over heating

my 1988 bronco has been heating up to the point of almost in the red zone lately, i was wondering whats going on with it and if i need to check anything in particular.
thanks,
mike

Could be many things but here are some common problems:

(1)Coolant leaks (water pump, radiator, heater core, hoses, freeze plugs, head gasket, engine internal).

(2)Weak radiator cap (does not hold rated pressure and allows coolant to boil over). Pressure test the cap to check it out.

(3)Cooling system clogged (deposits build up in the radiator or in the engine due to maintenance neglect or use of hard water). Use a cleaner, then reverse flush the system to clean it out. A badly-clogged radiator may need to be replaced.

(4)Thermostat stuck shut (replace).

(5)Inoperative electric cooling fan (check fan motor, relay and temperature switch for correct operation.

(6)Bad fan clutch (replace is slipping, leaking or loose).

(7)Missing fan shroud (reduces cooling efficiency of the fan).

(8)Slipping fan belt (tighten or replace).

(9)Too low or too high a concentration of antifreeze (should be 50/50 for best cooling).

(10) Bad water pump (impeller eroded or loose - replace pump).

(11) Collapsed radiator hose (check lower hose).

(12)Debris in radiator ( remove bugs and dirt).

(13) Late ignition timing (reset to specs).

(14)Restricted exhaust system (check vacuum vacuum readings and inspect converter, muffler and pipes).

(15) Radiator and / or fan undersized for application (increase cooling power by installing larger radiator and/ or auxiliary cooling fan.

I hope this helps