We're always checking engine parameters as we’re traveling – keeps me from getting bored and falling asleep at the wheel. I find that our engine temperature is normal (188 degrees) on flat land at 62 mph, but when kicked up to 70, it jumps up to 198 degrees. This all started slowly around 2010. I’m thinking…thermostat! So I waited for the Cat Rally in Texas. I scratched my mind and others’ around me and figured it might actually be the radiator, not the thermostat. So, I decided, “ I’ll hose out the radiator with Simple Green from the back and the front.” We seem to have gotten a lot of grass clippings and dirt, I think from parking on grassy fairgrounds and driving dirt roads like in Alaska. Like I said, I did this washing in Texas and it did make a difference on flat land, but we still had issues in the hills.
We’re in Napa Ca. for 3 or so months, so I thought, “Why not pull the radiator and see if maybe more can be done.” It’s not that hard to pull; it took me all day by myself using a floor jack. Once I got it disassembled from the frame around it, I found the side tanks are plastic, and they are identical on the left and right sides. This is good news because it means you cannot make a mistake putting it back in upside down! ( well that’s just for your info)
I washed it again with Simple Green and a water hose. I was surprised at the amount of dirt and tree needles that flew out. The most satisfying cleaning was with a pressure washer on the wide fan. To make sure you don’t bend the fan fins, remember to always spray straight down on the fins and not at an angle.
I’m excited to find out if my hard work pays off. I’ll update y’all after the “Fun in the Pines Rally“ on June 18th in Clio, CA……you’re going to it, right?
