1. Thermostat not opening. Kind of a bitch to replace if you have never done
it before. A good pair of snap ring pliers and 45 degree bent tips works
well. You have to remove the lower radiator hose to get at the thermostat as
it is mounted in the water pump. Rotate the snap ring until the holes are at
the 1 o'clock position. The Craftsman pliers I used had 45 degree tips
included in the fit. While attempting to remove the snap ring the small
points on the end broke off. The snap ring is quite heavy duty. So what I did
was to break off the other tip, then cut small notches on the inside of the
tips about a 1/16" back from the end. This really helped the tips to grab
onto the ring. Get the tips all the way into the holes then squeaze like
hell. Safety goggles are recommended during this as the ring could fly off
and take out an eye very easily. Make sure to get the correct thermostat for
your waterpump.
2. Clogged radiator. Could be caused by many things, including bad oil cooler
seals. A good flush should clear it out. Would probably help to remove the
radiator for this.
3. Bad water pump. If it's not making any noises then you should be ok. I've
heard that the propeller (or whatever you want to call it) can come loose
from the shaft rendering the pump useless. Never seen it happen though. A
bad water pump usually leaks at the pulley so a good way to check this out is
to remove the upper section of the belt cover and see if any coolant has
leaked inside. If it has you've got one fun job on your hands. Email me for
help on that one if it is indeed your problem.
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