Overheating (I know its been posted before, Sorry!)

[TenTires]

Hi folks! First let me appologize for posting a thread that has been posted a million times, Im sure. I did a search and Ive been reading through the results for the last couple of hours but Im not finding the same thing that happened to me. Here goes........

I bought it yesterday and set out on the treck back to my house with it (approx 30 mins or 25 miles) Ive never owned a Duece before so as I was driving, I happened to scan everything over and after about 15 mins of driiving I noticed the temp was around 225-230 MABYE 235. I was on a bridge/tunnel and there was no stopping or turning back at that point so I painfully pushed on another 10 minutes to get to my destination. I noticed that the temp climbed to 240 briefly while I was going up the up side of the tunnel but once I wasnt working the truck so hard anymore, the temp dropped back down in the 230 range. I parked it and opened the hood and there was antifreeze everywhere (from the fan) but I couldnt find anywhere that it was definately leaking from. I let it cool some and drove it the rest of the way to my house (3 minutes). I let it cool for 6-8 hours and I popped the radiator cap and filled it with water and ran it for 20-30 minutes to see if I could find a leak. I drove it a couple of miles and then ran it a while longer but the temp never came off of 120. I popped the cap again today and put some more water in it and ran it for another 30 minutes and I still cant get it to heat up over 120. It pissed water out of what I guess it the over flow tube on the drivers side bottom of the radiator. I looked in the radiator with it running and there were no bubbles or anything. Im getting ready to try to drive it around the neighboorhood right now to see if I can get it to overheat again. Im confused!!!

 

[Westech]

the T-stat could have stuck... its a funny set up in there and if you take it out you will see what Im talking about. I would say if all seams fine now and she runs good.. your good to go. but would not be a bad idea to change the t-stat.

 

[doghead]

Did you check the antifreeze(coolant) level, before you left on your trip for home? Was it full when you bought it?

 

[doghead]

Where is Hampton Roads? Better replace the water with coolant when you figure out whats going on. It freezes here, you know.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Even easier place to star would be have the cap tested. If it doesn't hold pressure, it will boil and overflow. .02

 

[ida34]

The thermostat should be a failsafe. I guess it could still fail closed but they are designed to fail in the open position instead of the closed. I know that most other thermostats fail in the closed position but they are starting to sell failsafe t stats for regular cars.

 

[randyscycle]

Definitely sounds like it had a stuck t-stat that caused it to puke antifreeze out and all over under the hood. After refilling and running it, then rechecking the level have you had to add anymore coolant?

I'd still do a new thermostat and fresh antifreeze anyway as a precaution.

 

[rockman]

Remember do the diesel rated antifreeze....

 

[amanco]

Quote gimpyrobb:

Even easier place to start would be have the cap tested. If it doesn't hold pressure, it will boil and overflow. .02

When I had the exact same problem with my M37 the radiator cap was the culprit. Wouldn't hold pressure and all the coolant went out the overflow tube and then the fan blew it everywhere. Then the temp climbed.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Unrelated or maybe slightly related is the sludge factor. Since it's a new to you truck I would pull the lower radiator hose and empty it out. Start flushing the radiator with the hose. That lower section of the radiator is notorious for collecting spooge.

 

[TenTires]

Hey folks, thanks for all the great replys!!! Sorry its been a couple of days since Ive had the chance to take a look at it again. I drove it around some today and I finally got the temp to get up to around 165(?). When I got it home, I popped the hood and started searching and it looks like water is leaking from the top right hand side of the radiator (as you are sitting in the drivers seat). I dont know much about which parts are which but its behind where the hose (that comes off of the thermostat to the radiator?) meets the radiator on the top right. I dont think that the stat is stuck because every time I have added water, theres antifreeze back in the top of the rad, so that tells me that the stat is opening and closing letting the coolant left in the engine cycle. I could be wrong though. I posted some pics, tell me what you guys think.....

 

[emmado22]

I'd pull it and bring it to a rad shop for a cleaning/pressure testing.. It's the only way to be sure..

 

[hippiedude]

Hmmmmm Check the hose clamp...... maybe pressure check the radiator.....good luck Tim

 

[TenTires]

Ok, I JUST got my rad back from the shop today. If anybody is looking at the date that I started this thread, thats a little over a month. Man!! Anyway, somewhere during the transaction, the little pads on the bottom of the rad that go in between the rad and the frame are gone. Are they extremely important and if so, is there something that I can use in place of them instead of waiting for another week for some to show up from Saturn?

 

[SCSG-G4]

They are rubber. Go to NAPA or other auto parts store and get some rubber sheeting, and cut to fit.

 

[doghead]

I have made replacements from a piece of truck mudflap. They are about 2 1/2" square and 1/4" thick. Close is close enough. (yup, right off the rear flaps)

 

[TenTires]

They are rubber. Go to NAPA or other auto parts store and get some rubber sheeting, and cut to fit.

I have made replacements from a piece of truck mudflap. They are about 2 1/2" square and 1/4" thick. Close is close enough. (yup, right off the rear flaps)

Cool. Thats what I figured. Oh yeah, (I had done a search wouldnt you know it, doghead) and I was reading a thread that you posted back in '07 about adjusting the arm on the aft radiator bracket. You asked which way the front flaps on the sides of the rad went (tucked in or out in front), did you ever get an answer to that doghead?

 

[doghead]

Pulled out towards the front(not tucked in), they will (should) lay flat on the metal.

 

[TenTires]

Cool. Why is that btw? It seems to make sense to me but mine were tucked in when I took it out.

 

[mbwarner]

Suppose the radiator cap was in the half-on position. That'd do it.