Okay I got a 1982 4wd best ea81 and it's having some temperature problems and i suspect it's the thermostat. Whenever I drive offroad on bumpy terrain my car seems to get really hot. This is happening mostly when I'm not on the gas but cruising slowly. But the thing that confuses me is right after I get out of the bumpy offroad back onto flat roads to highway speeds the car slowly cools back to normal. Would this be a thermostat problem?

Sounds more like an inefficient radiator or fan

Partially clogged radiators are really common. My BRAT had the same problem, and the radiator was partially clogged. When you're offroad you're generating more heat than on the road, and since you're moving slow it doesn't have as good of airflow.

 

The stock fan is also rather terrible, but it should be enough to prevent overheating if the radiator is flowing freely

You guys got it backwards.

Overheating at low speed = Waterpump

Overheating at high speed = Radiator

pluged rad or radfan senser try taking end tank of rad and cleaning it or replace rad. Or headgasket starting to go

Make sure the electric fan is running.

 

If it isn't that's the issue.

 

If the fan is working then the rad is clogged.

I usually run without the fan but next time I go out ill see if that helps

I usually run without the fan but next time I go out ill see if that helps

 

So....How do you think it was gonna cool when you are moving slow???

 

What's the reasoning for not running it???