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15:16:05 - 04/24/2024
V6 Dakotas
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DewPoint
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
02:32:59
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 Subject: Uphill Heat!!
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Recently, I was driving in unusually conditions with my Dakota PU. I had about 300-500 pounds of extra weight and I was going up hill on extremely windy roads. Well, I noticed my temp. gauge reading way above normal. I had to pull over and let it cool down. I asked a mechanic about this, and he started to ask a few questions. He asked if I had a stick or auto. I told him auto. I told him I kept on taking my foot on and off the petal around the turns for acceleration, which made my tranny keep on shifting...up and down, up and down. He replied that it could be a number of things. Maybe the constant shifting increased the temperature of the tranny oil, and as this passed through the radiator it sent the temperature in a flux. He also said to fix this one could buy a aluminum radiator or over sized radiator. I might have to do this. However, I just wanted your guys opinions on when a dakota V6 should over heat, or if ever? He also said that it could be that the truck wasn't designed to have that much weight to be carried as one goes up hills. As if to say that that is normal for my PU. You guys have any opinions?
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moparman
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
09:28:36
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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Check the fan. If it has a clutch fan,It may not be working properly. If it has an elec. fan they may not be kicking on. I have pulled alot with my truck 4 to 5 time that weight with no problem. The water pump could be bad to,not cerculating well enough.
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CP
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
11:26:48
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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Tranny cooler helps alot. Viscous fan clutch could be dusted. Radiator is loaded with scale. Coolant getting worn out? Drain half a gallon and top off with fresh or do a flush and refill with fresh coolant.
You should be able to run 50 mph uphill in a headwind with 1000 lbs and run a "little hot".
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huh
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
13:29:13
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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It always help to tell us what year, model and which tranny you have. I assume it's an automatic. I assume you didn't have the a/c on.
I assume you didn't push the button to bypass O/D.
I think you should buy and aluminum sledge hammer and crack that mechanics skull.
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DewPoint
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
15:23:19
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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"It always help to tell us what year, model and which tranny you have. I assume it's an automatic. I assume you didn't have the a/c on.
I assume you didn't push the button to bypass O/D. "
Its a 1989 Dakota Sport 4x4. It has 172000 miles. Its an automatic tranny. Nope. No a/c on at the time. Although I did try turning the heater on to help cool the engine. Didn't work. :( Also, my O/D bypass buttom doesn't work right now. Haven't looked in to it, but think its not hooked up.
Moreover, I was driving at the time on some fire-roads on an 8-mile stretch. These roads bend and wind constantly and I never made it over 30 MPH. However, I was repeatedly reving the engine. ( Not high rpms, just continual acceleration, then decceleration, and the cycle went like that for about like I said eight miles. Then i just pulled-over put it park and the temp gauge began lowering. This made me think it was the fan. Cuz I heard some buzzing sound kick in as I place it in park. And moments before I shifted it into park, I had it idling in drive...however no change in temp (to be expected). I looked into this and read my service manual that mentioned the fluid drive of the fan could be checked. I be doing that tonight.. Also the rad. needed some flushing, just checked not too pretty.
Again, I posted this cause it didn't seem right. About a light load (500lbs), full tank of gas, hill, and then over heating. I do have a tranny oil cooler running through my rad down below. I thought this could have effect on my rad/engine temp. Maybe just changing the tranny oil could do the trick, eh? Or buy a new rad..., maybe past flushing (80,000 miles and no service since installed) I also did install a new water pump within the last 20,000 miles. I want to go back up those fire-roads to do some camping but don't want to push things too far. I'll do want i can on maintance and fixing the problem, but you guys don't think a higher performance rad could help ( if they make that sort of thing for such an older car ).
Anyways, thanks for the help
DewPoint
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huh
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
16:37:57
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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If you have a/c you should have a secondary electric fan that that will kick on when the a/c is on. If it happens again, try putting the defrost on. That will kick the a/c compressor on as well as draw heat through the heater core.
It sounds like what CP said, your fan cluth might be dead. That's not uncommon.
The tranny cooler in the rad shouldn't be loading up the engine cooling system so much that it causes over heating. Your tranny would die first. I'd definitely get the o/d switch sorted out and aleays run without o/d in hilly terrain especially when hauling.
BTW, when you put the new water pump in and you refilled the cooling system didi you use premix, or did you cut the coolant down with tap water or distilled water? Tap water from municipal supplies or especially from a well will have a pretty high mineral content that will settle out of solution and clog a rad and the heater core as well as being corrosive.
I wouldn't bother with an aluminum rad unless you have alot of mods done to the engine and it's making a lot more power. The stock rad should be fine for getting rid of the heat from a stock engine, as long as the cooling system is working properly. One last thing, are you sure the thermostat is operating properly and are you sure the waterpump is still good?
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DewPoint
Dodge Dakota
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5/06/2005
19:33:35
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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"If you have a/c you should have a secondary electric fan that that will kick on when the a/c is on. If it happens again, try putting the defrost on. That will kick the a/c compressor on as well as draw heat through the heater core.
It sounds like what CP said, your fan cluth might be dead. That's not uncommon." -huh
Well, to be honest, I am not sure about a secondary fan. I'll have to look into that. Thanks.
As to the others, I didn't know that tap water could have that affect. I wasn't that careful. But I see your reasoning.
"One last thing, are you sure the thermostat is operating properly and are you sure the waterpump is still good?" -huh
Not sure. At least not 100% sure. However, the tell-tale signs don't nessesarily point to those as problems, but I have thought about the waterpump. Can't exactly say its still good. It sure would be a bummer if it already went bad. I'll try the fan clutch as a start point. Not familar with it so I'll read through the manual on that one.
See ya,
DewPoint
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DewPoint
Dodge Dakota
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5/09/2005
20:36:27
| RE: Uphill Heat!!
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"One last thing, are you sure the thermostat is operating properly and are you sure the waterpump is still good?" -huh
I have been looking into that one on the water pump. According to a company that produces fan clutches, they say if one or the other goes out that both should be replaced. that is, if the water pump goes out replace the fan clutch too, cause they are on the same shaft. Well, I replaced the water pump about 20,000 miles ago and left the fan clutch, and now I am having this problem with over heating during the above stated occasions. I am curious to others opinions on this replacing both at the same time. For if i now replace the fan clutch, I still could get by with leaving the recently installed water pump? Open to any suggestions...
-DewPoint
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