1985 Toyota Pickup Water Not Circulating

Tiny
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  • 1985 TOYOTA PICKUP
Engine Cooling problem
1985 Toyota Pickup Four Wheel Drive Manual

Due to a crack in the head, we replaced the head. We also replaced the water pump, thermostat, timing chain and timing chain guides. We drained the oil, bled the clutch and removed the water out of the exhaust. Now when we let the truck warm up, the gauge shows it's overheating but you can remove the radiator cap and the water is cold and there is no pressure built up. Everything else seems to be ok.
Thursday, February 25th, 2010 AT 5:43 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
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Hi there,

You will have air trapped behind the thermostat or the new thermostat is faulty, if the thermostat sits side on ensure that the bleeder valve it to the top, if there is no bleeder valve drill a 1/8" hole in the body so air can bleed out.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Thursday, February 25th, 2010 AT 6:54 PM
Tiny
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The thermostat is brand new and has a life time warranty. If I drill a hole in it to release air, won't this destroy the warranty and any future replacements due to failures or problems?
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Saturday, February 27th, 2010 AT 11:32 AM
Tiny
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Hi there,

yes this will, so do this instead, remove thermostat and boil it up in a pot on the stove (thermostat soup mmmmmm. Lol) as the temp comes up it should open, and all good quality thermostats have a bleed hole or a small jiggle valve built in.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Saturday, February 27th, 2010 AT 4:39 PM
Tiny
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Ok, put the thermostat in hot water (180*) and it opened and closed when removed. The belt is on the right pulley and not on top of it but in it. We started the truck and let it run about 15 mins with the heater turned on full blast (yes, the heater blew hot air and the hose from the water pump to the heater core what hot), we took the cap off the radiator and we manually squeezed the large top radiator hose about 150 times to pump the air that might possibly be in the line. The water in the radiator did not move, like circulate, at all. The large hose is empty, no water moving thru it. The head started getting really hot and the water in the radiator is still cold. There is no pressure in the radiator. IF, like IF there is air in the cooling system, how do we get it out other than the pumping of the hose as we already did? This is crazy.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 8:06 PM
Tiny
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Dose your thermostat have a bleed hole. Have you had the radiator checked, is the new water pump working? Did you test for flow at the heater hose, take it off and start the engine with a hose filling the rad up all the time?

Mark (mhpautos)
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 AT 9:19 PM
Tiny
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Dose your thermostat have a bleed hole?
Yes

Have you had the radiator checked?
No but it doesn't leak.

Is the new water pump working?
Yes. According to the person at the place where we bought it, if it is NOT working it will make noise and/or belt will make noise.

Did you test for flow at the heater hose?
The top hose has been removed at the thermostat and nothing comes out. The bottom hose was removed and nothing came out of it. Both were removed separately while the truck was running.
Take it off and start the engine with a hose filling the rad up all the time?
Which heater hose? The one going in or the one going out? Also, what will happen if I get water in the block? How do I get the water out of the block since there is no drain and the anti-freeze will become thin and could freeze or cause the head to overheat because it has more water than anti-freeze?
Today I will try this and let you know.
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 AT 10:13 AM
Tiny
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You need to get the radiator flow tested at a radiator shop not leak tested, and running a hose through it will no be good enough. Take off a heater hose at the tap (one going to block, fit water hose and turn on slowly, remove radiator cap and wait till water floods, part open heater till water is seen running hook up heater hose to tap and tighten, run engine watch & feel hoses if radiator is clear (good flow from test) and radiator stays cold (engine hot) thermostat is faulty or water pump in op or internal blockage is all it can be.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 AT 3:29 PM
Tiny
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You helped us fix the problem!
We took the garden hose and ran water thru the heater hose and then thru the radiator. The truck was running while we were doing this and suddenly, bubbles begain coming to the surface of the radiator. The water level kept going down and we kept putting more water in. It bubbled for 15 mins or so before it finally stopped and the water began circulating. Eventually the head was hot, the radiator finally got pressure with the cap on, the heater hose was hot, the thermostat opened. All is working now!
I want to personally thank you for your help and I will highly recommend your site to everyone I know, even the idiots with their backyard advice on how to fix our problem. I will give you an excellent rating. Thank you so very much Mark. You helped so much and I am eternally grateful. I'll be back again if I ever have any more problems. You were a god send. Thank you and thank you again!
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Friday, March 5th, 2010 AT 12:32 PM
Tiny
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We are glad we were able to help, Thank you for your donation. We look forward to helping you in the future. Have a great day.
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Friday, March 5th, 2010 AT 4:31 PM
Tiny
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Hi there,

Thank you for the great feedback, I am so pleased that we got to the bottom of this one, I was positive that we had a big air lock causing this problem, working on line is far more difficult than sticking my head under the bonnet and getting stuck in. Also the time difference was a problem, I wanted to get you up and running ASAP but as I am in Australia we had a big time difference to over come as well, thank you for using 2carpros,

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, March 5th, 2010 AT 10:31 PM

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