Thread: 3.9 V8 ran hot yesterday....what now?

Well I'm pretty sure the fans gone, it just dosnt sound loud enough on startup. And it dosnt seem to come on in traffic either, I remember how loud it was at the lights. My old rodeo had a viscous fan and I remember how loud that was. I had no problems today but it does smell warm and the heater is a bit warmer.
So I guess I'll be in the market for a new one, do I just spend the money and buy OEM? Or is a there a good aftermarket one?
Im getting a comp tester this week but I reckon I'm gonna have head gasket problems. It's getting close to 400k so it probably won't hurt to pull them off. Any recommendations on a gasket kit for the top end? Or anything else I should do while the heads are off?
Cheers Jim

Originally Posted by LRJim

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So I guess I'll be in the market for a new one, do I just spend the money and buy OEM? ....

Contact Mario(Roverlord).... he has an ebay presence, but better to PM him via here.

About $100(maybe a smidge less) .. but dunno.

Make sure you get new gaskets obviously, but the valley and rocker covers also. (Kits are pretty cheap through).
Make sure you get new head bolts as these ones are one time stretch bolts.(again comes in a good kit).
Make sure you have some beers around when you try get the drivers side back head bolts loose.

I would recommend getting the heads checked while they are off, give them a shave perhaps.

As for the fan. **** the old crapper off and put a nice thermo fan there. If mine was playing up thats what i would do. I hate the damn sound of these viscous units.

Decided I'm going for the thermo fan option. Twin thermo fans from a falcon $50 should be more than enough cooling power. I might be lucky and gain a few ponies.....yea right.
Getting all the gear on my way home from work hopfully smash it all in tonight!
Still unsure if the heads gone it seems to be running fine and no water is disappearing the temp needle still sits under half. A bit smelly so I don't think the fan is doing it's job but no steam thank ****.
Cheers Jim

Having had exactly the same problem twice in the life of my 34 years old 110, literally 4 weeks ago fixed it again.
Check the condition of the little fins on your radiator. I've found they rot out about every 12-14 years and while the radiator won't leak, it won't cool properly. It will be fine during normal driving but when you load it up, the temp will start to creep up.
There's only one fix for that, and that is to throw in a new radiator.
Of course, it could also be the thermostat. I have had that problem on other cars but never replaced mine on the 110 since I've owned it (1995).

Once you sort out the problem, ditch the water and use proper coolant. Alloy motors are very susceptible to corrosion using plain water.

Originally Posted by donh54

Once you sort out the problem, ditch the water and use proper coolant. Alloy motors are very susceptible to corrosion using plain water.

Reminds me i should put some of that colored stuff in my car again soon. Seems every time i put the cordial in it wants to leak it out.

Originally Posted by barney

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Check the condition of the little fins on your radiator. I've found they rot out about every 12-14 years and while the radiator won't leak, it won't cool properly. It will be fine during normal driving but when you load it up, the temp will start to creep up.
....

I was going to suggest this too.
I had that same issue on my RRC roughly 15-ish years after it was built. I had it for 5 years at this stage.
On a drive, it suddenly developed a case of the high temps. Had tools and a thermostat with me in the spares kit. Changed that no difference, never lost any water other than that which dumped itself on opening the bungs/caps.
Had a long drive home too.
Got it checked by mechanic, he confirmed tempo sender to be working as per specced(soem resistance measure), temp gauge showed needle in the red, but car never felt overheating, but smelled of coolant.
Not only was is a problem, I drove it like this for 2 years too! never caused an issue. I just assumed the gauge itself just went AWOL.

Radiator was checked, pressure tested etc. never showed any sign of trouble till 2 years later when I was doing some other stuff and rubbed my hand against the lower half of the rad, and the fins turned to finely powered copper pixie dust!

Light bulb moment there and then. Got a new rad, and temp gauge's running into the red area for the past 2 years had come good. As they say ... OOPS!
poor little 3.5 V8 .. lived for another 300 or so thousand klms more too