Thermostat in backwards?

KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote:

> I have been wrestling with this problem all day and I can't seem to put my > finger on it, so I am turning to the list for help. Here is the situation: > > Installed a 2.1l waterboxer engine that was supposed to be running fine into > a '84 Vanagon. > Engine runs great but after about 10-15 mins of running gets hot and I have > to shut it down. > I installed a new waterpump (1.9l) and thermostat (Behr) when I swapped in > the engine as well as bled the system of air like I have a hundred times > before. > One hose (the one to the upper part of the thermostat housing) is getting > very hot, while the other hose (to the lower part of the thermostat housing) > is staying cool. > Radiator is staying cool to the touch to the point where the radiator fan is > not coming on even though the temp gauge says the motor is overheating. > > Things I have tried so far: > 1. Removed new thermostat and tested it in boiling water. Opened at around > 180 degrees F. > 2. Flushed coolant system out with water. > 3. Tried to switch coolant hoses to see if perhaps they had been connected > backwards (no luck). > > The waterpump is spinning merrily and I seem to have pressure at the radiator > (because I can bleed the system there), but no flow through the radiator. > The engine case behind the waterpump was free of scoring when I installed it. > > Anyone ever go through anything like this before? My next step is to try to > install a known good radiator for another van. I just don't understand how > the radiator could be bad. The van only has 55k miles on it and the guy that > had it before me didn't complain of overheating. Of course it sat with the > hoses unhooked for a few weeks and maybe some animal or bees decided it was a > good place for a new home. > > Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated. > > Thanks, > Ken Wilford > http://www.vanagain.com > John 3:16 > Phone: (856)-765-1583 > Shop: (856)-327-0027 > Fax: (856)-327-2242