I hope the problem is resolved. But, is the backer plate for the water pump installed? Are you 100% sure you didn't swap the gaskets for the pump and plate? This is a wild random thought (I get these more and more lately). Is it possible that you have a pump for a serpentine system installed with V belts or vice-versa (reverse pump rotation)?

 

William,
I wondered the same thing. I had a shop in Cottonwood Az that had a very good reputation do the work. Now I'm back in Nevada. So I'm not sure. I figure I will run it as it is. One day if I get the ambition I may go looking. I'm pretty sure the pump is right I can see the direction the water is flowing. from bottom to top. I can see the water flowing toward the top hose. But the plate and gasket issue maybe something.
Thanks for your thoughts much appreciated. Craig

 

kermmydog,

I was wondering if you can get all the water in your radiator that Ford call out. I read a post on a RV forum where some one had a simualer problem. He replaced the radiator with one from one of the chains ad they swore it was THE right one. He spent lots of money on trying to make it cool and discoverd it didn't hold the righ amount of water. He ended up going to a Ford dealer and ordering a replacement. The Ford one was biger thicker and held more water by everal qarts than the replacment. I don't know if this has aney bering but I thought I would bring it up. I mised why you changed the radiator and if it was a upgrade.
Good luck
Bill

 

Hmmm... my '83 F250 with a 460 still has the original radiator (I have all of the service records), and it DOES get hot in traffic jams in the summer... now I know why.

Bear, you are a repository of great 385 info! Thanks!

 

I know because my '84 did the same thing, plus with the camper onboard and the boat or quad hauler in tow, the damn thing had a slow overheat and I finally swapped to a 4 core and problem solved. Even though all the parts houses swear that all 460s came with a 3 core, it isn't so. Look at the cooling system specs. The '83 and '84 both have a smaller capacity than the rest. Less capacity = less cooling.

 

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/cata...&parttype=2088

I changed Clyde over to a four core a few years ago. At that time Rock Auto was selling the TransPro HeatbusteR. The above link is a bookmark I had placed when I ordered. It looks like they have changed lines and I don't know a lot about Four Seasons but I'm ASSUMING that it's comparable to the one I installed.

Clyde has the trailer tow package and came with a three core from the factory. I bought it in '96 with 38K. I had a friend who was an experienced Ford truck mechanic go over the truck, he assured me that at that time everything was original and that I'd better get that little by-pass hose replaced right NOW !

Even with the four-core radiator it tends to run on the warm side towing at higher ambient temperatures.

 

Thanks for all the input.

 

Here's the lastest in this problem. This weekend my wife & I traveled 450 mile with our F250.
Again I'm running a 160 dergee thermo, and I never had any heating issues until I had a new timing chain, ( Cloyes TRUE Street Roller advanced 4 dergees past TDC.) water pump, & radiator installed. My timing is 10 degress, Vacumn adv works & is hooked to ported vac. I have a new Stewart-Warner mech. temp gauge.
This what happened. I drove for about 50 miles with the temp at 185 degrees. Then the gauge started climbing to around 200 degrees & ran like that for a few miles then jumped to 230 degrees. (I was running about 65-70 MPH about 2600 RPM.) I backed off the gas and the temp dropped back to about 195 and ran like that for 30 miles. Then it would start doing the same thing all over. On the way home it ran 190 for 120 miles. we stopped for dinner and when we started on the last leg of our trip. The temp climbed right up to 200 degrees and stayed there for about 35 miles, then cooled to around 190 and remained that way all the way home. outside temps were between 20-40 degrees. this entire trip.
I looked at the pump yesterday and I don't see anything but a gasket between the pump & timing cover. SHOULDN"T THE BACKING PLATE BE VISABLE? If the backing plate is not installed could the condition I mentioned be caused by the pump cavating causing air to get into the system causing this varing of temperature. Before with the old pump, radiator, & timing chain the temp would run around 5-10 degrees above the thermo setting. 180 degree themo the truck ran 185-190 all day long winter or summer. Empty or pulling our 10,000# trailer. This radiator is the second aftermarket radiator I have installed. The stock Ford radiator started leaking after 123,000 miles.
So I'm thinking my problem maybe the LACK of a backing plate. I never ran into a Ford that the backing plate was missing to know how it will act. Thanks

 

You should be able to see the edge of the plate between the pump and the timing chain housing. Carefully inspect the gaskets when you install the new plate. These gaskets look the same but they are not. The one with the openings goes on the pump.

 

Thanks William, I finished fixing the damage I caused to my wife's Dodge today. So this weekend I plan to pull the pump and see what I have. I ordered a backing plate from the Ford Dealer today. Tommorrow I will buy the gaskets from Napa. I will post what I find and if that solves the problem.
Thanks to all for your help & suggestions. I'm praying I find the backing plate missing. That way a solution maybe in sight. I have been messing with this for 6 months now and would like a fix.
Craig

 

Craig did you get my email? I would look at the pump modificaqtion I mailed you about, as long as you are pulling it to check the backing plate.
I hope this fixes your problem I know how tiering it can be to have a naging problem.
Bill

 

Bill Yes I did. I sent you an reply email to your Yahoo address. I couldn't find the part in Jegs. I used their search for the number you gave me and it didn't turn up. On pg 178 in my Jegs catalog is steering components. I looked through all their water pump, radiator stuff, didn't see what you were refering to. The backing plate came in at the Ford dealership today, & I ordered a turnsignal switch that will be in Thursday. I have decided to let a shop here do this whole deal. I know the owner pretty well and he is the one the parts houses recommend first. He is booked until the first week in Dec. I need an A/C clutch installed, and the turn signal switch installed. My back won't let me crawl under the dashes anymore. So since he is doing that stuff I'm going to let him do the pump. He and I have been discussing this for a few days and he believes the same as I do the plate is missing. So I'll post as some as I find out what is going on.
Bill you can email me direct to the address I sent your reply from. Again Thanks to all for the help. I really appreciate this forum and all who are a part of it.
Craig

 

Water is flowing from bottom to the top? In the radiator or the engine? Water is suppose to come out of the engine from the thermostat, thru the top hose into the radiator and down thru the radiator into the bottom hose, into the pump, into the front of the block. To the back of the block, up into the heads, forward thru the heads into the intake back to the thermostat. Water flows from the top hose not into the top hose.

 

Bear,

I better recheck. Your right other wise the thermo wouldn't work. Thanks for the heads up.

 

It will work, sort of, but will have major temp swings.