I HAVE A 88 SAMMY JX, AND OVERHEATING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.  LOOKING FOR SOME HELP, PLEASE.  WHEN I GO OFF ROADING AND WORK HER A LITTLE WHERE THIS IS NOT MUCH OF A BREEZE OR TURNED FROM THE BREEZE SHE STARTS TO CREEP TOWARDS 220-240 F.  I HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR CAP, THERMOSTAT (LOWER THERMOSTAT), HAD RADIATOR ROD OUT AT SHOP, NEW WATER PUMP, ADJUSTED TIMING, CHECK THE CLUTCH IN FAN BY HOLDING IT AND THEN LET GO TO SEE IF GOES UP TO SPEED, (I NOT SURE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT IS NOT AS FAST AS THE FAN IN MY DIESEL PICKUP OR ANY FAN THAT RUNS DIRECTLY OF ENGINE ROTATION (NO CLUTCH IN FAN)).  I WAS TOLD IT IS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, BUT THEN MY FRIEND SAID THAT IS AN INLINE 4 IN THAT SAMMY, RIGHT , THEY DON'T HAVE COOLANT RUN THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, (I NOT SURE ON THIS), THEN MY FRIEND SAID YOU COULD HAVE A HEAD GASKET LEAK, AND THAT CAN BE CHECK WITH PUTTING A DYE IN THE COOLANT?  IF YOU CAN HELP, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 MANY YEARS.   

yes coolant runs through the intake. just tell him to look where the upper hose connects.  to the thermostat housing bolted to the intake

I don't know if an intake gasket leak would cause overheating really unless the coolant runs low. A head gasket will cause overheating. But it usually will run hot or overheat all the time.  And if it is really bad you will get white smoke or steam from the exhaust. Another way to check is to remove your rad cap before you start it when it is cool. Leave it off and start it. let it warm up and the thermostat open and check for champagne bubbles in the rad after it warms up. You might want to put a catch pan under just n case of overflow. Putting dye in the coolant won't tell you if you have a head gasket leaking unless it is leaking externally. That dye is for finding coolant leaks. There is a dye test you can do. There is a kind of sniffer bottle. You fill it with a blue dye in two chambers. You the sniff the open rad filler neck on the radiator. And if there is any co2 in the cooling system( head gasket leaking). It will turn the dye from blue to green and from green to yellow. Depending on the severity! The only other thing may be the rad. Sometimes the coolant tubes will clogg up and reduce cooling ability!

Replace the fan clutch

Replace the fan clutch

X 2 - had the same problem when I first started wheeling my kick. New clutch fixed it right up!

Derek

Replace the fan clutch

Or go electric. Ford escorts are a good fit.

Is the radiator finning clear? If its blocked or partially blocked you will have overheating problems.

I HAD THE RADIATOR BOILED OUT AT RADIATOR SHOP, AND COMPLETELY GONE THROUGH.  SHE WILL RUN HOT IF THERE IS NO STREAM OF AIR FORCING ITSELF ON RADIATOR, (ONLY ON ROAD SHE RUNS 186-190 F)  SHE STARTS TO CREEP UP TOWARDS 220-235 AND PISS COOLANT OUT OF OVERFLOW BOTTLE  WHEN GO OFF ROAD.  THE COOLANT IS FULL 50/50 MIX, AND  I HAVE NEVER SEEN WHITE SMOKE OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOME CONDENSATION FROM THE EXHAUST.
 SO, YOU ARE SAYING SHOULD NOT BE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, LOOK MORE TOWARDS HEAD GASKET OR CLUTCH FAN.  HOW CAN YOU TELL IF THAT FAN IS GOOD.  WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BOUGHT YOUR ELECTRIC FANS AND WHAT YEAR ESCORTS.  I KNOW LIBERTY'S HAVE ELECTRIC FANS (PROBALY PRICEY). THANKS, FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.   

Replace the fan clutch

x3 

If you don't want to trust us and cough up the money, a simple troubleshooting on this would be to take an appropriate amount of baling wire and use that to lock your clutch on the fan solid. You'll loose some power and it'll be a bit more noisey but if your temps don't go up, you may be on the right path to a solution.

-Eric

IT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT THE FAN IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY.  I HAVE TO KEEP COLD AIR RUNNING THROUGH FRONT END TO COOL RADIATOR, I TURN AWAY FORM COLD AIR AND THE TEMP RISES, SHE GETS HOT AND COOLANT COMES OUT OF OVERFLOW, I TURN TOWARDS COLD AIR AND HEAD TOWARDS THE AIR FLOW, TEMP GAUGE DROPS BACK TO 200-205.  THE FAN IS NOT WORKING FULLY TO COOL THE ENGINE,  DOES THIS MAKE SENSE?  I WILL TIE THE FAN UP TO SEE IF THIS MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE.

I dropped the 160 for a flex-a-lite E-fan and it works awesome!
My temp used to climb up on me pretty good when i would work it hard in low range.
With the E-fan it keeps it right at running temp.
I would defiantly recommend it if you want to spend the cash.


If not...like Eric said wire that baby up!

Or a clutch fan eliminator, there like 20 bucks

Amilla

I HAD THE RADIATOR BOILED OUT AT RADIATOR SHOP, AND COMPLETELY GONE THROUGH.  SHE WILL RUN HOT IF THERE IS NO STREAM OF AIR FORCING ITSELF ON RADIATOR, (ONLY ON ROAD SHE RUNS 186-190 F)  SHE STARTS TO CREEP UP TOWARDS 220-235 AND PISS COOLANT OUT OF OVERFLOW BOTTLE  WHEN GO OFF ROAD.  THE COOLANT IS FULL 50/50 MIX, AND  I HAVE NEVER SEEN WHITE SMOKE OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN SOME CONDENSATION FROM THE EXHAUST.
 SO, YOU ARE SAYING SHOULD NOT BE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, LOOK MORE TOWARDS HEAD GASKET OR CLUTCH FAN.  HOW CAN YOU TELL IF THAT FAN IS GOOD.  WHERE HAVE YOU GUYS BOUGHT YOUR ELECTRIC FANS AND WHAT YEAR ESCORTS.  I KNOW LIBERTY'S HAVE ELECTRIC FANS (PROBALY PRICEY). THANKS, FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.  

It sounds more like a fan problem. Get and electric fan that pushes and mount it in front of the rad. This way when you go offroading just flick the switch!

Sounds like a fan, I dropped $160 on the kit from summit racing and I got a free hat, now i don't over heat anymore the e-fan works great runs cool while wheeling when i used to overheat all the time.  I would recommend the kit from low range works like a charm.