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5.3 overheat issue

I got to researching and thinking... I know a lot of times gauges can be off 5-10 degree and slow to read actual temp. When my gauge say 205-210 it very well could be at 215-220, over the boiling point of water. That is where the guiser is coming from. I'm going to swap my thermostat out and use a heat gun to make sure it opens and flowing water correctly. Let it run for 2-3 hrs and hopefully burp the air out and the system .
Also picking up a pressure checker to check and see if the cooling system leaks down over night before I start tearing it down.
 
Get a block tester. That will tell you if it's getting compression gasses in coolant
 
Bought one yesterday. On my way home from Kentucky now. Going to start messing with it when I get home in about an hour
 
One way to check the accuracy of your gauge is..
With a completely cold engine, crank and allow it to warm up. Watch the gauge closely, you will see the temp reading drop the very first time the thermostat opens. Compare the reading to what the thermostat is rated as check for a difference. It only works the first time, once the coolant in the radiator warms up the guage does drop so obvious.
 
Pulled thermostat to replace with cooler one. Parts store didn't have one so I just stuck neck back on with no stat. Filled the upper hose with coolant and used the burp funnel to get all the air out. No more bubbles and wouldn't? get above 180 idleing with fans on.
-I rode down the back side of my property 8-10 min or riding stayed at 190 and then did a full throttle assault on a hill I have back here 3 times and it shot up to 240 pretty fast. Cooled back down and still no bubbles . This is after I got back and let it cool down and put the burp funnel back on.
https://youtu.be/gu5tCHsJvNA

I have a 160 thermostat on order
 
What size radiator you running? Steam vent ports plumbed in?
The white jeep in my avitar would get hot if I was in the gas hard. It had a 5.3, Over ran what the radiator would cool. I think it was around a 19" wide afco double pass. The size of the tubes in a radiator make a pretty big difference in one too. I belive you get what you pay for when it comes to radiators.
 
Here is my afco radiator with dual flexalite fans and shroud. May could fit one slightly taller with a gangsta lean back on it.




 
I talked with guy that built it and guy I ought it from and neither had a problem with keeping it cool once they got all the air out... with that being said I think I can squeeze a 15x25 in the same spot
 
Griffin offers a 24x19 with shroud and fans for $710 that I may can make fit with some trimming and leaning it back as a far as possible.Anyher recommendations for something that will be effective but a little cheaper
 
I ordered mine from PRC. I got a 24x19 double pass with -16 fittings, a bung for the steam port, and a blank shroud that I put a Volvo fan on. I don't remember exact price, but it was way less than that. You can call them up and they will build anything you want. I ordered mine and had it in less than a week.
 
I have a VVT 4.8 LS. Small by comparison, I beat the dog **** out of the motor at high RPM with no heating issues. My radiator is low in the rear so it only gets air from fans. I bought a blank Griffin radiator and set up a triple bypass radiator. Supply lines are -16 braided hose. The fans are two 3000 CFM SPAL fans. The water enters from the bottom on one side, has 15 rows of 3 tubes to pass through as it crosses the radiator 3 times. Seems to work so far.
 
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