3.0 (3vze) Running hot at freeway speeds

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kpnavarro

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I have a 3.0 3Vze 4Runner and when I am driving at freeway speeds at about 70mph in the desert (95+ degrees outside) it gets hot while driving up hills. especially when you down shift. If I drive slow 40-50mph it doesn't get hot. The transmission is not overheating (no blinking A/T light). No loss of radiator fluid. Recently replaced thermostat and Radiator. Radiator is a Aluma-Plastic from autozone. I don't believe I have a head gasket leak because I have no loss of fluid and no oil in the radiator. I have burped the system again the other day. When I am driving with outside temp of 60-80 degrees its fine. Any Idea of what is wrong? Bad Radiator?
 
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Test your thermostat by tossing it in a pot of water and boil it. It should open before the water boils. If I does not or if it only opens a little, your thermostat is probably bad. I had this happen to a friend of mine just after he changed his radiator out on a 2nd gen.
 
I originally had a fail safe thermostat and pulled it and tested it and it was fine but i put a new one in for the hell of it but no change
 
Check your fan clutch and get a copper/brass Toyota rad for that 3VZE. The typical aftermarket rads are too small and not efficient enough. You might flush the block out while your in there. With the rad removed, I'd also clean, wash out the condenser.
regards
 
95 degrees and going uphill? Sound like a recipe for disaster. Fan clutch, possibly a new rad if clogged and maybe run it with more water, less anti-freeze in the summer. Water cools better. If that does not help, turn on the heat and fan to act as a second rad. Better than a BHG or worse.
 
The fan clutch is good but I think its just a perfect storm of issues, drove home yesterday and it was 108 outside driving up hill with a 40mph head wind and a steady incline over about 20 miles. I was thinking about buying a full aluminum radiator
 
Well i guess ill invest in a full aluminum radiator so i dint have to worry about it anymore. I was looking at Champion all aluminum radiators, has anyone tried one out?
 
kpnavarro said:
Well i guess ill invest in a full aluminum radiator so i dint have to worry about it anymore. I was looking at Champion all aluminum radiators, has anyone tried one out?
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I agree on the alum rad. Bought a cheapo alum rad for my 87 22RE yearst ago and it never overheated. Then, I put it in my 89, 3.0 as a temp. measure and it kept it plenty cool, even though undersized and without the fan shroud.
 
Does anyone know if you can put radiator for a 1995 3.0 3VZE 4x4 in the 4x2. I am assuming the bolt pattern is slightly different
 
So I bought a full aluminum radiator from Champion Cooling Systems, dropped right in and fixed my cooling problem, couldnt be happier. Dont but radiators feom autozone they are pieces of junk
 
kpnavarro said:
So I bought a full aluminum radiator from Champion Cooling Systems, dropped right in and fixed my cooling problem, couldnt be happier. Dont but radiators feom autozone they are pieces of junk
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Cool!

For my 3.0 built, I did purchase a new radiator (cc50 champion radiator) looks and works fine, did you buy the same one?
 
Yeah I purchased the CC50 from Radiator Galaxy and actually picked it up from the factory since it is close to my house. They were super nice and really helpful, I even had them double check to make sure it fit because it was sold as a radiator for the 4x4 and I have a 4x2. It dropped right in with no problems and works great.
 
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