bowtierebel

Hello everyone. I am having similar problems that others have had. I have searched and I have found some great information that has helped me with other problems that I have had. I guess I need specifics for me to be clear about things. Several of the posts that I have found are for different engines.
Ok, here is some info to help you guys know what I have. I have a 1986 4x4 DLX with the 22R, 5 speed. I got it pretty cheap because he couldn't get it running. This was a farm truck and had been sitting for years. About a year n a half ago he couldn't get it to start so he cut the vac lines and put on a Weber. He said it ran good then. It had sat from then till and he couldn't get it started again so I bought it.
I trailered it home and got some good gas in it (some was still in the tank though), replaced the fuel filter, spark plugs (they were very black, fouled), changed the oil n filter and it fired right up. It runs pretty good. Timing is @ 0*.
Now here is my real problem now. The PO had only water in the cooling system. So I drained and flushed water through the rad and block, it was clear. I did see what looked like calcium deposits (they were very hard too) just inside the openings where the hoses connect. I thought it may be from the PO having only water in the system, but then thought that maybe he had put "stop leak"it it. I checked the flow through the rad after I pulled it and it seemed to flow through it ok. I plugged one opening and put CLR in the rad for a good while, sloshing it around periodically. Then I flushed it out for a good while and also made a solution of baking soda and water to neutralize any acid that may be left in there. I replaced the tstat (which was does the spring face???) My factory manual does do not say exactly. The Haynes manual shows the V6. Which way does the coolant flow?? I have been told it flows IN to the block from the top, but that didn't seem right.
Ok, so another problem is the coolant temp gauge doesn't work. I found a thread about the wires breaking so I checked that. The wires were good. Before I found that thread I thought it may just be the sensor itself so I replaced that. I do not see the coolant flow in the rad. The top hose gets very hot, don't see flow and the bottom hose barely warm. I thought it may be the water pump so I pulled it and found that it was still in good shape. It is the Toyota one. It wasn't pitted, bearings were good, ect. so I put it back in instead of replacing it with a cheap one.
I filled the block first to the top of the opening, then put the tstat in (jiggler towards the hose) and filled it to the edge of the rad cap opening. I started doing all of this because the truck will get very hot quickly sitting in the driveway and since the gauge doesn't work I don't know where the temp is. I wondered if the block may have a blockage or blockages internally somewhere if the PO had put stop leak in it. The heater hoses get hot too with the temp selector set to high and defrost. The rad doesn't look to bad and the CLR really didn't do much for the openings looking down into the rad cap opening.
I am stumped as to why the truck gets so hot so quickly, no flow in rad, water pump checked good, no temp gauge, top hose very hot, bottom hose barely warm, which way does coolant flow, which way does the tstat spring go? I need help!
I though I may take the rad to a rad shop and have it cleaned and pressure checked instead of buying another rad. At least the one I have is the Toyota one. Also, I see what looks like RTV around the oil pan gasket and some other places so I wonder what the PO did to this truck. Oh I also got a piece of blue, sticky RTV floating in the rad earlier when I refilled it.
Oh and fuel gauge doesn't work either. I removed it and ohmed it out and according to the service manual it should be around 55 ohms, but mine shows 177 ohms. I don't have a tach.
Can anyone tell me how to tell me what ton my truck is? It has A/C, tilt, cruise, digital clock, bench seat with folding armrest, but no carpet. The rear leaf springs have a part number printed on them. It looks like this... It has 2 "plus signs" and a funny looking design in front of the numbers 35460. Thank you!

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

For the temp gauge, ground the wire and the temp should max out to the hot side. If it doesn't do anything gauge is messed up, if it does move pull the sensor and clean it there is probably build up in it which acts like an insulator.

Is the truck actually overheating? Coolant flows from top of radiator to the bottom, so top hose should be hot and bottom warm. Some reason that confuses the heck out of people.

bowtierebel

OK, thanks. I will check the gauge like you said. As far as is it really overheating, I am honestly not sure since the gauge is messed up. Shouldn't I see flow through the radiator and shouldn't it splash out when I quickly squeeze the hose while it's running with the cap off? I just assume it's getting too hot because it does seem very hot and also when I shut it off the engine "diesels" for way longer than I care to say. Maybe some of the bad gas mixed with the fresh gas could be causing this?

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

Squeezing the radiator hose with the cap off will cause water to splash out engine running or not if the level is high enough. I have always disconnected the upper hose (with only water in the system) made sure the radiator is full, good to have a water hose for this. And run the engine, when the thermostat opens water will start flowing out of the upper hose, and the flow will increase with rpm. That's a good way to test the water pump and to flush the system out

yotayes88

T stat spring goes down.

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

Also what do you mean by the engine "diesels"?

bowtierebel

Ok, I just went out and checked the temp gauge. I grounded the wire and the needle with to full hot. The temp sending unit is brand new, literally. I just put it in yesterday. It is a BWD part from Advance Auto. I did put anti seize on the threads and I noticed that the new sensor did not bottom out like the other one did.
I noticed something else though. My high bean indicator light stays on all the time even though I can switch the headlights back and forth from low to high beam.

bowtierebel

Spring down. Got it. When I say it diesels, I mean that it keeps running really rough after I turn the key off and finally "coughs" through the carb, but not an actual backfire.

yotayes88

Choke sticking. idle set right? Carb adjusted right?

bowtierebel

The choke is electric this Weber. Wish he had left the factory stuff on it. I don't know if it is adjusted right, but the idle is at about 950-960 per the timing light.

bowtierebel

Well, we know the temp gauge will read if it gets a ground from the sensor. Could the anti seize affect the connection between the threads and the block? Keeping in mind the old one didn't work either. That's one reason I wondered if I may have a blockage internally on the block.

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

That seems kinda high for a warm idle speed

JasonYota

iTrader: (1)

No the anti seize won't affect it. I normally use Teflon tape

bowtierebel

I thought so too, but my manual says 950 rpms a operating temp which i waited to check it till I knew it was hot.

bowtierebel

I've never had anti seize do that either, but I'm stumped as to why the gauge won't read even with a new sensor, plus now I've checked it to ground and it works. If coolant was getting to the sensor then it should read something. Maybe even read a little just from the heat of the engine?

bowtierebel

I just thought of something... I'm not sure the clutch fan is coming on now. I have felt it and heard it before. When I had it off, it would turn, but had plenty of resistance as though it should work. How can I check it?

bowtierebel

Anybody else have any suggestions?

juanschwartz

Given all the stuff that is not showing, or showing improperly @ the gauges, maybe some sort of short in the printed circuit? I've had many an older vehicle that has gotten corroded on the printed circuit, and almost always a new cluster fixed it. An old k5 that I once had had similar issues with gas and temp readings, as well as the high beams always showing on, so i replaced the printed circuit, and problem solved.

Obviously, there are a lot of things that *could* be at fault here, but its free to take the cluster out and make sure no resistors/capacitors/circuits are blown or corroded.

thefishguy77

iTrader: (1)

This might be the way to go at this point. Very rarely do we fix these truck just by throwing parts on them. I had a 83 suburban an i had to constantly keep the power lock switches clean. Not that hard and they never looked "that dirty" but it would solve the problem for a few months.

These trucks have years and miles on them now. Since it sat in a field for a long time there is a really good chance condensation built up over time with just the outside temp changes alone. Start cleaning an you will probably solve you problem. It does sound electrical related. Good luck.

bowtierebel

Thanks guys. I actually did pull the cluster out and check the gauges, printed circuit. I ohmed each gauge per the service manual. The temp gauge ohmed out at 25 ohms which is good per the manual. The fuel gauge ohmed out to 176 ohms, but the manual stated that it should only be 55 ohms. So I figured that the gauge is bad so I found an SR5 cluster online. It just came today. I plan to install it soon and disconnect the oil sending unit first. I also decided to pull the fuel sending unit since the bed is off. When I pulled it the rod that the float is on was rusted down. I sprayed it with some lube and it freed up easy enough, but I still don't know if the fuel sender is good or not. I went ahead and ordered a new one due to the deteriorated condition of the old one. Dealer item only it seems. I did find a place that will rebuild them, but I was able to get a new one from Toyota for less. I will install the other cluster and get back with you guys. Thanks.