Dodge Ram Radiator and Cooling
I have a 95 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9L 4x2, I have replaced my radiator, thermostat, hoses, and clamps. I have worked on the Thermostat housing 3 times and everytime I get the truck up to temp and give it a little gas to climb hills I end up with a coolant leak either from the housing (which has been checked for cracks) or from above the waterpump. I have found the water pressure becomes intense and then I end up with the leak. After letting it cool then running it again I have no leak until the engine gets back up to temp. Can someone help me with the madness???
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The thermostat housing is stamped with the word "front". This must face the front of the engine. The thermostat is installed with the spring end directed in, toward the engine. I assume you installed a new thermostat as the old one could be stuck closed, and have the radiator cap pressure tested. Hope this helps.
I hope this helps any further confusion.
Best regards,
Dusty
Dusty
Regards,
Dusty
kcram - Pickups Host
When I am driving at highway speeds the temp is normal and the heater blows hot air.
When I stop, it immediately goes almost all the way to the H and the heater starts blowing cold air. If a go back to highway speeds it reverts back to normal.
In town it is more hit and miss...it seemes to like not stop and go driving. I can't think of what else would cause both symptoms to occur.
Help the brain dead pls
Changed radiator, thermostat(failsafe), water pump, timing chain, temp sending sensor, temp gauge, flushed radiator, fan clutch, catalytic converter, O2 sensors, radiator cap, no milky oil on dipstick, tranny shifts good, engine lacks some power/quickness, radiator fluid needs 1 cup replaced every 1000 miles, engine runs smooth,#5 spark plug misfires according to the obd computer? what else could it be??
changed thermostat
changed plugs, wires, cap and rotor
motor runs better
still runs hot==then after stoped hot truck(240 deg) I felt the radiator core:
bottom cold up to the middle towards top then middle to top was very hot
radiator was only 2 years old. my friend who used the truck put that stop leak stuff in the previous one that had a small leak. so I think the new one only 2 years old collected particles from the stop leak in a narrow area in the new radiator causing the problem.
I will flush the system to get more out and pull bottom radiator hose off when cool to quick drain engine of junk. then put new radiator in.
Second, what is the overheating symptom description? Does this vehicle overheat at idle, at road speed, etc.? Are you experiencing any coolant loss?
Third, the heater core will not influence an overheating problem unless there is a leak which permits a loss of coolant.
Regards,
Dusty
I am not intimately familiar with Ford F-series, especially diesels, but my first recommendation is to check the operation of the electric fans, if this vehicle is so equiped. The electric fans usually contribute to air movement under low speed conditions only, but if under load and low speed the lack of operating electric fans can cause this.
A more likely suspect would be the radiator itself, either being clogged or the cooling fins losing bond with the cooling tubes. This is most often associated with overheating under load conditions. If you haven't performed periodic maintenance on the cooling system, this is a more likely candidate. From what I hear about F-series PU, the system should be flushed every 50,000 miles.
If an automatic transmission, its possible the transmission could be generating too much heat for the system. If this were a GM truck, I'd say there's a 5% chance that this is a candidate, but I've never seen this on a Ford automatic.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Dusty
Regards,
Dusty
Will the coolant level drop if it just sits and idles for a long period?
I guess I'd recommend starting with a pressure test. You need to rule out a bad head gasket or cracked head, rare on a 318, but it does happen. If this is an older vehicle the radiator could be clogged or starting to unbond.
Regards,
Dusty
chad
I am from seattle, presently in alberta. when the van is cold it leaks coolant. no leaks warm. common?
It is well below freezing. When parked warm over virgin snow there are no leaks. when left over night, and once very cold (-20 C) it leaks pretty steady. I am having no running issues just keep toppoing off antifreeze. I am two weeks into the trip from warmer climate. Leaks most from water pump but I can't tell if it is a hose clamp and the water is traveling. The clamps are all the tension kind as opposed to tightening with a screw. I don't know how to tighten these. Is this a common problem and...I assume if it were the water pump it would leak at the same pace or more when running warm or cold and while stopped warm or cold. I think the seal is contracting or something. Ideas?
My old issue is I can not get one of my sparkplugs out, all the rest changed out great, one just simply refuses to let the socket slip around it, and it is the same plug ? I wonder if the metal protection cyclinder around the plug has caused a problem ?
My brake lights and ABS light , and check engine light are all on, I lost brakes one day, and now they work fine, but the lights will not go out, I have disconnected the battery for a reset, but the lights come right back on with applied pressure to brakes ??
My trailer brake setup no longer works either, is there a fuse or something ??? It will activate the trailer brakes when I manually slide the lever over, but will not automatically do it ?