I now have a new intake manifold gasket, plate and tstat. I just replaced the fan clutch. Couple questions.
This thing is really really loud for the first mile now. Will this quiet down? It reminds me of the old boxy Explorers how they always sounded like you had it floored but not going anywhere. It also seems to hold in 1st a little long but I'm wondering if I should just have the tranny serviced/adjusted?
My other question is I'm still running into it getting warm. The temp still fluctuates some and seems to climb slightly going up mountains. It doesn't get high in the hot range but this problem has only been happening in the past year. New radiator a couple months back. Fairly new rad cap. Supposedly the pump is still good. I do hear coolant flow on start up. Is this the issue? When I turn on the heat I get a very very faint wiff of coolant. Is there something much worse causing this and on its way to becoming really really bad? - thanks

 

whif of coolant on heat is probalby your heater core, i did mine a few months back, not a fun job, but not ALL that bad....the aftermarket aluminum unit threw MUCH better heat (i was wearing a jacket touque and gloves at anything colder than -25, and it gets to -40 here occationally...), and my aftermarket fan clutch does stay engaged on startup a lot longer than my factory one did, apparently normal as the fluid redirects itself to where it should be. annoying is all it is. as for the trans, it wouldn't hurt to have it adjusted/fluid changed, but mine holds first longer than would be expected when cold too, could be TC drainback apparently? i'm putting a shift kit in now to fix that and several other problems, we'll see how that goes...as far as fluctuating coolant temp, not really a big deal if it doesn't get anywhere near too high. especially when climbing hills, if the trans unlocks it'll make a lot of extra heat, which warms your coolant, as well as if you have your A/C on it will cycle and warm the air getting to the rad causing it to not cool as well. gurgling sound on startup is air in your coolant, replace that core and bleed the system and you should be good to go.

 

Yah makes the same crazy explorer sound and stays a little warm

 

Aubery, how do you like those trxus M/T's? i've been thinking of getting a set for my next tires, i need some that'll be good in snow/ice (or a second set), i've heard these aren't too bad for a mud tire?

 

if you HEAR coolant flow.. you need to make sure its full.. and you need to get the air out of the system.. you could be getting an air bubble sticking in there.. what i did to burp my coolant system is i backed the truck into a ditch.. rear end first.. so the front end was higher than the back.. make sre ya dont get stuck.. let it run for a bit.. give it a rev or three.. and air goes to its highest point.. the radiator cap.. its a pain in the neck.. might have to do it a couple of times....

 

I love the trxus tires. I just got a new set actually. I put 40k on my last set and if I didn't have some bad ball joints and a bad driver's bearing, the cupping wouldn't be there and I'd put a few more thousand on them. They are not bad in the snow and slush and probably decent for a mud tire on ice. They do seem a little soft and will cut and chunk in the rocks but never a problem and grip awesome. Just be religious about rotating them.
I'll keep purging air and see how it goes. I had the system pressure checked and they said it held so I guess this is the last thing to try now.


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I've had the dreaded trickling sound too and how I fixed the air bubble problem is let it sit overnight with the radiator cap off,then in the morning i added more coolant.it is a pain but once you get it out your good to go.