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My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:51 pm
by redemption
I will tell you things I noticed, unsure of if it has anything to do with anything....

I turned it on to let it warm up last friday night waiting for work to end.
(it was 100% fine on the way to work, and during my break)

I came outside after 10 minutes to and unpleasant smell, the bronco had overheated.... I waited, filled coolant, and checked out in the dark... Started to drive home, it died at an intersection about 8 blocks down the road..... I waited, then it died 2 blocks down the road when dropped a co-worker off... I waited about an hour, and it made it home finally (just another 12 blocks), already steaming....

I have not touched it until today, I went to the store, bought a new thermostat. Only when I took the housing apart, surprise! there wasn't even a thermostat there so obviously, not the issue. My neighbor told me to fill it up with water, while the housing was apart, to check for leaks... Sure enough, you could watch the level decrease the second I stopped pouring. A constant drip coming off somewhere at the bottom, near the front left side (if you're facing the car).

I also don't know if this might help someone who knows things; about a week prior, I stopped getting hot air through my vents, constantly blowing cold.

I don't know the first thing about cars, I'm kind of just wondering what you guys think it might be, and how much it may cost to fix at a shop.

Any input appreciated.

Kerry.

I already miss it :(

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:05 pm
by clem
How long did you own this rig? did it ever overheat before? what does your oil look like? can you send a picture of the leak? We can go from there. :cool: -Jeff

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2010 7:33 pm
by redemption
I've owned it since September 2009.
First problem I've ever had with it, any problem (minus the oil and heat gauges didn't work when I got it)
The oil looks normal (neighbor had me check that, to see if water was getting in it)
I honestly don't know where the leak is starting from, but tomorrow I will take pics, and see if my camera won't record a short video to show you.

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 6:11 am
by broncofan
did you check the water pump, any noise coming from it? theres a weep hole under the water pump if they go bad it leaks from there
can you start it with the radiator cap off add water and see if the coolant moves while running if it does its probably not your water pump. if its not that you may have a bad head gasket or cracked head.

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:25 am
by redemption
Thanks for the response, sorry for not posting pictures as I said I would.
I was watching a video at work about replacing water pumps and what the two guys said hit me; "overheating, clearly leaking fluid, no hot air in vents"

I left work and bought a water pump. Going to try and get it on there today, praying the head gasket it still fine, as i'm not going to be able to check that on my own.

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:21 pm
by redemption
Pic 1: Filling thermostat housing with water.
Image

Video 1: Immediately after picture 1 was taken.
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=33nhlc8&s=6

Picture 2: Housing already empty.
Image

Video 2: Just steady dripping.....
http://tinypic.com/player.php?v=23u7biw&s=6

After looking at what I needed to do to get to the water pump... I decided to wait til tomorrow til my neighbor gets back in town since he actually knows what he's doing.... Please please please tell me this is proof that it's the water pump! I couldn't find the weep hole, so I can't actually see where the dripping is coming from....

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 3:31 pm
by Ranger Dave
freeze plug maybe?

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 5:12 pm
by redemption
I just looked that up... and that looks.... unpleasant....

i'll have to try and find out if i can even see them tomorrow... that would most likely screw me out of DIY and saving money...

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 5:01 pm
by drofman
put heat on that broken bolt before you try to take it out.

Re: My '84 Bronco ii is dead.. overheating help.

Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:42 pm
by redemption
hooray, someone finally came and checked it out today, they said they are 100% sure it's just the water pump, i was too concerned watching the dripping water to notice what parts were simply just wet, at the highest point, ended up being just under the water pump, where the weep hole is (that you can't see)... if was coming out the left side simply because my road is not flat, car was leaning....


As for the broken bolt, learned an easy trick i wouldn't have thought of on my own, putting two nuts on there, and just wrenching the bottom one.

Now as I said I don't know jack about cars, while he was looking around, he pointed out SEVERAL wires and such, and random areas that had screws plugged into them, no wonder half my gauges don't work.... I will most likely take more pictures and see if you guys can tell me what goes where, once the new water pump is on.