Engine Cooler for an old trooper

[Byron Kinnaman]

Do that have an electric fan or fan clutch?
I had some radiator work done on car I once had. They neglected to plug the fan back in. I discover it going over a mountain pass here in Oregon.

[Bob Miller]

Google "Radiator Water Sprayers" for a bunch of hits and ideas: Here's the link
radiator water sprayer - Google Search

But that is more of a Band-Aid for an underlaying problem and isn't something usually needed for driving anywhere north of the 39th parallel, much less in Alaska.

Even in 2013 the Alaska hiway is littered(?) with RV's and vehicles that didn't make it and/or owners who couldn't afford emergency repairs along the way. It's not what it was on my first trip up in 1968, but it's not the I-5 either.

[Ak Ron]

I noticed that you said the temp jumped once. Have you thought of the sensor just being erratic or off? Or are there signs of actual overheating that would rule that out.

[John Campbell]

I regularly tow my 13' Scamp up long and steep upgrades in hot weather with a 4 cylinder '91 Trooper. I did initially have to watch my temperature gauge carefully, but usually managed to get up 8 miles of 10% grade without having to pull over. It always made me nervous. I replaced my radiator after it developed a major leak. Now I have no problem at all. While I continue to watch my gauge as a precaution, it never approaches anything I would think of as the worry stage. I would recommend replacing the radiator if you can afford it and not worry about temporary fixes.

The new radiator certainly doesn't get me out of 1st and 2nd gear for the climb, but I no longer worry how far it is to the next safe pullout.

[stevebaz]

I would also have your fan checked. If electrical control the sensors for the fan could be bad. If mechanical check to see if you have a clutch fan. This type has a thermal control built in the hub to lock the fan on when it see heat if cool it free spins saving gas. Failure of this fan attachment will cause heating issues. With the motor cold remove the radiator cap. stick a candy thermometer in the coolant and start the engine as the motor warms up check the coolant temperature reading on the thermometer against the guage on the dash and see if they are close. will also be able to detect when the thermosata opens up and at what temperature.
only one place worse than Alaska to overheat and thats in Death Valley. But at least in Death Valley if on the main road a Sheriff will drive buy several times a day.

[Lisallison]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

I would also have your fan checked. If electrical control the sensors for the fan could be bad. If mechanical check to see if you have a clutch fan. This type has a thermal control built in the hub to lock the fan on when it see heat if cool it free spins saving gas. Failure of this fan attachment will cause heating issues. With the motor cold remove the radiator cap. stick a candy thermometer in the coolant and start the engine as the motor warms up check the coolant temperature reading on the thermometer against the guage on the dash and see if they are close. will also be able to detect when the thermosata opens up and at what temperature.
only one place worse than Alaska to overheat and thats in Death Valley. But at least in Death Valley if on the main road a Sheriff will drive buy several times a day.

Our thermostate gauge in the car doesnt have exact readings on temp. What should the average mid temp of a car be? and at what temp is it too hot? I will figure it out before the long drive. I'm not too worried about breaking down on the alcan. All the people who have driven it recently tell me there are gas stations at regular intervals and you don't pass someone who is broken down without stopping to help. So it won't be a life or death situation. We also drive slow, have lots of emergency stuff and will never drive after dark.

[Richard Hayes]

The system basically consists of the radiator, a thermostat, the water pump and possibly an electric fan - I'd have all of them checked out by a competent mechanic at the first sign of overheating. The thermostat is the lowest cost, then the rad, then the water pump - not sure where a fan fits on the cost curve.. If you swap out the rad, be sure to replace the hoses and the clamps - adds little to the bill, but can save your motor - things go west awfully fast when a hose blows. I'd also be inclined to replace the sensor.

While it's good to know that folks will stop and help in a remote area, there isn't much they can do than offer you a lift to civilization if the motor's fried. Seized pistons, bent rods, burnt bearings, blown head gaskets - after you've gotten the rig towed to a decent garage, it's gonna cost mucho money to get those types of problems sorted out, after the mechanic sources the '86 parts and has them shipped in. Then consider how many Trooper motors are there in junkyards along the way (darned few!), and what shape are they in?

Good cooling and clean oil are the lifeblood of an engine, especially one that's been banging away faithfully for 260,000 miles. Me, I'd rather pay right up front to make sure my cooling system is as close to bulletproof as possible before heading out that particular highway.

[Lisallison]

Originally Posted by Richard Hayes

The system basically consists of the radiator, a thermostat, the water pump and possibly an electric fan - I'd have all of them checked out by a competent mechanic at the first sign of overheating. The thermostat is the lowest cost, then the rad, then the water pump - not sure where a fan fits on the cost curve.. If you swap out the rad, be sure to replace the hoses and the clamps - adds little to the bill, but can save your motor - things go west awfully fast when a hose blows. I'd also be inclined to replace the sensor.

While it's good to know that folks will stop and help in a remote area, there isn't much they can do than offer you a lift to civilization if the motor's fried. Seized pistons, bent rods, burnt bearings, blown head gaskets - after you've gotten the rig towed to a decent garage, it's gonna cost mucho money to get those types of problems sorted out, after the mechanic sources the '86 parts and has them shipped in. Then consider how many Trooper motors are there in junkyards along the way (darned few!), and what shape are they in?

Good cooling and clean oil are the lifeblood of an engine, especially one that's been banging away faithfully for 260,000 miles. Me, I'd rather pay right up front to make sure my cooling system is as close to bulletproof as possible before heading out that particular highway.

As I said, I'm going to figure out and fix the problem before we leave on the trip and of course we get the oil changed and all other fluids on a regular basis. We also already changed all the hoses, belts, breaks stuff and got the whole car checked out compression test and all before heading out. However even with all that no guarantee my car won't break down. If I wanted to be more sure we wouldn't get stranded then I would buy a new car which would be generally more reliable. I would rather gamble on the alcan in my old beater that I've done my best to maintain than the monthly certainty of car payments. Thanks for the advice. I'll be heading to a mechanic for a check up and now he can't screw me over since I have more of an idea of what is what when I talk to him. Then I might take it home and fix it if its something simple or get it fixed there.

[Jared J]

If it has a mechanical clutch on the fan, that could be bad, also. If so, when it's hot, shut it off, and try turning the fan, it should be hard to do.

Pretty good chance you need a new radiator. I change my thermostat every time I change radiator hoses, they usually cost less than the hoses. Engine replacement automatically means radiator rodded or replaced. These days, like everything else, it's about as cheap to replace most of them.

[Ak Ron]

Good to get it all in order before the trip. I agree with Richard...getting it fixed could take a lot of time and money when you are miles from the nearest gas station and maybe not a mechanic for a hundred miles.
Living in Alaska, I drive the highway frequently all times of the year and have a lot of respect for the vulnerability that a breakdown presents. Summers the days are long, weather mild, and enough traffic to get help easily. Not so other times.
Good luck!

[Richard Hayes]

There's no reason a well-maintained older vehicle like your Trooper can't be just as reliable as a newer one, and can be easier to maintain and repair. I'd still be using my '91 Ranger as my tow vehicle if my buddy hadn't decided to sell his impeccably-maintained '06. I still carry some minimal tools and a few spares - serpentine belt and rad hoses, some oil, antifreeze and brake fluid, a set of battery cables and some Flat In A Can, for example - if I'm heading away from civilization.

A good checkup and replacement of anything that looks dodgy will see you right. Envy you the trip - beautiful country for sure...

[Lisallison]

Originally Posted by John Campbell

I regularly tow my 13' Scamp up long and steep upgrades in hot weather with a 4 cylinder '91 Trooper. I did initially have to watch my temperature gauge carefully, but usually managed to get up 8 miles of 10% grade without having to pull over. It always made me nervous. I replaced my radiator after it developed a major leak. Now I have no problem at all. While I continue to watch my gauge as a precaution, it never approaches anything I would think of as the worry stage. I would recommend replacing the radiator if you can afford it and not worry about temporary fixes.

The new radiator certainly doesn't get me out of 1st and 2nd gear for the climb, but I no longer worry how far it is to the next safe pullout.

Thank you for the info! It is so nice to hear from a fellow trooper owner who had problems with heat also and that you found a solution!

[Lisallison]

Originally Posted by Richard Hayes

There's no reason a well-maintained older vehicle like your Trooper can't be just as reliable as a newer one, and can be easier to maintain and repair. I'd still be using my '91 Ranger as my tow vehicle if my buddy hadn't decided to sell his impeccably-maintained '06. I still carry some minimal tools and a few spares - serpentine belt and rad hoses, some oil, antifreeze and brake fluid, a set of battery cables and some Flat In A Can, for example - if I'm heading away from civilization.

A good checkup and replacement of anything that looks dodgy will see you right. Envy you the trip - beautiful country for sure...

Thank you for you positive opinion, which I share. Troopers have so much room around the engine they are really easy to see most problems and work on. I've got enough tools to rebuild an engine and a whole box of oil and plenty of other fluids too. We have the mechanics manual too! I way over plan things to tell you the truth so I will probably pay a mechanic to completely check out the heating cooling system ask him questions to make sure he checked out all aspects that people have talked about on here. Then I will figure out if I want to do the work myself or get someone else to do it. All this will be done long before the long drive and with ample time for a test drive.