2.8 Kicking the bucket?

Yesterday I was cruzing in my 83 'Ranger 4x4 (manual). It was a hot day and the truck seemed to be running a little hotter than normal. I was going up a steep hill in 3rd gear turning about 4000rpms, when all of a sudden the engine lost ALL power and started to feel like it was missing. I made the rest of the hill at 15mph. The temp gauge shot up.

After the hill I kept it slow, and the truck eventually returned to a little above normal operating temp. A few miles later, check under the hood, no boil over, overflow container isn't low. Get home, let engine cool over night. Coolant was a half gallon low. I don't know if I checked it when I got the truck (last week) or not.

I figured the thermostat kicked the bucket, so I replaced it today along with flushing and the block and the radiatior. Filled the rad. and went for a drive to open the thermostat, and the thing boiled over! Temp gauge went almost to the top. Heater wasn't blowing hot or even warm air. Opened the radiator, and after the blast cleared, I re-filled it and the water was not moving inside the radiatior.

Could my water pump have failed just like that? It didn't appear to be weeping fluid.

Could I have a blown/leaking headgasket?

Blue smoke pours out of one exhaust pipe (I have dual exaust). The truck still has the miss and shakes pretty bad if you put it in the low RPMS (up shift too early). It does, however, sound in the higher RPMS. It sounds like crap at the idle, but the idle isn't violent like a blown headgasket.

TIA

Carl

Reply to
Carl Saiyed
Loading thread data ...

Reply to
Gromit

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.