Over Heating Problems

February 27, 2004

I have a 1988 Toyota Pickup Standard - 22R that i had parked and did not drive for over a year. I have recently started using it again and am having a few problems. Before I could start it up and 10 to 15 min. later if I turned on the heater it would blow out warm air but now it takes awhile of driving it around before it will. The other problem is that the temperature gauge shows that I am close to overheating and it doesn't take much driving for the temperature to rise. I am guessing that the problems are related. I have had people tell me it is my heater core, thermostat and that i just need to change out the fluids. does any one have any ideas? plus are there any other general maintainence things i should do after having it parked for over a year before i start driving it?

February 28, 2004

After sitting that long it could be the Stat-Core-need of a raditor flush. Next time you start the car (it might be Hot) put your hand on the Top hose coming out of the raditor.

How hot is it? let it run till the gauge starts showing it's getting hot. Again feel the top hose. Has it gotten much hotter. If the gauage is raising but the hose is staying cool, the stat is stuck.

Now there are two hoses running from the motor into the fire wall. They connect to the heater core. Both hoses should get hot at the same time and be about the same heat. If one is colder than the other then the heater core may be bad.

All 3 hoses should be the same temp after the car is warm.

raditor and heater core hoses.

If all the hoses are the same heat then, I'm going to guess the raditor needs flushed. It's had a year for stuff to grow and form inside of it.

Oil needs changed as soon as possable!, spark plugs might need changed or cleaned up. If you have a rotor cap (disy cap??) look inside of it for green crap growing on the contacts.

Well, there's a start for ya.

February 28, 2004

I would think that the themostat is the problem - I've driven Toyotas for 20yrs and have never known the radiator core to block up. I obtained an engine replacement some years ago with the unit having been in storage for some months. When installed the temp gauge went to the red within 15 miles as you descibed. The thermostat was to blame - a replacement is only about £8 and can be fitted in minutes.