Anyone running a 3VZE without a fan shroud? I just rebuilt a 3.0 in a truck I bought the truck runs great, but just running a little warm. When is say a little warm, there is about 1 needle width between the needle and the red on the temp gauge. There was a body lift installed on the truck and no shroud was included with the purchase (maybe why I had to rebuild a motor with 105,000 miles).

I also noticed when the truck and coolant is warm and pressure is built up the coolant in the reservoir is not warm. Shouldn't the radiator be building enough pressure to cause the radiator cap to release fluid when the truck is warm? Possible bad radiator cap?

I also noticed a little play in the fan clutch. Anybody know the allowable limits for the play in the fan clutch?

I double checked the timing and I think all the air is out of the system. There is a new thermostat in the system and the water pump seems to be working fine.

Thanks

Any ideas??

 

That's a little more than 'warm'. The shroud is there for a reason. It enables the fan to pull air through the entire radiator (not just the part immediately in front of it).

 

Agreed. I guess I should have said too warm. Is an electric fan worth the money, since my clutch is staring to wear out. Or should I find a new shroud and fan clutch?

 

Not in my opinion. I made the mistake of buying an expensive flexalite e-fan. I have to switch back to the mechanical fan for the summer months because the e-fan just doesn't do the trick.

 

Thanks for the opinion. I read the "Electric Fan Woes... again" post and think I will head down the path of a stock shroud and clutch. Where does your heat gauge run at during normal idling with the stock fan and shroud and the 165? I thought about the problem some more and it probably is the shroud, because the tem only rised on idle. The gauge reads ablut half when goind down the road. I my also install a radiator cap (or have it pressure tested) because it could also be a potential problem and a cheap fix.

 

Yea, def. need the the shroud.

 

With both fans, the temp sits about in the middle of the white. That is the 'normal' temp for these engines. I consider anything over that point to be [overheating]. The only time I would run into problems with the 165 was when the engine was under load (regardless of speed). Even a slight incline (if long enough) would overwhelm the 165. A/C just made it that much worse.

 

If you're getting close to the red you may have already overheated the engine. My advice is to remedy this problem now before driving the truck anymore.

I've never seen a BL kit come with a new shroud, rather they usually come with brackets to lower your radiator the distance of the lift so the existing shroud will work.

The brackets on mine were really simple. They're just 4 flat steel pieces with a hole in one end and a stud spot welded in the other. You just unbolt the rad and slide the hole over the existing bolt and tighten the nut back on it, then hang the rad on the 4 new studs and tighten it down.

By dropping the rad it will allow you to use your oem shroud and also make all the hoses fit correctly again too.

 

[/QUOTE]I also noticed when the truck and coolant is warm and pressure is built up the coolant in the reservoir is not warm.[/QUOTE]

If the radiatior is not getting warm, it sounds like you have substantial blockage. Have it tested.

 

I agree sounds like you have a severe blockage in the coolant system I'd get it power flushed and serviced ASAP. You might also have a failed thermostat. Aviator

 

I checked the radiator and it is dropped so a stock fan shroud should work. I will be getting one and installing it before I run it again. I haven't driven the truck but a couple miles and it did not overheat until it was parked in the driveway. I only ran the truck about 10 minutes to set the timing and that was it. The needle started approaching the red and I shut it down. The last truck a BL in was a GMC with a 400 SMC which is prone to overheating. I did not have a shroud on this truck- The difference was that truck had a big radiator and it was a 4 core. Thanks for the advice everyone!!!!!!