Thanks for taking the time and making the effort Savaannah. You may now retire to a warm bath and hot cup of coffee. Please review the following video on hypothermia in case I need more testing...

Hypothermia : U.S. Coast Guard : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive

My project for today is to remove the radiator and take it in to our little local shop. I'm also getting a new temp sensor. The low settings on mine seem weird although they are trending the right direction after looking at your data.

Totally off subject but I also need to pick up a couple batteries for my F250. I would ask you what you are using but I think comparing our trucks and their CCA's may be an excercise in futility! I need my truck to start reliably when it's in the low single digits outside. We could probably get yours going with a couple of 9v batts hooked up in series! ;-)

 

Yep, you need a big battery, and part of the problem is that in cold weather you loose capacity when it is parked outside in the cold. Sometimes the farm stores have a decent price or sale on the larger ones for tractors. Of course, since mine is a badd azz 0-60 in 4.2 gallons, I try not to crank it very often. Some cars use some closed cell insulation around the battery. In all my standby power systems we have coolant heaters that run 24/7 365, it makes them start quicker even on warm days.

 

I plug in my block heater when it's really cold and the truck is outside. It's in the garage most of the time now though. They also make battery blankets you can plug too...that's a bit of overkill for my needs though.

Got the rad out of the LR today. It wasn't too messy. The o-rings on the oil side were in pretty bad shape but the tranny side were in great shape. I'll replace them all of course just noting how one side seemeed more worn out or subject to more vibration or something.

Also pulled the A/C fan as it's bad. I'll see what I can find at the wrecking yard but I'm not real worried about it. I'm better off without the restriction to the rad at this point. Good news is the fan was getting power. Bad is that unit is completely sealed. I know it's just a bad connection or something internally (no continuity when tested).

Also found both horns unplugged! Bet they were going off with the alarm or something and PO unplugged them. I put them back on and everything back to normal. Progress.

 

There is a write up in tech section for a direct fit DENSO motor. Just be sure when fans run they really suck... air toward engine block. Use a wimpy platic bag and they (by themselves) should suck it toward grille. On D1 they normally run whenever AC is selected. Only need those fans when slow or stopped an AC on, otherwise compressor head pressure will shoot up, and trip out the 300+ PSI safety switch, then cool down, repeat. So you could enjoy AC while driving highway speeds with no electric fan. And any sizable fan should work, a D2 just has one.

Be sure the oil cooler on the rad has good flow, don't want that puppy clogged up.

 

Well I tried the wrecking yard for the fan or a corolla fan with no luck. I don't think it's worth it to bother with now. It is sure easy to get to at the moment but I think I'm going to pass on fixing it. I even tried NAPA for the toy or LR part, no joy.

Funny story when I dropped off the rad I didn't have to say a word about what it was from. There are lots of posts about not telling the shop what it came out of for fear they will jack up the price. This guy knew what it was immediately!

They are putting it into the tank this afternoon. They will flow test and pressure test it tomorrow. If it needs rodding it may take a bit longer but they hope to have it back to me tomorrow! Estimate is $90 if it needs rodding otherwise $70 something. That sounds like a good deal to me.

I should try to get a picture of this shop to share. It's classic. I mean the environmental-whacko's would soil their panties if they walked into this place. Everywhere you lokk there are rads, chemicals, oil, open flame, vats of God-knows-what...it's awesome!

 

$70 here for same thing, and a little lower overhead. These guys make their boat payment on the big equipment radiators, Rover is a small potatoes job to them. BTW, when you go back, ask them what they can do for an aluminum radiator with plastic side tanks; the D2 owners might like some pointers on how to flush out Dexcool, etc.

 

Got the rad today. It was nearly completely blocked! Guy didn't even know what it was gunked up with...said it was white and scaley. Probably from the use of well water I'm guessing. Anyway when he flow-tested it (after boiling, etc) barely anything came out. He popped the side tank off and again pressurized the rad. He said he was getting flow out of about 12-13 rows...and in case your weren't aware, there's 35 rows! Out came the rod, now all is well.

Anyway, everything else looked great. Said it was a quality piece in good shape. Rare to have a 4-core rad in anything nowdays.

We talked a little about plastic tanks. They have a special tool the bends back the tabs on the side tanks. There's a rubber gasket that fits between the plastic tank and core. After they fix what needs fix'n, they use the same tool to bend the tabs back and off you go. He showed me quite a few they were working on.

Also talked about what a dying breed these shops are and I told him I felt lucky we had a shop here in the valley. He told me his parts distributer is out of Spokane, WA and used to supply 28 indy shops there. They are down to six. Timber and logging slowdowns are killing them. As stated earlier, the big equip is where they make their money.

 

Great. So once oil line is done, you'll be out chasing reindeer! How much for the rad work?

 

Yep...I can feel victory within my grasp! $90 for the rad work.

 

If you buy the other two Rovers, fix'em up... you could open the only Rover driving / maintenance school in Montana!