So I have an amazing 1983 Toyota pickup 4x4 with a 22R! Last summer it started to over heat and I figured it was the water pump well come to this year I finally got around to replacing the water pump and just because why not I also replaced the radiator! Well I tried to bleed the air after I put everything in and all air seemed to come out but it still over heats and I’m out of ideas I don’t think head gasket I’m not loosing fluid and there’s new belts. Any ideas would be great I would love to put this thing back on the road!

 

Have you checked your thermostat?

 

yes I completely replaced it I forgot to put that!

 

Fan clutch functioning properly?

I had some occasional spikes when it was hot outside that went away completely when I went to a 2 stage thermostat like this:
2-Stage Thermostat OEM 22R/22RE (190 Degree) OEM Toyota P/N: 90916-03070 (lceperformance.com)

 

Sounds like there's a good chance the fan clutch (fluid coupling) isn't working.

Does the truck actually overheat, or does the gauge just get up near the upper white line as the truck warms up, then drops back down after a short time? That is a known situation with those engines. Especially with the heater going. The "cold" return water from the heater core is fed back into the main cooling system just in front of the thermostat, and can hold it closed longer than it should be. Thus, the temperature will rise up higher than expected before the thermostat opens and allows the main system to function. That's why Toyota came up with the two-stage thermostat. Just a thought.

Another possibility is the temperature sensor that feeds the gauge cluster. You might want to pull it out, and test it's resistance on the stove as you heat it up in a pan of water. Make certain, also, that it's threads are clean, and corrosion free. It's where the gauge gets it's ground, and if the threads are gunked up with corrosion, it changes the resistance for the whole circuit. Makes it SEEM to be overheating, when it's actually not.
Make sure it's wiring is in good shape, as well.

Having rambled all that about the cooling system, my money's still on the fan clutch. It not very expensive, about $35.00 give or take, readily available, and easy to replace. 4 nuts, and done. Only get an OEM fan clutch. I believe Aisin is the OEM part.

Good luck to you! Keep us up to date
Pat☺

 

Having the same issue & thinking this...? Within a couple minutes, it’s hot. 🥵🤬

 

Are you getting bubbles in the radiator? Or excessive overflow into the recovery tank? Does the thermostat open as it heats up? Do you get good, hot, water in the radiator?
Oil in the water, or vice-versa? Do you have the "chocolate milkshake" on the inside of the oil filler cap? Oil in the radiator or recovery tank?
Does one of the cylinders have low compression? You can easily borrow a compression tester from an auto parts store to check.
Have you used an infrared thermometer, the "point-n-shoot" kind to verify that you are, indeed, overheating, and don't have a bad gauge, or sender?
Could the radiator be clogged up inside? Not getting good flow through it? Is the lower hose getting good n warm? If not, bad radiator.
Worst case scenario, the head gasket isn't really all that hard to replace, even for a shade-tree mechanic like me. I know, I've done it, and a mechanic I am most certainly NOT.
Gasket sets for doing a head gasket change are relatively inexpensive, and readily available. Many even include new head bolts, which is a very good idea. Having said that, when I did the head gasket on my 87 4Runner, thanks to a "friend" throwing a water pump belt, then driving it till it overheated, sat for a while to cool it down, drove it till it overheated again, etc, all the way back to my house, I didn't replace the bolts, when I replaced the head and gaskets. What really teed me off the worst, was that I had a spare belt, and the needed tools, IN the truck. Did he bother to replace it? Naaah. Just warp the head, and give it back. Let Pat replace the head.
That was 20+ years ago, and it's still running great, without having replaced the head bolts. At least the engine is. The cabin fuse box caught fire on me, and my mechanic has it to replace the fuse block for me.

Does any of that help at all?
Pat☺