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Rina120
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
16:46:58
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 Subject: overheating - help out a gal?
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Hello all.
I have a 96 daktoa 2wd 6 cylinder.
I changed the thermostat. My truck overheats on the highway, not in stop and go traffic. I have searched the archives and there seems like there could be so many causes. I saw clutch fans, computer issues, other fans, water pump, etc.
How can I test if the water pump is out?
I'm broke and don't ahve a reliable mechanic where I live. I just don't want to keep taking it to a mechanic so they can say it's this, oops, not it's that...oops...and then pay $2K.
Anyone near wilmington DE who wants to check it ut for me?
hee hee. Thanks in advance for any advice.!
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jaggy
GenIII
7/06/2004
18:10:40
|  RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Message:
Doen't make much sense that it would overheat on freeway but not stop and go.
Make sure you don't have an air buble in your coolant. Not to sure about the gen II but the Gen III's have a bleeder bolt.
I changed my thermo and had to bleed the line.
Bad waterpump will sound really bad. lots of clunking. metal on metal clunk. loud and scary sounding.
If you are low enough on coolant then your thermostat may not be in contact with coolant.
meaning that it may be giving a false "cool" reading intown.
check your fluid levels and bleed the line.
good luck.
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Kowalski
GenIII
7/06/2004
18:20:29
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Won't be a fan issue if its ok in stop and go. I'd suspect radiator blockage, truck is working harder at highway speeds but no longer needs help from fan at those speeds. You might try flushing the radiator next, not very expensive, unless you get some better tips or find someone local.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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DSW
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
19:23:02
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Also, make sure the overflow tank is at the correct level. The radiator should pull coolant in from the over flow tank as the engine cools when the truck's off. Check to see if the coolant tank has a leak or if the over flow hose is leaking.
Might be a leaking head gasket. To check this take the radiator cap off "WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD" and completely fill the radiator. Start the engine and top of the radiator again if the coolant level went low, (you want the radiator neck completely filled with coolant). Let it warm up, what your looking for is tiny bubbles that are constantly coming out of the filler neck, not bubbles created by the coolant sloshing around in the filler neck. If you have a steady stream of small bubbles, almost foam, it might be a leaky head gasket. A leaky head gasket could cause the engine to run hot at high RPM since more exhaust is being forced into the cooling system at high way speeds than at idle.
See if the outside of the radiator is plugged up with bugs, sticks, weeds, dirt, etc, etc. Shine a flash light through the back of the radiator so you can see if the air passages (fins) are plugged up. I'v had 5-6 vehicles that were running hot because the exterior of the radiator was plugged, air didn't have a good path through the radiator so it would run cool at low RPM's but hot at high RPM's. If it's plugged up, take the radiator out and soak the outside of the radiator with Simple Green for 30 minutes then blast the funky stuff out with a garden hose or high pressure washer.
*****CAUTION***** You have to spray directly into the fins of the radiator! *****If you spray into the fins at an angle it will bend the fins over and you will have a real overheating problem because all of the fins will be bend over and the air will not pass through the radiator.*****
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Germ
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2004
19:58:12
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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I agree. Check your fluid levels and maybe bleed out the line. If you just changed your t-stat, you mighta gotten an air bubble in there.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2004
23:09:10
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Blown head gasket.
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
00:06:47
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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To check for a blown head gasket or cracked head, open the radiator carefully with the engine idling (open it before the engine gets real hot), and rev it up, watching for alot of bubbles or boiling in the radiator when you do. It's not unusual for the level to rise/fall slightly, but if you see a big rush of bubbles, or coolant gushes out, you have a problem. Also, the exhaust will smell like coolant, too, usually. This is not a real common problem on these engines, unless they have been badly overheated, but it can happen to any car.
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DAHEMIKOTA
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
00:20:02
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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When I fill the cooling system, I put the heater temp control all the way over to the highest setting to let the coolant purge any air from the heater. An air bubble will cause the water pump to cavitate and quit pumping coolant. Also check your lower radiator hose. See if it feels soft or squishy, When they go bad they tend to close up when the engine is runnig fast. You will see an increase in temp while cruising and as soon as you slow down the hose opens up and the coolant starts to flow again.There is usually a spring in the hose to prevent it from happening, but I have seen them collapse anyway. Just cruise at highway speed, when it overheats, slow down a bit and watch the temp guage. If it cools down at the slower speed,try going up in speed again, if it happens again, the lower hose may be the problem.Dan
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well
Dodge Dakota
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7/10/2004
21:00:45
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Was your engine overheating before you installed the thermostat? While the engine is overheating, pull over and touch the upper radiator hose, it should be too hot to hold your hand on it, if not, your t-stat may be sticking closed. Sometimes they can get installed backwards and cause this problem. Although VERY rare the head gasket may be leaking and causing an air pocket around the t-stat not allowing it to get hot enough to open. In the six years I have been working at a dodge dealer, I have never seen a magnum engine with a head gasket leak. Cylinder heads occasionally crack but usually do not cause an overheat condition. I would check that thermostat. Some aftermarket radiators will cause this problem also. Hope this helps.
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