Hi everyone,

My name's Todd and I drive a 1988 Ford Bronco II. It's been kept in great condition with repairs and regular maintenance over the years. I use it to drive back and forth to college, roughly 100 miles each way.

For a couple of months now, I've been driving without any problems and I notice my engine temp gauge will sometimes point up towards hot but not in the red. It points up roughly 3/4 of the way and after a minute or less, it'll go back down to normal. Just recently the heater doesn't blow any warm air out of the dash. After a while of driving it'll blow some warm air out but it eventually dissipates and doesn't.

I'm concerned about the engine overheating and I think it's the thermostat. The problem is that I have to head back to school tomorrow morning and have EXTREMELY little time to get it repaired. When I come back for spring break in the end of February, I'll take it to my mechanic.

So my question is, would I be able to drive it back to school without any problems or should I get it repaired ASAP?

The engine runs well and hasn't given me any trouble nor have I seen any noticeable changes. I just don't to break down on the highway and have my engine cease up.

Would it still be okay for travel from time to time?

--Todd

 

had a toyota that did the same thing, drove it for a while like that. if its not too hot outside or you arent idling in traffoc for hous you should be fine.
the thermostat is a simplified valve that keeps water in the radaitor to cool off. when the engine gets hot the t-stat opens to let cool water into the engine and hot water out. as long as the water is circulating and the fan cools off the ratatior, the temp shouldnt get too hot.

 

The temp doesn't go up for more than 10-15 seconds every 10-15 minutes. I drove for a couple of times with it like that but just now I learned that it can lead to a ceased engine. I plan to get it checked ASAP but I just wondered if I wouldn't run into car trouble driving back and then driving home later on to get it fixed.

 

as long as it doesnt hit the red you should be fine. i know of people who run with no thermostat at all. it shouldnt be too hard to swap out yourself, and save a few bucks...

 

It hasn't hit red. It just goes up from time to time but never near the danger zone.

I was looking up the steps to replace a thermostat but I don't have all the accessories to do it. I'm basically a college kid with no experience under the hood, except for oil changes.

Thanks a lot for your help. I'll get it repaired when I get a chance when I'm home next.

 

You should be okay, but I would keep a close eye on it. Sounds like the thermostat could be stuck partially open or closed and you have an issue with the temperature control valve on the heater - and possibly a vacuum leak (can't remember if the temp. valve is wire- or vacuum-controlled). You'll need to investigate under and behind the dash where the heater box and controls are for that and definitely consider getting that thermostat replaced before it goes out completely - the sooner the better. Another possibility is the fan clutch might be going out as well, so have that checked. You can replace it with OEM parts or consider getting a non-clutch type flex fan or going with a radiator-mounted electric pull fan.

 

One other thing to check would be the coolant level in the radiator. Take the radiator cap off when the engine is cold. Look inside and see if the antifreeze is up to about an inch below the cap opening. If not then fill it up with straight antifreeze or a mixture of 50% antifreeze and water, which ever you use. Put the cap back on and go drive it till it gets all the way warmed up. Then watch the temp gauge to see if it still gets close to the hot zone and then goes down. If it still gets too warm and the heat kind of goes away, then take a look at some of the other things that have been suggested. Let us know how it goes.

 

Start it cold and when the thermostat opens (hoses hot) see if the coolant is moving in the radiator. If not, you might have a bad water pump and not replacing it can blow the engine. What happens is the water may be cool near the sensor, but, the coolant is boiling on the cyl. walls.

 

Check ur water pump, Mine was doing the same thing and the impeller had come off the pump, therefore, no water. Changed my thermostat too. Now everything is workin peachy .