Cooling Problems and Possible Upgrades?

KobraLX · 06-11-2002, 12:25 PM

My 89 5.0 has recently developed some cooling problems. The temperature gauge (factory) tends to now show a lot of variablilty in it (¡Ö185 to ¡Ö260). It use to stay consistently at 190 (180 t-stat).

About 2 months ago, I was driving home when I realized something was wrong. The temp gauge was climbing fast and power was dropping for the same fuel input. Realizing something must have blown I pulled over to find the hose running away from the water pump and up over the intake has exploded. I had driven about 2 miles with this problem so I feared I had blown a head gasket. I replaced the hose, filled her up and came home. The car has been fine up until a few days ago when the above things began to occur regularly.

So my problem is?

Temp sensor? If so where exactly is it - lower intake if my memory serves?

Thermostat?

Blown headgasket? What's a sure fire way to determine a blown gasket without a compression check?

Water pump and Stat are about 4 years old and not coolant appears to be getting consumed, or is being lost while parked.

New set of questions - this cooling system will not cut it in the future so I have considering an extensive upgrade to an aluminum radiator, high flow pump, electric fan with the things listed above.

What's everyone's recommendations?

The upcoming motor will have aluminum heads and probably ¡Ö350 hp if that is of interest. Also the weather here goes from -15¡ã to 105¡ã.

06-11-2002, 12:25 PM	#1
KobraLX Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Hillbilly Cajun Posts: 25	Cooling Problems and Possible Upgrades? My 89 5.0 has recently developed some cooling problems. The temperature gauge (factory) tends to now show a lot of variablilty in it (¡Ö185 to ¡Ö260). It use to stay consistently at 190 (180 t-stat). About 2 months ago, I was driving home when I realized something was wrong. The temp gauge was climbing fast and power was dropping for the same fuel input. Realizing something must have blown I pulled over to find the hose running away from the water pump and up over the intake has exploded. I had driven about 2 miles with this problem so I feared I had blown a head gasket. I replaced the hose, filled her up and came home. The car has been fine up until a few days ago when the above things began to occur regularly. So my problem is? Temp sensor? If so where exactly is it - lower intake if my memory serves? Thermostat? Blown headgasket? What's a sure fire way to determine a blown gasket without a compression check? Water pump and Stat are about 4 years old and not coolant appears to be getting consumed, or is being lost while parked. New set of questions - this cooling system will not cut it in the future so I have considering an extensive upgrade to an aluminum radiator, high flow pump, electric fan with the things listed above. What's everyone's recommendations? The upcoming motor will have aluminum heads and probably ¡Ö350 hp if that is of interest. Also the weather here goes from -15¡ã to 105¡ã.