I agree too.. The chances of your water pump being bad are very very slim.. I have only changed less then 50 but have never seen a bad impeller.
I would still check the thermostat first...

Does he need to pull the radiator to check it? Can't he just pull the lower hose off and flush water through it with a hose?

My 88 van is running hotter then normal now... Not all the time though. I drove it last night and the stock gauge went up to between the M and A on (normal). I had cut the engine off for about 5 minutes and when I restarted the engine, the needle never went pas the O. I set the parking brake, put it in drive, sat there about 10 minutes, and it still never went past the O. On the way back home it stayed at the O. So if it was a clogged radiator or bad water pump, it would not drop in temp but rather continue to run hotter over time.

btw just for information, here is how thermostats are made and work and radiators are made..

 

Finally got a chance to take a look at the van.

I found a small leak near the lower hose, but its on the plastic part that has two small hoses going somewhere, maybe a cooler ? I have a new post asking what that is, LOL. I have had that replaced before, but I had a shop do it. It looks pretty easy to swap out, along with a new lower hose.

I also may have a leak coming from the radiator, I found a drop of coolant on the bottom of the fan shroud so I looked up from the bottom, between the radiator and the fan shroud and I saw a moist spot directly above the drip at the very top of the radiator. I loosed the shroud and wiped it off then ran the van and I could not tell if it got worse, it may be a very slight leak at a seam. When I looked between the radiator and the transmission cooler it was bad, a huge abount of gunk on both of them.
I am going to replace the lower hose and that adapter thingy, I am tempted to just replace the radiator anyway.

I did not pull out the new thermostat yet but I did test the old one and it opened up in a pot of boiling water, I only have a infrared gauge and I dont know if it was reading correctly.

Thanks.

 

I haven't made a new thread yet but perhaps our problems are similar..
When I first got the 88 e150 the temp gauge would run with the needle between the O and R on (NORMAL). Then I noticed it running, sometimes, straight up between the R and M. Now this is around town driving.. Then one day I took my son to work about 3 miles away and I noticed the needle between the M and A while sitting at a light. Once I started moving again, it went back down between the R and M. Later i decided to take it down the interstate 2 or 3 miles. Once in overdrive the needle climbed to the A. once off the interstate and driving back home, it went back to between the R and M..

So I went to NAPA and got a thermostat and some hoses thinking that the thermostat might be sticking like it did on my 85, the one I had to replace twice... Well while there the guy behind the counter along with a mechanic there said it sounded like a fan clutch to them. So I bought a fan clutch and tried that first. My old clutch bearings were good and the fan didn't freely spin so i assumed it was good.. Now with the new heavy duty clutch on the engine, I can clearly hear the fan roar when starting off after just cranking the van.

So now when the needle is around the A, I found that if i stopped and cut the engine off,when I start off the fan will kick in full speed and the needle will drop down to between the R and M.

What gets me though is that just the other day I pulled into the store and the needle dropped back down to between the O and R. I put it in gear and sat there and it never went up any farther.. This indicated to me that T-Stat was bad and only opening some times.. Well now that i replaced that, it is running hotter them it was..

I am going to check a couple more things.. See if the lower hose is very soft and perhaps collapsing under suction, Go to the parts store and use their laser thermometer at the thermostat housing ans see how much the temp changes compared to rise and drop of the needle, and lastly perhaps change the coolant temp sensor.. I read that if the ECT is bad it can cause problems with the gauge reading right..
If all that is ok then i am going to pull the radiator and see how dirty is is between the cooling fins. If that's ok then i will take it and have it cleaned out at a radiator shop

My hoses get hard but not like you said yours are..

Something else I noticed today was air bubbles when squeezing the upper hose. i believe you mentioned that..

My neighbor is a mechanic and he saw i was almost ready to put the antifreeze back in and gave me a special funnel to use. its called a spill proof system i believe.. Anyway I used it and could watch air bubbles coming out my radiator too. It was not huge but it was bubbles bleeding out of the system. At one point the antifreeze was not wanting to go back into the radiator and it took about 20 minutes. i drained out 2 gallons and so i knew it would hold 2.. All the time though i could squeeze the upper hose and see air bubbles come out..

heres the funnel in use.


Sorry i don't have a clue what the two hoses go to that you are talking about..

Is your radiator brass? mine is and I want to keep it.. When we replaced the one om my mothers van, the replacement was aluminum with the plastic top and bottom.. A new brass one is expensive..

 

If you go with an aluminum radiator you want an all aluminum one. They cost a bit but work the best.
The only thing I like about brass ones is that silver solder is a quick and easy repair.

No matter what you do , don't get the cheap ones.

 

There seems to be allot of debate on the internet about aluminum or brass radiators as to which is best, which last longer, proper maintenance and what coolants and additives should be used..

This is my own personal thoughts and why I am choosing to keep my stock brass radiator and just have it cleaned.
In the past few years I have helped 4 friends change aluminum radiators in cars that were around 10 years old. 2 were from the plastic cracking, 1 leaking from the seal where the plastic manifold is clamped on, and the 4th from a leak in the core itself. The aluminum radiators cost just about as much to repair as to buy a mid quality replacement.

We changed mothers 78 e100 brass radiator to aluminum about 8 years ago after 30 years of service with no leaks or overheating issues. The reason was I knew little about aluminum verse brass radiators at the time, the radiator shop said the brass radiator might be rotted out from age, and the aluminum was cheaper then repairing the brass one.

My 85 e150 with 140k has the factory brass radiator that came with it and is still doing fine.. That is 31 years..
My 88 factory radiator is 29 years and while not leaking, may be clogged. Perhaps from sitting for 10 to 14 years..

So while there may be advantages to aluminum radiators, believe I will have my brass one cleaned and checked out..

 

*** UPDATE ***
I just removed the new thermostat and tested it, It opens up just as it should. I tested the cooling system without the thermostat in and there is little if any movement of fluid going by when looking in the radiator. I removed the bypass hose and it is clear, looked into the radiator with no fluid it it and almost every one of the passages looked like it was clogged with rust. The pump does not leak anywhere and it is not making any strange noises.

Could the Pump have been damaged by a clogged radiator?

Should I try to have this one rebuilt? (it is all metal)


I have been looking for a radiator just in case I need a new one and its impossible to find a quality one. I looked at, spectre, silla, and some others and they all have bad reviews.

Thanks.

 

I would start by taking it to a radiator shop and let them check it out.. if it isn't worth fixing, they will let you know. Just be sure it is a reputable shop.

Thats what i am going to do with the one we pulled out of my moms van years ago and see if it can be cleaned and repaired. I don't know all the years but according to RA, shows the 78 e100 radiator is the same as the 88 e150.

call the shop and get an estimate. here is a good article of what they do to clean a brass/copper radiator.
How to Clean a Radiator

 

No.......

 

Anna:
I called a reputable shop today and I was told $500 minimum to rebuild it.
Thats a bit too much for me to spend given the age and the other problems the van has, If it didnt I would go ahead. I will have to go with one of the cheap ones and cross my fingers. I found one at napa for $200 Napa seems to have a better reputation than oreillys, Pepboys, and autozone.

I just found this one listed for $290, its a vista pro, dont know if the brand is any good but its $100 more.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/v...vis/10801925-P

Theres also a brand called Spectra, seems to have been around a while. Pepboys has one for $140.

Vet:
The reason I ask, is because there is no flow whatsoever through the radiator.

Thanks.

 

I think you're over thinking this. Aftermarket radiators will hold up just fine, there's no reason to worry. Buy one that has a decent warranty and don't worry about it.

The radiator on my '97 Lincoln had plastic end tanks. Sold that car two months ago, and the factory radiator was doing great at 176,000 miles.

 

Yea I know, LOL

 

Tom is right about over thinking... I am really bad about that!
WOW $500, what all did they tell you they were going to do?
Not too many shops do the old brass radiators these days, maybe look for another shop..
I just called Marietta Radiator here in Ga that I have done business with for years and they said $90 to $125, probably $125 to rod it out and everything and if it rotted out, they would let me know.. I ask him about the one out of my moms 78 that we changed out maybe 10 years ago, we just put it in a box and stored it in the shop.. He said its probably no good. That it is like dried eggs on a plate.. The old junk in the tubes will dry out and harden and would probably be impossible to remove.. Interesting thought if you were putting a car in long term storage..

As to new replacement ones.. To me there are some things to think about.. In the last few days I have been learning a little about radiators, the number or ROWS in the core makes a difference.. I have also read with newer aluminum radiators, that they can get away with using larger tubes and less rows..

I dont know anything about these brand but was looking up your radiator here at:
http://www.partstrain.com/store/??N=...=Part:Radiator

Silla Radiator
$109.97 Plus shipping? W/Limited life time warranty
But reading the speck, it says single ROW...

Their Spectra is a 1 ROW W/2 year warranty for $134

ProRad 2 Row w/10 year warranty for $172

BUT this one is CFS for $260 W/2 year warranty, says Brass tank material but doesnt specify the core material and is a 2Row

So now that you are totally confused...

Also check out Amazon.. look for free shipping and lifetime warrantys
Amazon.com: Radiators - Engine Cooling & Climate Control: Automotive

 

Just my $0.02 worth here..............

Big things subject to manufacturing defects on arrival or soon after (within warranty period if applicable) should be bought locally even if its a few dollars more than listed online. Should a failure occur typically a replacement part can be had within hours instead of days---a factor that needs to be considered if having the vehicle serviceable is important.

Most any brick & mortar store would be my choice over internet for something like this.

 

JWA has a good point about getting one local.. There is a company called Radiator.com based in Benicia CA that you might want to call and check out..
https://www.radiator.com/?cmp=google...eKnhoC9UDw_wcB

I spoke with them over the phone pricing on for my van in case I need one... I ask if they match prices and she said not normally but might be able to work something out..

They are like some of the online windshield dealers. They have franchises or deals worked out with local suppliers around the country and will find a warehouse or dealer near your zip code for you to pick the part up at. Though their site only gives you 1 choice radiator and price, if you call them they have many different brands and prices available..

 

Yea, I want to buy local and I actually want to install it this weekend. Ill probably go with a spectra.
Even though I dont like pep boys they have one advertised for my year/vehicle. I have to find out if they have any at my local store though.

Thanks.