6116]

Well I'm not sure about the quality of the radiator. I bought it off eBay for $50 but from what I can tell it seems like not a bad radiator. But who knows. As for the fan shroud it's not broken or tore up. I'm gonna have my buddy check the fan clutch for me tomorrow since he knows what he's looking at. I'll let you guys know what I find out.

Thanks.

 

[bombsquad6116]

I had the fan clutch looked at today by some mechanics I work with and said the fan clutch is fine. It has none if hardly any play in it. Everyone who I talk to about it thinks it's the fan clutch. I'm thinking about putting a new thermostat in it but since it only runs hot when idling makes me wonder if thats even worth messing with. I might just break down and buy an OEM radiator to see if that solves the issue.

 

[TOYOPARTSMAN]

I still lean towards the fan clutch, but If you do decide to go with an OEM radiator, I do offer TN members 30% off MSRP plus I only charge actual shipping costs plus $2.00 for materials, etc.

PM me your VIN and I can get you a quote in the morning.

 

[Jayota]

The inside of your rad looks pretty rusty, it could be preventing proper flow..

Also replace the thermostat anyways, the dealer probably didnt.

 

[curtlamountain]

That reminds me of the time I brought my truck to a shop for an overheating problem, they changed the timing chain, then put on a new head gasket and put the effin warped head back on and the problem came back as soon as the gasket failed. They charged me a thousand bucks for the timing chain job and gasket replacement. Your problem could be the same, ask the place where you had the work done if they checked to see if the head was cracked or warped.

 

[Jayota]

That reminds me of the time I brought my truck to a shop for an overheating problem, they changed the timing chain, then put on a new head gasket and put the effin warped head back on and the problem came back as soon as the gasket failed. They charged me a thousand bucks for the timing chain job and gasket replacement. Your problem could be the same, ask the place where you had the work done if they checked to see if the head was cracked or warped.

wow, sounds like a shady shop! Why the hell would you do all that work and not even check the Head for warpage...:ugh3:

 

[bombsquad6116]

Well i figured before I bought a new radiator I might as well give the thermostat a shot. I swapped them out and put some new antifreeze in there. I let the truck idle for at least 10-15 minutes with about 5 minutes of high idle. I temperature gauge stayed just a hair below half. So I took it out on the road and ran 50-60 mph and then returned and let the truck idle some more. The temperature gauge didn't move at all. So on the way home from work I ran the A/C through traffic and it didn't move over half.

I'm not sure if the thermostat was the culprit and it's fixed or it was because of the cool weather we've had lately.

Coming up this week we have a day where the high will be about 80 so i'll have to check again.

Ill keep you guys updated.

 

[88truck]

could a bad or faulty water pump be a possibility also? (especially if it's the original and never been replaced)

 

[bombsquad6116]

I thought about that too and while I had the fan clutch checked I had the water looked at and it looks like new and from what we could tell it was moving the coolant pretty good.