Having a heck of a time with the coolant overheating. Changed everything and have read just about all I could in the search. Im thinking something is backwards. Does anyone have, or know where I can find a good diagram? The chiltons is vuage.

Changed:
Thermostate (twice, just in case)
Fan Clutch
Sensor
Sending unit
Pump
Hoses
Checked the radiator. Flows fine

 

Don't have a diagram but starting with the water pump, coolant is forced (by the pump) thru the engine block, up thru the cylinder head, out the t-stat cover, into the top of the rad and out the bottom of the rad back to the water pump, over and over again.

With regard to the radiator, a build-up of scale/crud can form on the insides of the coolant tubes and this build-up can act as insulator thus reducing heat/thermal flow from the coolant to the outside air. Removing the rad and taking it to a rad shop and having it "rodded out" is the only way to completely remove the crud. Sometime a simple flush is like a touch-less car wash, it doesn't clean worth a flip.

 

Got it. Now that brings up 2 more questions. Should the thermostate be installed with the pointed end towards the head, or towards the fan?

Also, does the smaller hose coming from the therostat housing go to the top heater core line, leaving the smaller hose from the water pump going into the bottom?

 

The t-stat spring goes toward the head/engine....pointed part toward the rad. On our '98, the heater hose from the t-stat housing (3/4") goes to the larger heater core tube.....from the smaller heater core tube (5/8") back to the water pump.

 

figured it out. Bleeding the system is a pretty big deal. Turns out that was all it was