'99 B3500 5.9L - Removing Heads

[alloro]

Originally Posted by bignoisey

If there is an air pocket, how do I get it out?

Some people pull over and park on a steep hill pointing up to force the air into the radiator. Myself, I just drive normally and the air always seems to work it's way out over the next day or two. Especially after a good highway trip.

[bignoisey]

I had to set this aside for a little while, but just got back to it. I have tried everything I can think of now and it still runs hot. Driven it around up and down hills. I changed the thermostat, but it still heats up with only a minor load like climbing a not-so-steep hill. The coolant remains full so there are no leaks. The only thing I can think that I might have done wrong was that I may have got the head gaskets on backwards. I could have sworn the hole patterns were symmetrical, but after looking at a picture of them on Rock Auto's web site there is one hole different at one end. I hate to have to take it all apart again, but that might be restricting coolant flow which would make it run hot. Any other opinions on this?

[alloro]

First find a picture of the head and make sure there is an actual port where this gasket hole goes.

[bignoisey]

Good idea. I found pictures of the head, head gasket and block. The head has coolant passages arranged so it can be mounted either right or left. The block has a specific set of passages, some for coolant and some probably needed in the original casting process. The gasket has openings for coolant flow matching some of these head/block openings and it blocks some where not needed. But you need to put the gasket on the right way for these to line up correctly. Its possible to get it backwards. My problem was that I got the new head gasket set from the machine shop that sold me the new heads and ground the valves from my old ones. They needed the valve seals form the set to assemble the head for me. There was supposed to be an instruction sheet in the set which apparently they lost. I was in a hurry to get it back together and may not have looked at the match up of these openings thoroughly enough. But now there's no way to tell short of taking it all apart again. I'll get a new gasket set which WILL have the instruction sheet. Oh Well! I might get it done in less than a week this time.

[bignoisey]

Well, I took it all apart again and could not see anything wrong. As it turns out I was wrong about the head gaskets. They are idiot proof. The gaskets are identical right and left, and you just flip one upside down for the opposite side. You can't get tehm in wrong. The heads are also the same right and left. I called the machine shop to be sure there are not different heads that fit the 360CI engine and they assured me there is only one type and it fits both the 360 and 318 engines. I did also remove the new water pump I installed and saw a little silicone sealer had gooshed into the pump chamber, so after cleaning that out I reinstalled the pump with only the gasket to avoid gooshing. My thought was the excess sealer may have caused turbulence and cavitation in the pump chamber.
So after putting it all back together it is much better. It still runs a little warmer than before especially with highway driving. The temp gauge usually sits just below the 210 mark, and just over at highway speed. But I think it is acceptable. The new fan clutch I put in last year seems to engage when the temperature is a little over 210. Then it seems to go no higher. I can't think of anything else to try to make it run cooler unless I get a high flow rate thermostat. I've changed about everything else in the cooling system over the past year.

[alloro]

How about trying a thermometer on the t-stat housing after a good drive? This will tell you if your dash gauge is being accurate or not.

[SleepyHead98]

IT was probably just an air pocket. Had the same thing happen several times. Getting air pockets out is simple. Turn the heater all the way up to high, do not turn the blower on. Let the engine reach normal operating temp. Rev the engine at 1500 rpms for 2 mins, then turn off. and repeat once the engine has cooled off completely. This should get rid of air. Also squeezing the hoses both supply and return will get air pockets to move. Good luck.

[bignoisey]

When I got the engine reassembled for the second time, I DID have an air pocket. I tried that heater thing and it didn't help. Seems the new thermostat lets very little through when its cold. I could put in only about enough coolant to fill the radiator but not the block - it was nearly dry, and I didn't want to run it for very long. So I pinched off the radiator overflow tube with a small vice grip, then with my hand firmly over the radiator spout, I squeezed the upper hose over and over until the coolant dropped about halfway down the top tank. Then I filled it back up and repeated that several times until I got a gallon or so additional coolant into it. Then I ran it until the thermostat opened, allowing more coolant down to the block and filled it up again. Finally it is running cooler. Still warmer than before all this work, but well within the safe range. I'm going to call that acceptable. Now I'm going to sell it before something else breaks.