[RS41AB]

My truck overheats when wheeling in low gear. Otherwise it seems fine. New radiator, good hoses, etc.

I notice that my fan will spin freely when not running. It seems to spin when running but I'm wondering if that's just centrifugal. So, I'm thinking new fan clutch? Under load the engine must be outspinning the fan, right? My truck overheated and wouldn't start, nothing. No clicks, but all the electricals seem to work. Someone also mentioned that if the battery gets hot that's bad.

Now for my question:

Does the location of the ground wire effect anything like what I describe above? What is the stock location of the battery ground? Is it normal for the engine side of the battery to get hot? Would a heat shield be in order and has anyone else done something similiar?

Thanks.

[RredFJ40]

The fan should spin freely when the engine is cool. It's the heat that makes the clutch lock up and spin the fan. Otherwise, your engine would take forever to warm up.

I'd say it is a plugged core in the rad if yours wasn't new. Maybe a blocked passage in the block or a hose?

Ground wire wouldn't have anything to do with overheating. Battery should be grounded to the frame and body, engine should be grounded to the frame and body and the body should be grounded to the frame.

What is your engine rpm when it is overheating?

[cruiser1873]

have you considered that it might be the thermostat
might be only partially opening
just enough to let some water through
but not enough to cool your engine ??

[jus cruzin]

as stated above the fan has a viscous fluid inside it with the combination of a bi-metalic strip the fluid will heat up the strip causing it to lock the fan when the fluid cools the strip will unlock and the fan will spin freely.

start the engine, warm it up and when/if the fan locks in you will notice the change in fan/air flow and you will hear the fan working.

check radiator core for blockages, rad cap, thermostat for operation (if the heater works this is a good sign that the thermostat is good 90% of the time) then the water pump.

with the battery heating check cells for water level, check the top of the battery for dirt, dust and moisture (if you have a muiltimeter put positive to + and with the negitive on the muilty touch near the - battery pole then run it toward the positive terminal you should have no reading on the muilty if you do you have electrolite on the top of the batt thus indicating that a cell has been boiling)

ok I have dribbled on long enough

keep us posted

and good luck

mat

[Ducks]

Here is a method for checking the fan clutch - Post #7 of this Thread.

[RS41AB]

The fan would still spin when the engine was overheated, coolant steaming out of the overflow bottle. Would that be hot enough that it should have been locked?

[Nemesis Gnat]

check the heater, if your heater isnt working then its not circulating coolant... the thermostat also did that to me once... just hit it (redneck engineering)