****fixed see my last post ****

HI all i could use your help with a little problem i am having recently with my 96 disco.

I bought it a couple months ago and everything has been fine until recently. IT has 160k on it and before i bought it had its head gaskets replaced.

Recently it has been running hot about 210* on my scan gauge on the express way after about 15 minutes with or with out the a/c on thats as far as i will let it go before pulling off. After i pull off the express way it drops down to 198* which is where it normally runs with the a/c on in and around town in stop ad go traffic with an ambient tem of 95-100*.

I have flushed the radiator, changed to a 180* thermostat, cleaned the fins, replace the mechanical fan with 2 electric ones and bypassed the heater core because it leaks a little.

I am still losing about 12 ounce of coolant a week but that could be due to a slow leak in the expansion tank cap which is on order.

this leads me to my question. I am assuming that i could possibly have a head gasket leak again but cant find and external signs nor do i have water in the oil or white smoke from the exhaust pipe. If when my radiator gets back from being dipped and rodded and i am still having issues i have to make a choice new engine or new gaskets.

I have a line on a new engine for $750 with 80k on it that checks out OK or should i open my 160k engine and replace the head gaskets (this would be the second time around for this engine). all the work would be done by myself this isn't my first rodeo with either an engine replacement or head gaskets but will be my first on both with a rover.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated

Thank yo
-Nate

 

With age on truck would expect radiator rod out will make big diffrence. If it were HG you would also have gurgle under dash, but since the heater core that signal is not available. You may have air in the system that need to be bled as well. If it were HG or cracked block it would not run normal around town either. IMHO on the freeway it is producing more heat, the radiator just can't keep up with it. You could also do a pressure test of cooling system at 18PSI and find any stray external leaks.

 

Get the radiator rodded, put your viscous fan back on.

Lisle 75500 Cooling System - Mechanics Tools
If you do decide to do the heads, one of these also:
Lisle 28100 Torque Wrench - Measuring, Precision
and a beam type torque wrench.

 

Thanks or the quick responses


Radiator was dropped of this morning. Have not had time to check in and see if they got to it yet or not

Do you really think the mechanical fan can pull air than the two eletric ons i replaced it with?

To clarify i still have the 2 on the ac condensor i just added 2 more to the radiaor to replace the mechanical fan

 

That would depend on how powerful the electric fans are. But my mechanical fan is stong enough to spin the blades of the AC condenser fans even if they are not on. I have measured mine with an anemometer (small propeller on a volt meter). At idle my mechanical fan makes about three times the feet per minute of the electric fans for the condenser. Revved up, that increases. Revved up, the electric fans don't change much. I belive I noticed about 6 degrees drop by increasing the fan pitch (deeper fan). Pix is one from a Chevy Blazer around 2000, their fan clutch fits our water pump just fine (six inch reverse roatation). Maybe $19 at the junk yard, where the partz vulturez fly low and fast. With a rodded out radiator, and a 180 stat, I make 180 -183F at highway speed in the recent high temps, maybe 187 at 70.

 

Ok ill grab a new fan clutch and deeper fan when my radiator comes back and see if all this helps

 

I agree it is the electric fans.
210 is fine, 220 start to worry.

 

Fixed THank you for your help

a rodded radiator and switching back to a mechanical from a 2000 blazer did the trick. I dont see a tick above 198* 3 hour trip on the highway with the a/c or stop and go

 

Yippie Skippy! What temp thermostat are you running?

 

I have a 180* but its been hot as blazes around here lately about 100-105* ambient temp. the highest i have seen it climb was 198* after 2 hours of 75 mph and sitting at the off ramp just a quick spike on my scangauge 2 normally it sits about 190*