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Dodge Durango Overheating Problems

13

Comments

  • lisajawealisajawea Member Posts: 4
    Went to auto zone and PSI recommendation ofr my 2003 is 30PSI. So didn't get a new one and did pick up a heavy duty fan clutch. Puttin it on tomorrow. Sure hope it be the problem, and no more overheating.
  • donchil6donchil6 Member Posts: 10
    have u tried the auilary water pump? that is what fixed mine over a year ago and no problems at all anymore
  • bammnbammn Member Posts: 1
    Upper radiator hose assembly corrected my problem - assembly meaning including the radiator cap housing ($38 at the Dodge dealer). It can look normal but the housing is plastic and the hose connectors crack. When the vehicle is hot enough to blow steam it can appear as thought he steam is coming out of the cap (it's tough to stick your face into scalding steam to get a close look). But the steam is coming out of the housing.
  • shanmm79shanmm79 Member Posts: 1
    for some of you dodge owners let me tell you this vehicle is nuts i have a 2002 dodge durango that has pissed me off since the day i bought it. It overheats when it sees fit i had a flush hoses checked waterpump replaced , and a part no one even a dodge dealership never new existed called the auxillary pump many people have had success with replacing that I did for awhile it ran without overheatin but has started doing it again. took it to a dealership had the thermostat replaced 3 times. Fan works and kicks on used to spew antifreze but doesnt anymore i swear these vehicles are haunted or something one day they work perfect the next they overheat two block down the road wth????
  • nezznezz Member Posts: 1
    This problem with overheating Durangos surely would carry enough weight for Dodge to issue a recall and fix this obvious design flaw in these trucks. I've got an 04' with the 4.7 and until recently hasnt given me much trouble. I've only went thru 3 water pumps, 3 thermostats, 2 fan cluthes and countless times of riding with the heater on full blast just to make it down the road. With summer only half over I figure either i'm looking at up to $500-$1000 total cooling system replacement or the nearest carlot willing to trade. Any advice anyone???? Oh yeah the secondary or auxillary water pump, I've removed it and just connected the two lines together with a metal coupling. Does this pump really make that much difference?? I've found a replacement online for $76 thru Bosch. My truck does NOT have rear heat/air.
  • 2004durango2004durango Member Posts: 3
    Have you had the system fluhed? If so, did they replace the fluid with the same from Dodge? If not, it will overheat.....weird I know, but it happened with my '04. I love my Durango, but the cooling issue should carry the weight to have them recalled and repaired.
  • qltr_36qltr_36 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any idea just where this auxiliary pump is located, somewhere under the battery maybe? What all has to be taken off to get to this pump, do you get to it from under the engine? Very frustrating trying to figure out how to stop this overheating. I've replaced my water pump which did go bad and leak antifreeze, changed the thermostat, fan seems to run fine, the auxiliary pump is the next thing to try to replace if I can locate it.
  • bbsmummybbsmummy Member Posts: 3
    My hubby showed me where t is, it is the box that is right on the rad..top left corner
  • hmortonhmorton Member Posts: 5
    OK, so my husband wants me to clarify that it is leaking out the overflow slowly, even when the temp is reading normal. We've tried heavier radiator caps, and it still makes it's way to the overflow. We even replaced the upper hose assembly where the cap goes.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    "it is leaking out the overflow slowly, even when the temp is reading normal"
    If that's the case, then are you sure it's not just overfilled and being forced out when the coolant expands with temperature?
  • hmortonhmorton Member Posts: 5
    No, its not overfull. I can suck the excess that is in the overflow, fill the radiator, start my trip, drive 200 miles on the highway and the car will get hot (from loss of coolant), and take nearly 2 gallons of coolant to get going again. That is starting with a full radiator and an overflow at a good level. It just continually sends coolant to the overflow, never sucking it back into the radiator. Isn't it supposed to send coolant to the overflow ONLY when the car is hot? I filled my radiator Monday, drove around town for 2 days, and had to put a quarter of a gallon back in the radiator on Wednesday> Aaaackkk!!! Need help on what to change next!!!
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I just had the same problem with my 2000 Durango over heating. I replaced the clutch fan drove from York Pa to Atlanta Ga. I made it 4 miles from the Ga border and broke down. I rebuilt my motor. The head gaskets where blown out and my heads where badly damaged. I bought new heads, new water pump, new hoses, thermostat, I had my engine block vated and magnafluxed to check for damage which that did come back fine. So basically I have a brand new motor now and 2500 dollars later. Just took it for a test drive today.... It runs warm but not hot. I think I might be putting a 3 wall radiator in next. I would like to find a thermostat that was like 180 or lower but according to all places I have tried they only make a 195 stat for this truck. This is want I have done so far. Not sure if it helps you but I think these trucks run to hot from factory!
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I fixed it!!!! Got to thinking about how the transmission runs thru the rad as well as the coolant. Right well the temp from the trans at least on my truck on the return line was around 170 where I tested it. Well the temp of my tuck was running around 212 at an idel and on the road or high way it was getting as high as 230 to 235. I did replacemmy rad but I was still concern about the warm temps. I have read very many blogs forums and such about this 4.7 L motor not having a good cooling system or the rad was to small. So I went and got a 60 trans cooler today installed it and I have not been able to get the truck to even go any high then 194 and the stat is a 195 stat. I am very happy now and I hope this help people with their over heating problems. I think the trans just produces to much heat. I got an heavy duty torqflow trans cooler fro
    AutoZone like 60 bucks. Thanx for everybodys feed back on this problem

    Ps
    Btw my trans temp went from about 170 to going back in the trans around 107 to 98 now the rad doesn't have to work as hard and I ran the lines in the rad and out to the trans cooler back to the trans it self and it is
    Mounted in front of my ac condinsor work Awesome
    :shades:

    Sorry for misspelling or things that might make no since I typed this on an iPhone. My eyes are crossed now ;)
  • yankee211yankee211 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2011
    I'm replying to all you guys i have a 2000 durango, overheating problems when its in traffic and if its towing my boat with the ac on or evening towing the boat with the a/c off.

    I went to the dealer and thye repaleced the upper hose with cap and they replaced the t-stat $595 what a joke. I could have done it myself for $120 dollars truth is it didnt help the clutch fan is in good condition the a/c fan works and it has the right antifreeze which i believe to be bs.

    Im not wasting the time replacing the radiator and the water pump to have it still over heat and then repalce the engine its a waste of time these trucks are lemons everyone of them. how the hell does a 2004 do the same thing with low miles.

    I guess everyone is wasting there time and money just like i have been. Im selling my back to the dealer for $2500 and cutting my losses. I am going to buy a second hand chevy tahoe built like a rock. feel bad for the sorry [non-permissible content removed] that buys my 2000 durango from the dealer for $8000 **** dodge.

    o2 sensor problems and idling problems its your coils or injectors for sure been through that ****...
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Has the cooling system been pressure checked for leaks? It's starting to sound like you have an internal leak in the engine somewhere.
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    Thank You for posting ... My Durango has had the same over heating problem ... We are going to try your solution tomorrow ... Is is still working for you ???
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    Sorry I haven't gotten back but to answer your question yea it is stillrunning great. I have towed a camper with it since the. And the temp never moved. I am so excited. Please let me know if it works for you. I M insterstead to know
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    Ok ... We put in the trans cooler ... $60 at Auto Zone ... Was running good ... until now ... We are towing a small trailer with a lawn mower and it is overheating ... had to pull over ... It got up to about 240 ...
    Any more suggestions???? What thermostat do you have?
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I have the only stat you can get which is a 195. Did you try to either flush or replace the radiator. I did have some clogs in mine. If you have a new rad and the trans cooler. I would seek out a shop that can pressure check the cooling system. Have them check it cold. And then have them check it hot. It can not be running when they check it. The reason why is because your checking for a head gasket leak. You can try it your self just be damn careful when you do. Let the truck get to normal operating temp shut it off. Take the radiator cap off very carefully with a rag. Once done start the truck and hit the gas hard a couple of times and see if the coolant blows out the hole where the cap goes. Do not let any one stand by the truck when you do this in fear of hot fluids blowing on them. If it does then you have a blown head gasket more then likely. Their are acouple of different ways a head gasket can blow. One is white smoke all the time out the exhaust pipe. Another it antifreeze getting in the oil ( which is not likely). The most commen is the compression from the cylinders pushing back in the cooling system which the excess press of possible a couple thousand pounds of pressure blowing hoses radiators etc...

    Please let me know what you find I'll be happy to give you my opinion
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2011
    ok ... it is not the head gaskets ... we have already been down that road ...
    We have not replaced the radiator ... I guess we might try that. We did remove the thermostat but it is still running hot. So I guess we will try the radiatior???
    Did you replace the radiator with a 2,3, or 4 core??
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    Ok cool Im glad it's not the head gaskets! That starts to get very expensive. I just replaced mine with the factory replacement from autozone. As much as I didn't want to. I wanted a 3 wall but I had a hard time trying to find one local to my folks house in Ga. I live in red lion Pa and work as a auto mechanic and I know where to get the parts I need up here and had that been the case I would have gotten what I wanted. Quick way to find out if you rad is not cooling or has blockages I. It is to get the truck normal operating tempature and if you can get your hands on a laser temp gun test different areas around the rad to see how different the temp is. Or you can try
    To feel it with your hand. Usually the cooler spots are the areas that have no flow or little flow. If you heads are fine then I would be willing to bet that the rad fixes the problem. I think just the factory replacement would be more then fine. I would how ever flush the cooling system before the new rad is install to help prevent the same thing happening again. I think I paid like 170 for mine.... I think? If you can find a2 or 3 wall for a good price then go with that. You might try calling 1800 radiator that might be able to get you a really good deal. That is who I normally use. Keep me post on the progress

    Thnx, Mike
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    Putting a new rad in today ... Will let you know ... Thanks for all your help :)
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    How did the new rad turn out? I haven't heard anything. Just wondering then if you could drop a line thnx

    Mike
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    Hi Mike ... So far so good ... We have been pulling a trailer and have had no problems ... I do believe YOU solved the overheating problem that so many people are having with the Durango ... Thank you so much ...

    Another Question :) ... my gas mileage is only about 12mpg ... I used to average 16mpg ... the Durango does have 240K miles ... Do you have any ideas on how I could increase the mileage???
  • chocolatehazchocolatehaz Member Posts: 1
    Hello i figured i give my 2 cents same problem 2004 4.7 durango these are the steps i took. 1st i took to a shop they claimed it was a blown head gasket then did alot of research. These are my solution that works H.G job was gonna run me more than 2k.
    I found out that i read some where that dodge durango radiators cam out the factory's clogged funny but true i know and i also read that after 1k it it recommended to change your fan clutch i wanted a electric but was scared they would screw up the wiring.My vehicle was only over heating when i was idle at a light all the way up not just a little then would try to cool down after i moved so i figured maybe the radiator or hoses were clogged long story short i spent about 350 dollars new radiator, new clutch and also new water pump i figured since there all in same spots it would be gd to get all done at once. Im proud to say my problem it totally fix i really think it was the clutch fan as i really hear it now but didn't before i know it should kick in but im pretty sure it wasn't and the radiator was very clogged radiator flushes ive been down that road that's a waste of money imo since that will only clean out soft debris all the rocks and pebbles that get stuck in there wont dissolve b4 when i started my vehicle it would take about 3 mins to reach half way hot then once i got on highway forget about it now that damn needle barley moves till like after 25 mins of driving and when its warm it stays under the middle way mark imo check clutch fan it man be moving but if its worn it will not cool effectively enough to keep your radiator fluid cool in and out the engine thank for reading my post hope this helps somebody last note i 134k on my engine 4.7 2004 durango slt.
  • galvestongalgalvestongal Member Posts: 3
    Hello. I am joining the discussion in hopes of finding a solution for this persistent problem. I have a 2003 Dodge Durango with a 4.7L V-8 engine. Starting in March this year it began overheating at idle (idling, red lights, very slow speeds), we come to the conclusion it was fan clutch and replaced it along with radiator hoses. Worked for about a month, began overheating again. Replaced thermostat, worked for about 3-4 weeks, began again. The cycle has continued until we have replaced fan clutch, hoses, thermostat, and more recently the radiator. Last week it began again. We have had this truck in shops and with mechanics who all say mechanically the truck is fine, everything functions as it should. Most of the shops think I am crazy because they cannot make the truck overheat even after leaving it running most of the day. The engine has been tested for head gaskets, etc. I am running out of money to put into it. Any suggestions?
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    Hmmm........You've already done everything I would have recommended based on your symptoms. It's not losing coolant, right? If not, when it overheats are you sure it's really hot? Not just the gauge or sending unit malfunctioning? Does the overheating occur only during very warm or hot days? One other thing is the water pump, it's just possible that the impeller vanes in the pump are worn down, but that's very remote. Also, does the auxiliary cooling fan come on when it starts to get hot, or when the A/C is turned on?
  • galvestongalgalvestongal Member Posts: 3
    I check coolant levels everyday, its fine. When it heats up enough that the temp light comes on I do smell the coolant though and have seen splatters from the overflow under the hood. Last time I had guage checked out, it was fine, although I am going to have it checked again. The overheating is worse on hot days but still happens on cool days, it just takes longer to happen. Water pump was fine when checked, so we haven't replaced it yet. And the auxilliary fan has been checked twice and is functioning properly. I could understand it this was a consistent occurance, but when we fix one thing it seems to do okay for a few days, a few weeks or even month or more then starts again. We replace something else, it repeats the cycle. All the shops and mechanics say this truck is functioning properly and that they can see no reason why it would be heating up. Usually when I take it to a shop they cannot get it to overheat and therefore think I am just crazy. I called a Dodge dealership yesterday and they told the that due to the nature of the concern and with what we have already done, fixing this situation would be very time consuming and could be very expensive if I brought it in. I am very disheartened by this as I love this little truck, it is really a great truck, runs great, never any issues until all this overheating began.
  • dre36dre36 Member Posts: 1
    Hello… I have a 2000 Dodge Durango with a 4.7L V-8 engine. Starting in April this year it began overheating at idling, at red lights, and slow speeds). I’ve changed the thermostat, water pump, radiator (twice), hoses, and radiator cap. Every week I have to put coolant in the vehicle and have no clue where it goes. It overheats on warm days all the time and last week red lined on me in 40 degree weather after just driving 20mins. There are no leaks present that I see. After replacing the radiator for the second time my mechanic asked how much antifreeze can go in to my truck cause he had to put almost 4 gals. Looking for any insight on what to do next to resolve this problem. Would hate to bring it to the dealer and have them do everything I’ve done already.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    1. If your loosing coolant and it's confirmed that there's no external leaks then the only answer is an internal leak somewhere inside the engine. The cooling system should be pressure tested to confirm.
    2. With the 4.7 it needs about 3.5 gallons, more or less somewhat based on which radiator (standard or HD). Any good mechanic won't ask the customer how much it needs, they will find out themselves (or will already know).
    3. Overheating at low speeds or idling is normally due to loss of airflow due to cooling fans (either mechanical clutch or electric) not operating normally, but can also be due to a clogged radiator.
  • jesposito9027jesposito9027 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2011
    My Durango is experiencing similar overheating problems. It stared about 3 months ago. The first time it overheated it was on a fairly cool day (I wasn't using the A/C) the temp sensor went off so I pulled to the side of the road. When the car overheated the pressure built so much that it made a pin sized hole in my upper radiator hose so coolant went everywhere. After that I had both the lower and upper hoses and the thermostat replaced. I have also had the coolant purged and replaced. The car ran great for about a month and then it overheated a few more times. Every time it over heated it was on a fairly cold day and I was only traveling for 10-15 minutes. Also one thing I have noticed when it overheats, even though the temp gauge is at 1/2 the car blows cold air.
    I have checked the coolant levels, non appears to be leaking. The car has just under 140,000 miles on it.

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
  • galvestongalgalvestongal Member Posts: 3
    Well the Durango I recently posted about, I have gotten rid of. On a trip to see my parents it began overheating severely out in the middle of nowhere and left me stranded. After waiting 1.5 hours on the side of the road and more time in the service shop, they told me that it had finally blown a head gasket and that was the minimum of my worries on the Durango. So I decided enough was enough and we traded it in. I hated to see such an awesome little truck go, but I am relieved to know I won't be left on side of the road.
  • 1sassygirl1sassygirl Member Posts: 6
    Hi Guys ... I had been struggling with my Durango over heating since 2008 ... Finally this summer I saw a post on here from "Mike" ... I did exactly what he said .... And it solved the over heating problems ... I put a new rad in and a $60 trans cooler (from AutoZone) ... Many thanks and blessings to Mike !!!
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I am so happy that worked out for you. I am still driving mine with no problems. As far as gas milage I would replace the spark plugs. I know your probley say you have done this already but, two reasons why. There only only two types of plugs I would put in my truck and only one place I would get them from. The first plug is an NGK plug. Pretty much anybody carries them. The second plug honest escapes my mind but I wouldn't worry about it to much. Get the plugs from napa. The reason why is napa has a much better plug and yes you tend to pay a dollar much bur you have to break it down like this napa has class a plugs and your other notational chain store have the dollar cheap b plugs. Although they are the same in appearance they don't fire as
    Good. I would to air and fuel filter. Aside from that I would go next 2'fill ups and put sea foam in the tank. Napa sells it and I'm sure other do to. Bit expensive but it will get rid of water in the gas.

    Try that and let me know how you make out

    Thnx mike

    Ps spell problem very bad long day at work very very tired and typing on my iphone">link title<a href="
  • 1bdf11bdf1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Durango R/T 5.9L 4WD w/towing package.

    Fought the problem and replaced the damaged radiator as well. Still smelled antifreeze and kept losing coolant as well. Found a small puddle behind front passenger tire and traced it to a device on the firewall (passenger side). After much research, the problem and solution was to replace this - the auxiliary water pump. The air is cold because this pump isn't working and probably has a leak causing the overheating as well. found one online through ebay for $89, same as OEM but Bosch (better). This overheating also caused my water pump to weep as well and replaced it too.

    Good luck.

    Ben
  • uvgt2bkdnguvgt2bkdng Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I've been having the same problem, replaced thermostat, fan clutch, no leaks, the same thing's happening, 'can't even drive my durango pass 30mi & it starts to heat up, you go uphill & temp easily goes up to 90%. After having the fan clutch replaced, it started to make a noise as if it is a V8 & doesn't shift well as it used to. When I first got it, the radio unit used to heat up so bad you'd be afraid to touch it, I didn't pay much attention then. Is there anything that manufacturers can do about this since so many owners are complaining? Thanks.
  • jrhgehjrhgeh Member Posts: 2
    start by checking your heater core it could be cloged and therefor slowing down the coolant in the engine causing it to over heat good luck
  • jrhgehjrhgeh Member Posts: 2
    oh one more thing does your coolant system need to be bled if there is air in the system that can cause it to over heat as well
  • 2002durango2002durango Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2011
    I brought my car into the dealership due to seeing red fluid under my car (transmission fluid). As I explained the problem to the associate he actually spoke down to me (since I'm apparently just a girl) and tried to tell me it was anitfreeze and that I had red antifreeze. I had to explain that mine was green and this was transmission fluid leaking through the radiator area. As it turns out, I was right and my radiator was replaced (which I told him to fill with green antifreeze); however, he called to say that my anitfreeze was low and they had smelled a burnt smell. He wanted to do a pressure check because he was guessing my head gasket was going which would be 4000 dollars. Of course I didn't trust him by the way he treated me originally, but now my antifreeze is down some in just a month of having the radiator replaced. What could be the cause of this? Is the jerk correct? I have no overheating problems, nor any other kind. Help!
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I would say this ..... If your truck Isnt over heating.... I wouldn't see any reason to be alarmed. Quick way to find out if the head is blown is to start the truck and let it get to normal temp and look for white smoke. Place your hand over the exhaust and then smell it. If you head is leaking the. It should smell like antifreeze. Another way would be let the truck cool down enough to take the radiator cap off and start the truck let it get to normal op temp. Pop the gas hard and quick. If antifreeze shoots out like old faithful the. Yes that is a blown head gasket. What happens is it pressurizes the cooling system and it blows by the bead and out the radiator. From the sounds of it you don't really have anything to worry about.

    Please let me know what you find out
    Thnx mike
  • plettplett Member Posts: 3
    Hello,

    I had the same problem. I got a replacement auxiliary water pump from dodgeparts.com. I think that it is made by bosch. The pump can suddenly stop causing lots of antifreeze to flow out of the over flow. You then look for leaks and find nothing. Costs about $125 and is a 15 minute fix.

    I still have to go to counter measures and go full heat in stop and go traffic but the sudden overheating has stopped.
  • plettplett Member Posts: 3
    I bought an 02 Durango with 95k miles and have 127K miles and still standing.

    I have only used synthetic oil and changed every 3k

    Replaced auxilliary water pump after sudden loss of antifreeze. Replaced antifreeze twice. Works great in Winter. Temp gauge will creep up on hot days at slow speeds. I use an auxilary electric fan and turn heater on. I call the procedure counter measures. AC works best on high way and I have been adding Freon more often then I should. Ultra Violet check showed no leaks in o rings. I am worried that When hot weather comes in May, overheating could rear its ugly head. I am considering selling the vehicle, changing the water pump and temp gauge, replacing with a larger radiator, and trying to flush out the grit mentioned by another poster.

    I did not quite understand how the timing chain cover fits into the equation.

    I have a 2002 4.7 SLT with tow package
  • plettplett Member Posts: 3
    My Money is on replacing the Auxilliary Water Pump on the left back side of the truck facing the vehicle. 15 minute repair. If it comes on at high speeds when it should be off, it cause fluid to back out through the overflow. All you notice is low fluid without any clue as to wher it went. 15 minute repair. Easy to do yourself. Part online is from bosch and is about $125
  • crysdcrysd Member Posts: 1
    ">My 2000 Dodge Durango 4.7L V8 has been overheating. I replaced the thermostat when I was still living in Vegas, but am in Sacramento now, and seem to have a small leak. I've been adding coolant and/or water (alternating) once a week or so lately (only had to twice in the summer, so the leak seems to have increased). It's hard to tell where it's coming from from under the vehicle, but it seems to very possibly be coming from what I was told is the heater core, yet the pics of the part looks quite different in shape. Mine looks like a vertically long a slim radiator with an arched shaped tube coming off the top. It seems to have a small leak at the base of the tube if you look close from the top, when looking under the hood. I have a friend coming over to help me try to figure out what the problem could be today. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :sick:
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I'm a little confused, you can't see the heater core under the hood, only the two pipes that come through the firewall and the hoses connect to. The heater hoses run right along the left (drivers side) cam cover from two metal pipes under the intake plenum back to the pipes coming off the core. If the core leaks it usually manifests itself by a sweet coolant smell coming from the heater of defrost vents, a small dripping under the right side front near the back of the engine bay (plenum drain) and a haze that may form on the windshield when the defroster is on. In extreme cases the carpet could be wet up under the dash below the heat/AC plenum.
    I've changed the core myself on the same SUV. It's a big job that you need the right skills to do. The dash needs to be removed or pulled way back out of the way and the A/C will need to be discharged and recharged for two.
    If needed you can bypass the core by removing the hoses from the metal pipes under the intake plenum and connecting a hose between them.
  • jz555msnjz555msn Member Posts: 1
    Did you find out what that part was? ( the slim small looking radiator )
  • chasrunyonchasrunyon Member Posts: 1
    I have the 04 Durango 4.7l and faced the same issue, I replaced the auxillary (electric) pump once ($150) and the engine quit over heating for about a month until pump gave out again. I have since by-passed the pump and I no longer have heating or cooling issues! I'm sure the pump serves a purposse but I remember my father buying a new k car back in 80 and he needed to place a plastic jug over alternator cap because it sat in a perfect location where heat from the engine and the cold air caused moisture to under the cap. Not all designs are good!
  • jjahshopjjahshop Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 2003 DODGE DURANGO WITH A 4.7 LITER ENGINE, I HAVE BEEN HAVING OVER HEATING ISSUES WITH IT, I HAVE CHANGED THE WATER PUMP, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR, CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT. CHECKED THE CLUTCH ON THE FAN AND MADE SURE THE ELECTRIC FANS COME ON AND STILL CANT DRIVE 2 MILES WITH OUT THE HEAT GAUGE PEGGING.

    MY QUESTION IS I KNOW I HAVE A REVERSE FLOW STYLE WATER PUMP BUT WHEN IT'S RUNNING HOW FAST SHOULD THE WATER FLOW BE WHILE LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THE TOP RADIATOR HOSE. BECAUSE THE FLOW I SEE IS HARDLY ANY AT ALL. DO THEY MAKE A HIGH VOLUME WATER PUMP THE KIND WITH METAL FINS IN STEAD OF THE PLASTIC CIRCLE DESIGN. ANY IDEAS ?
  • gopher0849gopher0849 Member Posts: 9
    I would check different part of the radiator to make sure there are I spots that migh be cool while others are hot. The flow you see might not be good because the thermasat is closed. Other then that if you have no leaks and the rad seems fine no clogs in it could be a head gasket. See if you have white smoke from the exhaust or take the cap of the rad while it is running at normal or even higher then norm temp back up and have some one pop the throttle once. If she blows like old faithful it's almost a sure sign of a head leak. Let me know how you make out. :shades:
  • crystel1crystel1 Member Posts: 1
    i am not A MECHANIC BUT RIGHT AT THIS VERY MIN I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 DODGE DURANGO.I CHANGE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING U HAD SAID .BUT U MAY WANNA CHECK UR FREEZE PLUGS I BROUGHT IT TO THE DODGE PLACE AND ALL THEY DID WAS LOOK UNDER THE CAR AND THEY WERE ABLE TO TELL OR SOME CARS MAY NEED TO BE JACKED UP .NOW FREEZE PLUGS IS REALLY CHEAP.MIGHT BE UNDER 2 DOLLARS.HOPE THIS HELPS
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