Getting hot - mt climbing, beach & towing big hills

[jeffsutt]

Dear friends of hilux,
please be helping my car "bogsy" (1992 surf 2.4td Auto). Despite getting stuck on the test drive (hence the name "bogsy") my 2.4 surf has been the best car i've owned since purchasing it 2 years ago. I'd heard all the get the 2.8 stories but didnt have the money. I decided this was the truck i wanted, and it was only 900 squids anyway so thought even if it did crack a head i could stick a new head in or motor in when i had the money.

The truck has run for 40,000 kms fine on the open rd with 4 people and boards etc. The only times the needle creeps up or the over flow bottle starts to bubble is:
- driving to the top of 2000 metre high mountain (needs a stop just near the top to cool down, then its fine)
- driving along the beach for an extensive period (even with 15psi in the tyres)
- towing my boat (approx 650kg) up really long hills

Strangely, if you keep the taco below the 2200 rpm mark "bogsy" will go anywhere and not overheat. Why?

I've had it pressure tested, and the guy said its fine. Changed the rad cap and thermostat at the same time.

I can deal with this, but it would be nice to know why, specially when you 2000 metres up the side of a Mountain and having to keep an eye on the temp gague.

When this issue first reared its head it boiled into the overflow a couple times and spat some water out, but always carry extra water.

Interestingly the top tank on my existing rad has been solder slightly, but its never let me down.

I've read lots of posts here, and am beginning to think that its the extra load in gear box pumping more heat into the cooling system? is this correct? do i need to ad additional radiator? Or is my thermostat playing tricks on me and the truck??? or is this just an old truck that is sweating a bit cause i'm trying to do to much with it?

What sort of distance are these motors good for?

Thanks in advance for your help!

[MAUI]

Hey Jeff,

A fellow kiwi i see.

I would begin with giving the rad and cooling system a good flush, or even getting a new one, sounds like the head is getting poked thou, specially if you have bubbles in the overflow. definite sign of a cracked head, how many ks you got on the clock? diesals are a bit like a time bomb some do 300-400 thousand kms, no probs most of those are 2.8s thou,best motor ever.. most guys i know that have 2.4s are lucky to get 200 out of them, mainly due to faulty head design.
Good luck and i hope its just a clooged rad,let us know how u get on.

btw were you at, north or south?

[TonyN]

If its just getting hot and not losing water then you probably have a blocked rad.

If its losing water then overheating, then you need to look for a leak or suspect the head.

Sounds to me like a plugged rad, as like you say, if you keep the revs down, the rad can cool things fine. if you give it a bit of stick, then the rad can't keep up with the increased temp, and it gets hot.

Your lucky is you havn't done the head when its got hot, as they can't handle it normally, anything that causes it to overheat normally then cracks the head.

[jeffsutt]

thanks

thanks heaps for the feedback there fellas. I will get my mechanic mate to flush the rad for me and see if that helps the cause. Bogsy sitting about 245,000 kms... got at 202 and cam belt had just been done. I would like to think its just a block rad and hopefully i've not cracked the head, i've pretty cautious we the needle moves even a little.

Hey maui - base in the naki on west of north

where you at?

Goin traveling for a year so probably going to sell my truck anyways, but want to try and sort issue b4 she goes, spesh if its just a block rad!

[MAUI]

Hi, jeff
I am down in Nelson, thought i could have a look at your wagon if you were closer.
good luck dood!!

[Vagrant No2]

Check the thermo viscious fan is working . That nearly always looses efficiency over a number of years. Do a search for details of how to overhaul the unit and the oil to refill with . But no harm in fitting a oil cooler in the auto box line before it enters the radiator.