88 Ranger 5.0 Cooling - 8 Cylinder Gasoline - Ranger Engine Tech

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mark40
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I have a 88 Ranger that has a 5.0 from a 85GT. I think the person who did the swap used a factory radiator for a 6 cyl and it just seems to run to hot. The truck has dual electric fans that come on at 180. The fans almost always stay on for awhile after I turn the truck off. Too long if it is hot out. What have people found that works radiator wise? Something a little bigger / Aluminum?

Thanks.
Mark.

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Posted: Thu Aug 12th, 2021 04:36 pm

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Eddie Money
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410custom is using an aluminum radiator on my 5.0 build. You would need to get in touch with him to find out if it will work on your truck.

How about some pictures of your truck. I always like seeing other builds.

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Scrambler82

Posted: Sat Aug 14th, 2021 04:20 pm

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Scrambler82
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I used an aluminum radiator from L&L Products, designed for a 5.0L Swap in a Ranger and still had a temp problem.
The radiator fit in the opening of the radiator support and had the correct hose connections and mounting points.
You can get it with or without transmission connections based on your application.

Also: Before the radiator swap ($$$)
1) Is this a lifted truck ?
2) Did you do any mods to the 5.0L ?
3) Does it heat up while - a) sitting still, b) driving around town, or c) on the highway ?

To get to my point, my '88 STX Highboy, lifted 5", slight mods to a '93 5.0L with auto, and it always had a higher temp reading when going 65 on the highway than driving around town.
Turned out to be a simple thing, by changing the characteristics of the truck in lift I changed the air flow... too much air under the truck pushing that air in the engine compartment so air entered the engine compartment from both the front and from under the truck causing the air to almost stop flowing through the radiator at higher speeds.
Simple fix relieve the built up pressure under the Hood by creating a sudo Crowl Vented Hood... I lifted the rear of the hood about 1" using blocks of aluminum. I assume washers will work too and the high $$$ way... would be buy a Crowl Scooped Hood and vent the rear of it.
From then on the truck had a temp of about 180-190 most of the time, which is what I think it should've been.

Ended up being a GREAT truck, the one I wish I never sold.

Good Luck !

Last edited on Sat Aug 14th, 2021 04:25 pm by Scrambler82

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Working on more Mods, just need more time, longer days would work !

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Posted: Tue Aug 17th, 2021 11:34 am

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Idahome

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Do you have a full fan shroud?
What is "running hot?" mean? 205-215 water temp?

The Gen 1 (84-92) v6 radiators are simply too small to properly cool a V8 with air conditioning and big tires in hot temps
Solution: better fans, full shroud, move more air through that thing
OR
Larger custom radiator, open up the holes in your core support, custom mounts, etc
A ford "NASCAR" radiator can fit nicely with some chop/cut/weld, these can be found on Jegs, Summit, Speedway, etc

You can expect to see 215 degrees, if it does not go over this amount then you are actually well within normal operating temps
If it climbs to like 220+ with no signs of stopping then we have a problem.......... at 230 I pull over and shut it off

FYI I am no fan of electric fans on these setups, they simply do not move enough air
(of course there are exceptions!!!)

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Eddie Money, Scrambler82

Posted: Tue Aug 17th, 2021 09:19 pm

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JAMMAN

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He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack

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VelociRanger, 410customs

Posted: Tue Aug 17th, 2021 09:53 pm

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Scrambler82
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The L&L Products GEN-1 Ranger Conversion Radiator fits inside of the opening of the OEM Radiator Support !
Only problem with L&L is the pricing but it eliminates a lot of mod work.
My '93 5.0L, after the hood was raised, ran more than cool enough.
I ran an electric fan and I agree with 410, a manual fan would 1) IMHO... The aluminum fans don't work as well as the steel fan, and 2) using a manual fan eliminate electrical interference, especially with Amateur Radios Communications

p.s. OK, I spoke too fast, I just went out to the L&L Site and I think they are only selling 429/460, 6-cyl Conversion Kits now... not for the Ranger ! (https://www.landlproducts.com)
Sorry for the miss info.
I e-mailed the Company and asked about the Ranger Kits.

Last edited on Tue Aug 17th, 2021 10:13 pm by Scrambler82

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Posted: Wed Aug 18th, 2021 09:58 am

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Idahome

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the "conversion" radiators from Advance Adapters and the others are still TOO SMALL for a 4x4 IMO, it will not cool well enough to crawl in 4x4 on a hot day or sit in stop and go traffic on a hot day

These old 80's rangers with a 5.0 REALLY need more capacity if you want to run at 180-190 degrees all day long no matter what, like 100 out in Moab in low range with AC on, or sitting on a hot highway in stop and go traffic, at idle.......
I have tried several different units, currently I run the ebay 3 core mexico built 90 Ranger 4.0 unit with auto trans cooler. IT works okay, but I do see 215 degrees in the summer with AC on..... tooo hot for my taste.

I paid $650 for a "custom" Ron Davis radiator when I first did my 5.0 conversion (2005), Turned out to be just a Ford Nascar tank he already produced, he welded tabs on it so I could mount it. My BII the thermostat would open (180) and the truck would run at 185-195 ALL DAY no matter what!
Unfortunately for me the Ron Davis unit lasted 3 months before it developed internal leaks. He would not warranty it, slippery slope there, it could have easily been my poor mounting method back then. Wanting to save $$$ and not be stuck with a custom tank, I started using the v6 units....they cool OK but not good enough. Also with my truck the PCM NEEDS TO SEE 198-205 degrees to switch to closed loop, so I should have run a 195 thermo (hindsight)
So I plan to go back to a Ford Nascar sized tank and this time properly mount it, now days you can get these online for like $200
Nowday's I can also tig weld so I can mount my own tabs... I have been meaning to revisit this cooling mod on my BII AND a 84 ranger I built for a friend (Darth Ranger) we both are 4x4 and have AC..... that will likely happen next summer

My BII core support has been modified to tuck the 4.0 radiator under the support. I cut the bottom out and made a custom crossmember that picks up the bottom two "pegs" of the factory 4.0 radiator. I run a 18# radiator cap on the main tank and a 13# cap on the filler neck mounted in the upper hose/ I have auto trans with HUGE aux cooler and I run AC. I have a full shroud (VERY IMPORTANT!) which is a modified 4.0 piece, I run a 96-97 style 5.0 metal fan and stock explorer clutch.
Next summer I plan to ditch the v6 rad again, get another larger radiator (the nascar tank w Ford hose layout), make another custom shroud and remove the trans cooler from the radiator completely. Also run a 195 thermo, I already vented the hood to try and help (band aid)
I do NOT like to see 215 degrees on my water temp gauge plus the floorboard gets hot hot hot (headers, body drop, etc)
It is only in the middle of summer with the AC on the v6 unit is not adequate if I push it the temps will climb above that 215 mark.... not good!

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Posted: Wed Aug 18th, 2021 11:10 am

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Scrambler82
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Jamie,

Does eBay specify Ford specific radiator ?
I've looked and searched but all I can come up with is the Chebby Conversion for Ranger... ugh... shoot me !

I'm not sure where L&L stands on the SBF Conversion Kit but they had over the top quality.
Their Radiator kept the 5.0L in the '88 under 200.

When you come up with your final working radiator please post a Threa don it, it would be interesting to see how it works out !

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Posted: Thu Aug 19th, 2021 10:56 am

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Idahome

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well after hacking up the 88 core support little bit (opening it up to the sides) and removing the bottom crossbar (between the body mounts)
we are able to fit a radiator sized like this:

These are the original drawings I sent to Ron Davis
http://www.fortuneelevatorconsultants.com/B2/rad1.pdf
http://www.fortuneelevatorconsultants.com/B2/rad2.pdf

This is what he sent ($650 in 2005!! ouch)

My problem was I mounted it with 4 bolts and rubber spacers.... not a good idea, the rad should float like a stock unit, mount up top and pegs/stands on the bottom
That is why mine tore itself apart (hindsight) 4x4 getting twisted up the rad core support flexes quite a bit! You street guys without 4x4 can get away with much less radiator until you add AC, add boost, or add Cali / Arizona summers and traffic!!

Here is how much I opened the core support to get more air flow and a much wider radiator to fit

pass side already cut

Money shot

I modified the 4.0 shroud to fit the new tank, then later I modded it again to fit my now 4.0 V6 radiator (ebay special, search 1990 Ford Ranger 4.0 dual core all aluminum, they are $235 all day long cheapo mexico unit)

I still daily this truck, same engine, same fan and clutch HAHAHAHA once you go 5.0 you never go back.....15+ years no real problems since

Later I would learn this was a tank he already produced for Ford small block powered Nascar and today you can buy one this size for less then $200 with no trans cooler

BE KIND THIS WAS IN 2005! I have learned alot since then, in 2005 I owned two trucks HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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Eddie Money

Posted: Sat Aug 21st, 2021 10:18 am

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I found some old pictures that hopefully show how we built the lower radiator support / new crossmember for the radiator core support
This allows the 4.0 rad to drop right in and still be underneath the core support

There are factory rubber pucks above this thing between the radiator "pegs". We shaved the legs off
The next version of this I built I opened the holes more and allowed the entire factory rubber puck to be used

sheet metal w dimple dies was used to tie into the "stone guard" or lower valance of the gen I body

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Eddie Money