88 S-10 Blazer 4.3 4x4 Radiator Cleaner

I ALWAYS use a 7 PSI cap and 70/30 in older vehicle to avoid the leaks you are seeing. I have been up pikes peak 3 time with a 7 PSI cap and it never lost its cool once. Even in 105 degree nebraska heat with A/C on too. 99% or the time 15 PSI is over kill. (even a 13 PSI cap is more than enough)

----------------- The SnoMan

Installed the mechanical temp.guage today.The stock electric one reads

30 to 40 degrees higher,so it is kinda off a bit.I had to drill a large hole through the firewall...right beside where the Ecm harness goes through and route it over to left cylinder head. I just installed a new 16lb.radiator cap a couple months ago.Oh well,I'll report back to keep yall up on my progress...my A/C compresser doesn't kick the clutch in now,must have a leak somewhere.Really hot here too! Thanks SnoMan! Later! Bobby

I had to take out the 195 t.stat because it was at 210 deg.at 60 mph.hwy.200-220 city.When I cut it off after waiting about half an hr.or longer temp.stayed at 220-240,and it took a longer time for engine to come back to idle,to get temp.back down,I put 165 deg.t.stat.back in returns to idle much quicker.Plus it runs around 170 at hwy. speed,175-180 city.The factory guage goes all the way to red(260deg) with 195.Stays at 220 and above wityh 160 deg.and runs much better.Go Figure! Bobby

The bottom part of my post I explained it wrong.What I meant to say was when I cut the engine off with the 160 deg.T.stat the temp.rises to 220 deg.and later when I start the eng.it returns to idle much faster. Bobby

As far as it running better, that is not surprize because if you are using 87 it will want to knock less in a cooler motor so there will be less retarding of spark at time. (if you used 93 octane it would run well even when 220) A 160 is too cold and you will have tempature problems in city on a hot day with A/C one because lower temps reduce the radiators ability to shed heat. Also your MPG may suffer because mixture will be richer(though this may be masked by less sprak retarding needed in a cooler engine with a richer mixture which also makes engine run a bit cooler too which makes it look as though the

160 is the proper cure) You may have a different problem here. When it was running 220 and above was clutch fan enaged and making noise? If not your heat issues are from it not doing its job because if it is not, it will get hot at time because ram air alone will not do it all the time.

----------------- The SnoMan

It is running real good now on 87 octane no knocks and plenty of power,temp.doesn't get over 180 unless I cut it off.As far as the fan it blows real good it seemed to blow more with the 195 T.stat.it also come to idle more quickley upon restart now.The trans.also seemed to shift harder with the 195. Bobby

YOu are running thing a bit to cool for best engine life, I would suggest atleast a 180 if you do not want to use a 195. ALso I want to mention that when engine gets hot with 87, it has to retard spark and burn even more fuel which will make a engine run warmer too with a marginal cooling system. YOu want max spark advance and burn to take place in cylinder not have it retard and heat heads more as it afterburns even more fuel at reduced efficeny in head ports and exhaust manifold because of retarding timing and if knock control is working properly, you will never here it knock anyway, only see decrease power and MPG and more engine heating.

----------------- The SnoMan

SnoMan I believe what you're saying,But what do I need to do to get it to idle back down,instead of having to wait 2 or 3 minutes before I can put it in gear.Also can I disconnect the electrical guage that shows overheating most of the time?Or does the guage work off the ECM also?I may go with the 180.But I hate looking at that gauge pegged out! Thanks! Bobby

Does anyone know about how much fuel mileage I should be getting?700-r4 trans. Seems to be getting around 13-14 Mpg Thanks! Bobby

A few things, have you actually verified your engine temps when it was hot? Also, idle speed is linked to engine temp and it can fast idle when it is hot enough. Another trick you can do to boost cooling capacity is GM uses a constant bypass coolant through heater core even in summer (they duct air around heater core in summer and that is why whne you first start car and turn on A/C it is so hot for a bit) I install a inline ball valve in one of the bypass hoses (the one leaving the intake manifold area) and close it off in summer. It increases cooling capacity a good bit because all coolant is now routed through radiator and lets you open vlave in cooler months. It also makes your A/C a bit cooler too because there is not hot core in box anymore. One more thing, check gacket between TBI unit and intake as they are prone to fail with age and will cause idle problems (like high idle speeds at times) when they start leaking

----------------- The SnoMan

I honestly get better than that with my 89 4x4 burb. It is stock with no lift, smooth "C" range tires and 93 octane though. It wil make 19+ on a trip at 65 mph or a bit less.

----------------- The SnoMan

my 94 4X4 S-10 4.3 overdrive automatic 222,000 miles gets 26 mph

bobby swift wrote:

19+ that's real good for a heavy truck,is that mostly flat ground?I live in Lynchburg,Va. there's a lot of hills here.This place is called the Hill City.(also known as seven hills)A lot of people here are starting to ride mopeds because of high gas prices!I got 1 too 100 Mpg.a lot of pollution from these bikes also,they'll eventually find a way get them off the road.

Lets put it this way, I take it to Gattlinburg and south carolina once or twice a year and where I go in SC is 585 miles from here And I can start with a full 40 gallon tank and make it there on one tank and not be on fumes. When I fill it there it takes usually 31 to 32 gallns if I keep it under 70 and 33 to 34 gallons if I push it a bit more at time. (I have done this several times and usually with A/C on the hole time). I can make it to denver from here in Ohio on one fuel stop too if I have too with a stop is eastern nebraska running it low before fill and then low when you get there but a two gas stop trip to Denver is a walk through the park with it. I bought it new and for the first few years I tried to run87 and it had lack luster performance when loaded with A/C on and wanted to ping some too at times and never got much over 14 with AC on. I switched to 93 about 15 years ago and reset timing to 8 BTDC instead off TDC and been doing good on gas since. It has 178K miles on it and over a dozen cross country trips so I know its range abilties well. I do not use it as a daily driver,now, only for trip and it is still pretty cherry and loaded. (it had every option you could get except dual air, it has dual heaters)

----------------- The SnoMan

Could someone give me the realistic fuel mileage I should be getting with 88 S-10 Blazer 4.3 4x4 700-r4.I'd like to check the MPG I should be getting.TIA Bobby