first shakedown run didn't go too well

[eds66bronco]

Well, had to do it. took the bronco for it's first road tip to my father in-laws to check things out since the engine/tranny/brake system upgrades (5.0 sefi from a crown vic, np435 and hydroboost with rear disk.)
started out running a bit rough so i took it easy. figured i'd give the computer some time to relearn. got going and noticed a lack of power under load - bogging at the upper end of second gear and no power in 3 or 4. as i got near my in-laws i noticed the temp guage not working?? i pull in to the drive and pop the hood to find coolant had sprayed out the cap and the overflow resevoir was empty ?:? wire had popped off the temp guage so i put it back on and checked the temp -185º i feel the rad and the hose from the thermostat housing to rad is hot but the drivers side tank is almost cool to the touch so i shut it off.

let things cool a bit to check radiator level and it is about 2 inches low. father in-law says lets check the flow in the radiator with the cap off so i turn it over and we watch the coolant - not much flow and again, the lower hose and driver side tank are cool to the touch. we watch as the coolant level slowly rises and i shut it off before the level reaches the top so i don't loose more coolant. the second the engine stops, the radiator goes old faithful on us and shoots a gallon geyser out the hole!

i now assume i have a bad water pump??? we pulled the brand new t-stat and tested it with a thermo gun in a pan of water and it is good.

filled it all back up with water and same thing again with the cool rad on the drivers side and hot on the pass side (brand new ron davis rad-so i know it's not that) we also found 3 injectors are not even firing

HELP!!

 

[Cooter_76]

Could you still have air trapped in your cooling system?

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68296&highlight=highest+point

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68312&highlight=highest+point

Good luck! ;D

 

[Broncobowsher]

Are you running the correct rotation water pump for the pulleys you are running?

 

[eds66bronco]

yup, it's all the original crown vic setup - only thing i changed was the ps pump and altenator. they still rotate the same

i'll check out the possibility of trapped air tonight

 

[Socal Tom]

Hook up one of those prestone flush kits to it and see what happens. Is the Radiator a 5.0 version or how are you crossing over to teh other side?
Tom

 

[eds66bronco]

Hook up one of those prestone flush kits to it and see what happens. Is the Radiator a 5.0 version or how are you crossing over to teh other side?
Tom

it is the ron davis 5.0 version with the upper on the pass side and the lower on the drivers.

UPDATE:
my father in-law just called and said he refilled it and then drove it up the side of the bank next to the garage and was able to burp a huge air bubble out. said it has lots of flow now. hope that was the ticket. i think i will drill a hole in the t-stat for good measure.

now i need to figure out the injector issue! are we having fun yet!

 

[Socal Tom]

it is the ron davis 5.0 version with the upper on the pass side and the lower on the drivers.

UPDATE:
my father in-law just called and said he refilled it and then drove it up the side of the bank next to the garage and was able to burp a huge air bubble out. said it has lots of flow now. hope that was the ticket. i think i will drill a hole in the t-stat for good measure.

now i need to figure out the injector issue! are we having fun yet!

If you open the heater valve when refilling the radiator you should be able to skip drilling a hole in the T-stat.

For the injectors, I'd try putting a couple of cans of injector cleaner in your gas tank. Then I would let it idle for about 10 minutes, then let it sit over night, then let it idle again the next day for 10 minutes or so. If that doesn't fix it then you may need to pull them and clean them.
Don't forget to inspect your wiring well first. I had one that had a bad spot in the wiring where it got damaged somewhere during the install.
Tom

 

[eds66bronco]

If you open the heater valve when refilling the radiator you should be able to skip drilling a hole in the T-stat.

For the injectors, I'd try putting a couple of cans of injector cleaner in your gas tank. Then I would let it idle for about 10 minutes, then let it sit over night, then let it idle again the next day for 10 minutes or so. If that doesn't fix it then you may need to pull them and clean them.
Don't forget to inspect your wiring well first. I had one that had a bad spot in the wiring where it got damaged somewhere during the install.
Tom

i've already got a couple bottles in there. i put in 1 bottle with 2 gallons of fuel when i first fired her up and then another bottle with another 2 gallons after running a bunch of times. i hoped the shakedown run would clean things up. don't want to foul the 02 senors. i also noticed when i cycle the ignition a few times, the pressure on the rail gets to about 35 but once i fire it up and rev it, pressure at the rail drops to mid 20's so i may have a regulator issue as well. fuel pumps are brand new carterlow pressure and airtex HP units. it will be a happy day when i can use this thing again :'(

 

[kps74 bronco]

Sounds like the air bubble might of been the cooling problem.The fuel pressure dropping to 20 sounds is too low, I think it should shoot up a little when you rev it up I believe.Mine idles at 38 and goes up to 42 under throttle.Do you have a accumulater in your system and make sure you dont have air in the fuel rail,push in on the schrader valve and see if you get some air out of it,Just watch out for fuel on the hot engine it is under pressure as you know!Just a thought.K

 

[Socal Tom]

The fuel continously circulates, it shouldn't get air trapped in there. The fuel pressure shouldn't drop to 20 though, so you could have a regulator issue. If it turns out to be clogged injectors Dusty has a method to clean them.
Tom

 

[eds66bronco]

The fuel continously circulates, it shouldn't get air trapped in there. The fuel pressure shouldn't drop to 20 though, so you could have a regulator issue. If it turns out to be clogged injectors Dusty has a method to clean them.
Tom

thanks tom, i just did a search and found that same link
i'm gonna pull the fuel rail and soak the injectors tonight. i am using an accumulator between the low and hp pumps. the fuel rail will hold pressure for at least a few hours after shutoff but will bleed down by the next day. Are there any other ways to check if the regulator is bad? i do have a spare that is on an extra rail i have. just don't want to have to pull the upper intake if there is a way to test without.
thanks