cooling problem in '94 pickup

[metafizx]

Hi folks,

Trying to solve a cooling problem in my '94 2WD Pickup 22RE.

Temp gauge goes to about midway after about 30 minutes on the road, but sometimes it will go past that getting dangerously close to the red zone.

Then if I cut the A/C and turn on the heater, I can get it to go down, and then it seems to calm down, and goes to about the quarter-half mark on the gauge.

I've changed out the radiator cap, and thermostat recently which did not help. Cooling fan seems ok, and no visual weeping from the water pump.

My thought is the radiator has lost it's cooling efficiency, and needs to be replaced...would anyone support this theory ? It's about 10 years old.

[KimMG]

In the morning start your vehicle and let it idle up to operating temperature. Turn off motor and unplug the electric fan if so equipped. Feel the radiator for cold spots. Cold spots are indicative of a clog or restriction in the radiator. Check the condition of your radiator hoses. Hoses can collapse, restricting the flow of coolant. Make sure the cooling system is full.

[metafizx]

thank you KimMG for your reply.

I was about to check for the cold spots, but wasn't real accessible to do it fast so I decided to just buy a new rad, and stick it in.

VIOLA ! that was it. It kinda looked like the inside of the rad was rusting out bad...the coolant I just put in was pretty rusty looking.

I figured it probably needed both the rad and a water pump...the shotgun approach. The water pump was next on the list if the rad didnt do it...but it did.

Now the temp gauge is happy at where it used to be...COOL.