so i first say that i have a 93 ranger 4.0L OHV. since the heater core froze i have no heat in the truck right now. i replaced the water pump last wednesday on a day off from work, insured the truck last friday drove it to town on friday, then just bombed around on saturday and sunday with no problems. took it to work on monday then after work a co-worker and i drove across town and it started overheating a little bit, topped up the water (running water in the rad until i know that nothing is leaking then will switch to coolant) then went up the mountain, had to stop a couple times to let it cool down.. was ok though.. did find some mud and snow though.

then spent the night at the co-workers (had a couple beers in the mountains) got up topped up the rad noticed a little bit of water dripping from the passenger side wheel well, drove to work just fine needle was a tiny bit above halfway.

gave the co-worker a ride to the welfare office (he's on disability) then home, then i stopped in at wendy's for some grub, topped up the rad in the parking lot and the needle was 1/4 to 1/2 way in temperature for the 20min drive home..

so talked to dad tonight and he's thinking a leaky head gasket, cracked block or a leaky heater core. im hoping for the heater core.. what do ya'll think??.. i'll take it to work tomorrow then investigate the problem this weekend as i get fri/sat and sunday off.

 

heater core shouldn't make it over heat. but connect the 2 holes for the heater core so they are a lop and see if that solves your problem but i almost guarantee it not the heater causing the over heating

 

ya i am going to swap the hoses and see what happens.. just about heading into work right now. i dont think its the heater core either thats causing the problem im thinking a leaky head gasket.

 

nobody can give me any advise as to what the hell is going on?

the truck was fine yesterday, filled up the rad in the morning before work and the needle never went above halfway on the temp guage... after work topped off the rad again and drove home and it was fine same thing never went above halfway.hmmmm...

 

Air pocket?

 

i dunno but it would be a pretty big ****ing air pocket to cause me grief for 3 days!! haha im pulling the truck into the shop today because i have a small oil leak that i want to fix so i'll look around and see what i can see. stopped in at a local convience store and i saw water dripping in the passenger wheel well. i'll get a picture today, it looks too far back to be a head gasket.

 

my old truck ate coolant so i always had it topped off and if i took a corner with that brick it would spill out of the over flow and come pouring out the passenger side

 

hmm its not using any coolant out of the reservoir either.. some days the rad would be like 1/4 empty and some days 1/2 and some days like 3/4 empty.. its weird. i just top it off before i head out somewhere and if im doing alot of driving i'll stop and check it.

i dont really do a whole lot of driving. on work days i go to work, then after work sometimes give a guy a ride home in town then come home, if im done work like 1pm or 2pm sometimes i'll stop in and grab wendy's to go then come home. on days off i dont go into town unless i absolutely have to as its a 15 min drive one way.

gotta go feed baby goats in 30 mins then after i might go wheeling and grab some pics.

 

Check and see if the oil is milky brown color.

 

i checked a couple days ago and it wasnt.. didnt see any signs of water in the oil. did lots of wheeling today, all afternoon actually and it was fine no leaky at all, needle didnt get above 1/4 way. i dunno... i'll check the oil again tomorrow and see what its like. maybe it was just a "phase" or something.. i dunno...