I might have a great deal on a 1990 244 DL with 150k+ (odometer doesn't work) non-turbo. Seller believes, but didn't formally have evaluated, bad headgasket. He says doesn't need oil replacement every day, but seems to overheat on hot days when stuck in traffic. He drove this car every day to work for 8 months without problems starting/running as long as engine had ventilation.

I think it's a bad thermostat, radiator, or that Temperature Control Board. I looked and looked for photos of the #1-#3 solder fix. I found written instructions, but couldn't find photos on a search of the bulletin board. Can anyone post or direct me to photos of the fix?

Also, if you think something else might be going on that I didnt' think about, please advise and let me know how to test for it. Thanks!

If the car overheats while stuck at idle but the temp goes down while driving check the fan clutch. Definitely remove that comp board on the cluster for peace of mind, which is kind of funny since they put it on there for that very reason.

In the absence of other trouble signs that certainly sounds like it's the fan clutch. Nothing else mentioned by the OP would cause overheating in traffic only.


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

here is the image of work to be done

Thanks for the encouragement about the head gasket.
I found out that it's actually a 1989, for what that's worth
Any leads on finding photos/diagrams on soldering #1 and #3 on the TCB?
Thanks again!

I am so lazy just got the IPD kit with no soldering required. All you do pull the board and stick a wire about the size of a bread bag tie between two pins...the instructions are amazingly clear. I now use those instructions any time I need to do the procedure and supply mu own jumper.

Thanks. I checked IPDUSA's website before I posted the initial posting and just now, but could NOT find the temperature control gauge item. Do you know the link to that item, or any place that I can find visual instructions? Thanks!

If the cleanflametrap.com stuff does not do it for you (it did not have the temp compensating board section the first time I did this)...

IPD "kit": http://www.ipdusa.com/products/5670/108262-temperature-board-bypass-kit

You do not buy it for the parts...you buy for the instructions and your peace of mind if you cannot follow exist resources for whatever reason. I am man enough to admit I could not but I did this the first time about 8 years ago.

You got me to thinking, which is no small feat in itself, and I recalled that IPD has or used to have pdf's available for download. I thought the temp comp bypass instructions might be one of them. I couldn't find it by searching their site.

But I did find, in the BB archives, the link below. And it still works.

http://home.comcast.net/~brucepick1/brickstuff/TempCompensatorBypass.pdf

These are the same instructions one would receive with that very expensive piece of wire.

Art's pictures are better IMO.


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Good find...would never give $12 plus shipping for the wire.

I agree, Art pictorial is better. Did not exist then I dropped my cash...or I had not found the photographic genius that is Art B.

Pull the cluster, pull off the temp control board, use a piece of any power cord and push it onto pins 1 & 3 its that simple

Thanks.

I've never done this before and I'm still having trouble visualizing how to do it and that's why I really need to see photos. I even Googled the search term and found nothing relevant.

In particular, I don't know if I need to completely remove the instrument cluster from its housing or pull it backwards toward the firewall?

One person suggested using a bread length wire to connect pins 1 and 3, while you seems to suggest using a power cord to connect them. What is the distance between pins 1 and 3? Are they numbers 1 and 3? What is the length of wire (e.g. inches or mm) needed to connect pins 1 and 3?

Thanks

Yes, you need to completely remove the cluster. It's pretty easy.

You can't remove the cluster by pulling it towards the firewall which, by the way would be forward, but now I'm nitpicking terminology. Just remember, pull it towards yourself.

You wanted photos.

First see http://cleanflametrap.com/dash.html. Art has made this easier for a lot of us with his great pictures and captions.


DON"T BE ALARMED. FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD.


SCROLL DOWN and find the picture captioned, "Gently pry gauge bezels or blank plates loose."

Do that.

You can see the two screws that secure the cluster on the right side.

SCROLL DOWN FURTHER and find the picture captioned, "Remove the knobs for the lights and dimmer control by pulling them straight off."

Follow the instructions for the next several pics until you get through the ones that starts, "It is a tight fit until free of the upper dashboard lip."

Remove those four screws that secure the cluster.

Stay with me, now.

GO TO http://cleanflametrap.com/tempFaker.html. This is where Art has outlined the rest of the procedure

Just follow the instructions paying particular attention to the wiring. It's not all that complicated but if you haven't been there before take notes or your own pic just to be safe.

One other thing. Unless the car is equipped with a tachometer, under no circumstances should you connect the red/white wire for the tach signal to anything. If no tach, it won't be hooked up anyway and that's how it needs to remain. If tach is present, note where it goes and replace at the same terminal.


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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

even if it needs a head gasket .if you have a bit of aptitude and a few tools you can easily do a head gasket job on that engine in 6 hours start to finish.

i have done the job in 3 hours many times and even that was taking breaks to snack and use the toilet.


here is a breakdown:

it will take you 45 minutes to 1 hours to remove what you need to get the head off the block

it will take you another 45 minutes to clean up the engine mating surface and measure your head for flatness and clean it up as well.

IF the head measures within a couple 3 000's or less off from flat you can if you want reuse it without resurfacing with NO ill effect.

if you can reuse it as is another hour to install it. bolt it down and re attach whats unattached.

start at 9 am and you can if you're fast be done by lunch or at worst by supper.

Double overhead cam, front timing chain (motor pointing E/W instead of the correct way!), POS Saturn motor...my two man team can do a head gasket in under 5 hours and that motor has to be pulled to do it! On our "race" setup we can do it in 3 hours.

Head gaskets used to scare me too...not anymore.

The problem is still 90% likely to be the TCB unless there is collant in the oil or oil in the coolant.

Get one of those Infra-red thermometers -- the kind that you point at an object and it gives a reading.
Take it to see the car, drive around until it shows overheating and then point your IR thermometer at the thermostat's housing (a nice, big, heat-conductive target) and you'll know for sure.

I got a beautiful '93 240 for a song because the owner couldn't solve the overheating problem -- which was a non-problem because of the TCB, revealed to me with one of these IR thermometers. :-).

Good luck.