Sooo, cooling issues.

[Big Ray]

my 79 turned all 7'son the odometer on my way to a dr approach.

Finished the appt, stopped at a gas station. Getting the usual "nice truck, I had one when" business. I'm bragging on how good its been to me.

Go outside, it is spewing coolant. Straight down. Oh crap...

Popped the hood, try to see whats up. 30+ miles from home, no tools, no nothing. So I wait for it to cool down.

I then notice a pinhole in the lower radiator hose, right where it clamps to the pump. Bought 2 cases of purified drinking water, nursed it home at about 45 - 50 mph. Everyone was driving slow so it worked out.

Picked up a pump,hoses,clamps, t-stat, gaskets, cap.

Had to order an upper hose, there was a real idiot at vatozone I got tired of talking to.

He asked if I knew what it looked like, I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something obscene....I did emphasize I needed a 4wd pump lol.

Dr appt went well, he scheduled me for a lumbar epidural to try to get my herniated disc to shrink enough to take the pressure off the sciatic nerve.

 

[6872xtc]

I believe that it's awesome that the truck waited until it was comfortably home before it threw a little fit, instead of on the way from CA!

And you should be comforted by the lack of knowledge in this new world, right?

 

[Big Ray]

Lol

Swapping all the hoses & water pump this weekend.

Doing the axles & fluids first of June. U joints & what not.

I love this truck. I'm getting buried in it. Or torched. Don't want anyone digging it up!

 

[Big Ray]

I believe that it's awesome that the truck waited until it was comfortably home before it threw a little fit, instead of on the way from CA!

And you should be comforted by the lack of knowledge in this new world, right?

Oh, been driving these trucks since 77. Always had one in the family.

 

[Wes Harden]

being a small block 400, I encourage you to flush the block, and rad. What temp t stat are you going to use

 

[Big Ray]

What ever it called for. 180 I guess. I was running the a/c when it let go.

It runs really cool imo. It rarely hits the first line on the factory gauge.

It had fresh looking coolant when I left ca.Ws 90s.

I'll look for date codes on the hose if I can find one.

 

[Big Ray]

I checked the t stat, its a 160

 

[Wes Harden]

double check these parts store people don't know, and will think nothing of handing you a 195° t stat for computer controlled engine.

 

[Wes Harden]

I have a 170 in mine it runs just under 1/2 I might put the 160 back

 

[Big Ray]

I'll replace it with whatever was in it.

 

[scouthead]

you guys drilling holes in your thermostats??

I dont have a 400, but I don't believe in running cooler than stock temp thermostats (generally) - I keep the factory 195 in my 5.7s and buy the best quality thermostat I can find (usually marketed as HD) and if they don't already have the hole in the discs, i drill it. one 1/8th inch hole to keep air pockets from building up and affecting how the thermostat might function... also maybe possibly could be helpful in avoid pressure spikes that would rupture old hoses? Maybe?

 

[Big Ray]

Seems i use to do that to provide a fail safe if the t stat fails.

It's been a while...

I've almost slways had a Chevy v8, never really had a cooling issue with any of them that wasn't an obvious failure of some sort.

 

[Wes Harden]

I do, but only to allow easier filling and burping. Not going to save an engine from a stuck closed t stat

 

[1-ton]

When ever I pull into any parking lot with my Square Body I get the same usual "nice truck" as well. I also get the standard "do you want to sell it" too.

I work in the parts industry, and the guy probably asked if know the hose when you see it because two or three choices of upper hose probably came up in their catalog. People think that when you give the year, make, model, and engine size that the parts catalog narrows it down to the one correct choice...it does not. These catalogs the parts people are using where programed by third-world neanderthals that barely speak English, so parts catalogs are hit and miss. Even though he may have asked you what size engine your truck has the catalog probably still brought up an upper hose for a 305, 350, and a 400. The one reason he may have asked if you know the hose when you see it is because he thought you where smart enough to recognize it.

When peoples vehicles break down they are PISSED OF ABOUT IT, and want to take it out on the nearest person they can, which is usually the parts counter guy (because we all know it was the fault of the counter guy that your vehicle is F**KING broke down).

Most people are so stupid about their cars they do not even know what car they are driving at all. All they know is "step on gas and go" so I would never ask them if they would recognize a part. When some ignoramace comes in who's vehicle is broke down they are PISSED OFF, and they are too poor to afford a mechanic, thus they attempt to take on the repair themselves and are scared sh!tless they are going to f*ck it up (and they probably will). They come in a combonation of p!ssed-off and scared so they immediately take it out on the guy behind the parts counter.

 

[Wes Harden]

For sure there are 2 different diameter radiator inlets. I want to say 11/4" and 1 3/4"

 

[Big Ray]

I hear you.

I was far from pissed of about it. Just another thing to deal with. I was laughing about it actually....

To be honest, the older I get the more I wonder why I wasted so much time being pissed as a young man. I blame the testosterone!

He showed me the pics, 2 were straight with a 90 at on end. The other was a "normal" looking hose.

Got one on the way.

 

[Big Ray]

haven't had any offers yet though. Anyone asks, I'm saying 30k!

 

[1-ton]

My rig is worth about $20,000, but I say "it is not worth selling it for what it is worth". But, if someone came up to me and had to have my truck at any price, then I would consider it.