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ZoSoAir
Dodge Dakota
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6/14/2004
18:20:55

Subject: Boil Over
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Message:
What I have: 99 5.2 v8 Ex-Cab SLT w/o Heavy duty package, 180 T-stat, Flowmaster 1 in / 2 out.

I was towing my boat this weekend approx 30 miles to the lake when I noticed my temp was around 220. When I came to a stop light the clutch fan would kick in and run until about 2nd gear. Temp stayed around 210 entire trip. I just replaced the fan clutch hoping that would help with my heating problem.

When I got home after trip back I noticed my powersteering pump had actually boiled over from the head and was leaking on the driveway. It only dripped a few drops and was fine the next day.

My question is...what is the average running temp of a Dakota during the summer? I am in Georgia. Also, could there be another problem with my cooling system, or is it normal to run this hot? I also run 100% mix in my system.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Z



.boB
Dodge Dakota
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6/15/2004
00:04:19

RE: Boil Over
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Message:
Normal temp should be around 200* or so. 220* is a tad high.

Could be lots of things. But that "100% mix" may be part of it. I take that to mean you're running 100% antifreeze? If so, you need to change that. Antifreeze doesn't work as well as plain water. But it has some lubricants and anticorrosion stuff that you need. So go to about a 20% mixture in the summer and it will work better. Also, consider Water Wetter.

If you have an auto trans, that can also contribute to the problem if it's overheating. The radiator acts as a heat exchanger.

And don't forget to check the usual culprits: belt, pump, thermostat, etc.



ZoSoAir
Dodge Dakota
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6/15/2004
16:00:31

RE: Boil Over
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.boB,

Thanks for the info. I dont know where you got your info on antifreeze, but you are mistaken. Antifreeze has a higher boiling temp than water and a lower freezing temp than water. Sure, you can run a mix, but for the best cooling results a 100% is always recommended. Water boiles at a lower temp. Boiling = evaporation = no good for cooling since it's not there.

Z



Rob C
Dodge Dakota
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6/19/2004
15:14:37

RE: Boil Over
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Message:
ZoSoAir, you are wrong and .boB is correct. You need antifreeze to prevent freezing, corrosion and to prevent boil over by reducing water's tendency to boil at 212 degree F. However, water is a better conductor of heat than antifreeze. The job of your coolant is to transfer the heat from your engine to the atmosphere by conducting the heat and radiating it through the radiator. If you ran just water in a sealed, pressurized system, it's boiling point should be higher than 212 since those conditions also help prevent boiling. Try at least a 50/50 mix of antifreeze/distilled water plus Redline water wetter. I'll bet you see lower temperatures. Plus if you've seen powersteering boil over, I'd recommend changing your fluids since the high heat may have broken down these fluids and made them less effective. You don't want to solve your cooling problem and then start seeing problems in other areas caused by the high heat. There are synthetic products available for most fluids.
Good luck!



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