I have a thing for driving ancient vehicles, I like to think it is the
ultimate male thing of futiley fighting entropy, other people just
think I'm cheap. So, I drive either a 1988 Dodge Ramcharger or a 1986
Nissan. The Nissan has been out of it for awhile so I drive the
Ramcharger. Fri night, my son borrowed it for a date. he calls about
12:30 am saying it is steaming and smelling awful. I sleepily tell
him to park it at her house and have her give him a ride home and fell
asleep. After all, either he has ruined the engine or he hasnt, in
either case it isnt a financial disaster.
Sat Morn, he is home and the Ramcharger is in the driveway and he told
me he drove it home (about 5 miles) steaming. I didnt even get mad,
just told him that you cannot treat an old vehicle that way. Somehow
this kid who is very computer savvy has no concept how mechanical
things work and doesnt like getting his hands dirty.

OK, so we decide to go sailing. Get to the coast in my wifes Toyota
Highlander, get aboard my 1981 S2 with 13 hp Yanmar diesel and start
motoring out the channel. get almost all the way out when the engine
alarm comes on indicating overheating. Damn, even if we put up the
sail we cannot sail against the wind down the channel. I check for
water flow out the exhaust and cannot really tell, although I think
that when it flows well I can tell. So, I allow it to cool for a few
minutes till the wind pushes us nearly out of the channel and then
start the engine and motor a little ways, allow her to cool, motor
again etc till I am nearly back. Finally, for no apparent reason, she
suddenly starts to work again with no alarm with definite water flow.
back at the dock, I run her at high rpm for 15 minutes to see if she
will do it again and nothing happens.

My working theory about the diesel overheating is that there may be an
air bubble in the raw water cooling (it is a heat exchanger type with
raw water cooling the fresh water/antifreeze via a heat exchanger). I
have changed the impeller and was very careful to follow the diagram
to get the vanes pointing the right way last year. I think the air
bubble impedes the flow until it finally gets enough flow to overcome
it. Thoughts?

The Dodge, I simply took to Advance auto and got a bottle of Bars Leak
and put it in, I plan to buy a radiator online. The replacement
radiators seem to be plastic and without taking the old one out I
cannot tell if it is plastic, anybody know? If the old one is metal,
I'd rather get it soldered. Anybody know? My radiator in my 1986
Nissan is plastic so the 1988 Dodge may also be. Anybody know?

I actually got my Nissan running again, we all thought it had a bad in-
tank fuel pump. Weird electrical problems nmade me suspicious of this
diagnosis so I went over all the ground connections and replaced the
battery, battery terminals and battery cables, dang if she doesnt run
again.

On Sep 21, 2:28*pm, wrote:
I have a thing for driving ancient vehicles, I like to think it is the
ultimate male thing of futiley fighting entropy, other people just
think I'm cheap. *So, I drive either a 1988 Dodge Ramcharger or a 1986
Nissan. *The Nissan has been out of it for awhile so I drive the
Ramcharger. *Fri night, my son borrowed it for a date. *he calls about
12:30 am saying it is steaming and smelling awful. *I sleepily tell
him to park it at her house and have her give him a ride home and fell
asleep. *After all, either he has ruined the engine or he hasnt, in
either case it isnt a financial disaster.
Sat Morn, he is home and the Ramcharger is in the driveway and he told
me he drove it home (about 5 miles) steaming. *I didnt even get mad,
just told him that you cannot treat an old vehicle that way. *Somehow
this kid who is very computer savvy has no concept how mechanical
things work and doesnt like getting his hands dirty.

OK, so we decide to go sailing. *Get to the coast in my wifes Toyota
Highlander, get aboard my 1981 S2 with 13 hp Yanmar diesel and start
motoring out the channel. *get almost all the way out when the engine
alarm comes on indicating overheating. *Damn, even if we put up the
sail we cannot sail against the wind down the channel. *I check for
water flow out the exhaust and cannot really tell, although I think
that when it flows well I can tell. *So, I allow it to cool for a few
minutes till the wind pushes us nearly out of the channel and then
start the engine and motor a little ways, allow her to cool, motor
again etc till I am nearly back. *Finally, for no apparent reason, she
suddenly starts to work again with no alarm with definite water flow.
back at the dock, I run her at high rpm for 15 minutes to see if she
will do it again and nothing happens.

My working theory about the diesel overheating is that there may be an
air bubble in the raw water cooling (it is a heat exchanger type with
raw water cooling the fresh water/antifreeze via a heat exchanger). *I
have changed the impeller and was very careful to follow the diagram
to get the vanes pointing the right way last year. *I think the air
bubble impedes the flow until it finally gets enough flow to overcome
it. *Thoughts?

The Dodge, I simply took to Advance auto and got a bottle of Bars Leak
and put it in, I plan to buy a radiator online. *The replacement
radiators seem to be plastic and without taking the old one out I
cannot tell if it is plastic, anybody know? *If the old one is metal,
I'd rather get it soldered. *Anybody know? *My radiator in my 1986
Nissan is plastic so the 1988 Dodge may also be. *Anybody know?

I actually got my Nissan running again, we all thought it had a bad in-
tank fuel pump. *Weird electrical problems nmade me suspicious of this
diagnosis so I went over all the ground connections and replaced the
battery, battery terminals and battery cables, dang if she doesnt run
again.

Don't know for sure, but I'm betting it's metal. Even if it's not, you
can repair plastic radiators. Are you sure it's the radiator?
If it is a crack in the tank part, you can epoxy it, but first, drill
a small hole in each end of the crack to prevent the crack from
traveling.

On Sep 21, 3:33 pm, wrote:
On Sep 21, 2:28 pm, wrote:



I have a thing for driving ancient vehicles, I like to think it is the
ultimate male thing of futiley fighting entropy, other people just
think I'm cheap. So, I drive either a 1988 Dodge Ramcharger or a 1986
Nissan. The Nissan has been out of it for awhile so I drive the
Ramcharger. Fri night, my son borrowed it for a date. he calls about
12:30 am saying it is steaming and smelling awful. I sleepily tell
him to park it at her house and have her give him a ride home and fell
asleep. After all, either he has ruined the engine or he hasnt, in
either case it isnt a financial disaster.
Sat Morn, he is home and the Ramcharger is in the driveway and he told
me he drove it home (about 5 miles) steaming. I didnt even get mad,
just told him that you cannot treat an old vehicle that way. Somehow
this kid who is very computer savvy has no concept how mechanical
things work and doesnt like getting his hands dirty.

OK, so we decide to go sailing. Get to the coast in my wifes Toyota
Highlander, get aboard my 1981 S2 with 13 hp Yanmar diesel and start
motoring out the channel. get almost all the way out when the engine
alarm comes on indicating overheating. Damn, even if we put up the
sail we cannot sail against the wind down the channel. I check for
water flow out the exhaust and cannot really tell, although I think
that when it flows well I can tell. So, I allow it to cool for a few
minutes till the wind pushes us nearly out of the channel and then
start the engine and motor a little ways, allow her to cool, motor
again etc till I am nearly back. Finally, for no apparent reason, she
suddenly starts to work again with no alarm with definite water flow.
back at the dock, I run her at high rpm for 15 minutes to see if she
will do it again and nothing happens.

My working theory about the diesel overheating is that there may be an
air bubble in the raw water cooling (it is a heat exchanger type with
raw water cooling the fresh water/antifreeze via a heat exchanger). I
have changed the impeller and was very careful to follow the diagram
to get the vanes pointing the right way last year. I think the air
bubble impedes the flow until it finally gets enough flow to overcome
it. Thoughts?

The Dodge, I simply took to Advance auto and got a bottle of Bars Leak
and put it in, I plan to buy a radiator online. The replacement
radiators seem to be plastic and without taking the old one out I
cannot tell if it is plastic, anybody know? If the old one is metal,
I'd rather get it soldered. Anybody know? My radiator in my 1986
Nissan is plastic so the 1988 Dodge may also be. Anybody know?

I actually got my Nissan running again, we all thought it had a bad in-
tank fuel pump. Weird electrical problems nmade me suspicious of this
diagnosis so I went over all the ground connections and replaced the
battery, battery terminals and battery cables, dang if she doesnt run
again.

Don't know for sure, but I'm betting it's metal. Even if it's not, you
can repair plastic radiators. Are you sure it's the radiator?
If it is a crack in the tank part, you can epoxy it, but first, drill
a small hole in each end of the crack to prevent the crack from
traveling.

The replacement tanks are plastic. if it is plastic, the replacement
is only $155.