I have an 92' Aerstar. It has been running hotter than normal I had to replace the rad and the hoses also replaced the thermostat, rad cap my resevoir keeps filing up and over flowing. any advice would be appreciated.

 

Sounds like you may have to do a water pump. Maybe the fins are gone on it. And how about your fan clutch?


Dick

 

Just curious, did this problem start before or after the new radiator? Does the heater blow hot air? Does the air blowing out of the radiator fan feel hot?

 

It happened about the same time. I had a leak in the old radiator. I was leaning towards the water pump.

 

The water pump can be tested you know. Look on the underside of the water pump. If you can see signs of leakage fromt he weep hole, then you need a new pump. If that is good, take the upper hose (with the system at opperateing temperature) and squeeze it. If the pump is good, you will feel a surge through the hose as you release it.

 

any signs of overheating on temp gauge or rapid fluctuations in temp gauge while driving?

have system pressure tested for stable pressure

may have wrong cap for radiator neck, sometimes caps get switched by customers or counter guys when searching for right cap

check lower return hose for inner spring that prevents collapse by suction from pump

Aero V6's can be tempermental to air purge...you may have an air bubble trapped in block or heads that creates steam bubbles passed thru to radiator which are passed out along with coolant to overflow tank from overpressure in radiator
run front end up on ramps on hill...front 2>3 ft higher than rear....fill overflow tank to 1/3>1/2.....take off radiator cap....run engine until hot....fill tank...crank cap down to first click only....run engine 20-30 minutes, revving ocassionally to 3k rpm....crank cap to last click and lock....shut off engine and let cool

 

When filing the system up with coolant, after cranking the van for a bout 2 to 3 minutes coolant startes burping out of the top without the cap on, the van never reaches operating temp.

 

You mean running the van don't you. Without the cap on and engine running coolant will come out as it expands.

 

Yes. After filing the rad up, start the van the coolant drops then i top it off and about 2 to 3 minutes it starts overflowing without the cap.

 

Thats normal..

 

But it never stops, my overflow fills up and overflows.

 

I thought it was my rad cap but this is my second cap that I put on it.

 

You have to exceed 10 or so psi to blow off the cap and have coolant go into the tank. Your hoses should be tite tite when this is happening. If it happens before the engine gets hot you may have a head gasket failure blowing compression into the cooling system..

Dick

 

Thanks, can a garage do a pressure test on the system?

 

Yes they can usually.. You can look for bubbles in the coolant Thats another way to tell you have a bad headgasket. Like I said if the hoses are getting tight before the engine gets hot you have a bad head gasket most likely. You will see bubbles in the water and they won't stop..If you watch before you put the cap on.

Dick