Overheating and Radiator is not HOT???? Need Help ASAP (1 Viewer)

[cruiserhunter]

Was investigating my radiator leak when i noticed my radiator was only warm and I was near over heating.

Doesn't this mean my thermostat is not opening?

Yes, the radiator and rad receiver are full

Any other scenarios ya'll can think of while the engine in cooling down.

I'm gonna poop off the t-stat housing as take that thermostat out and see what happens.

If that doesn't work... What should next?



Thanks,
Patrick

 

[guerasfj60]

air trapped in the system? search for "burping" and try that

 

[cruiserhunter]

Will air keep the fluid from circulating?
I do think I have a rad leak so that is possible. I will burp


Thanks Guerasfj60

Patrick

 

[Elbert]

what leads you to think the truck is running hot?

Are you aware that the OEM temp gauge historically has issues.

What work has recently been done to the truck that has anything to do with the cooling system?

Has the truck actually boiled over at the radiator?

Yea you could have a thermostat problem... give more history ...

on face value you may have a gauge problem....if the gauge reads one thing and the radiator is not even warm...

Has the thermostat and both related gaskets ever been replaced? Do you know what the temp reading in "F" the engine is actually running...via aftermarket gauge?


air pockets in the system can cause circulating problems....they also will cause the gauge to read inaccurate....but generally air pockets just don't happen in of themselves.

 

[MrMoMo]

Missing a belt? Water pump? T-stat?

Does your heater work in the cab? Try cranking the heater on and see if the temp drops.

 

[cruiserhunter]

Elbert:
what leads you to think the truck is running hot?...... Gauge slowly rises after about 4-5 min after start and does not stop until cut the engine.

Are you aware that the OEM temp gauge historically has issues....... I am but I'm not sure how to asses temp any other way... DO you have any recs?

What work has recently been done to the truck that has anything to do with the cooling system? New water pump and t-stat 7yrs ago, rad recorred 6yrs ago, upper and lower hoses replaced at that time too.

Has the truck actually boiled over at the radiator? ... yesterday I say a fine spray shooting back from the drivers side rad onto the upper rad hose and PS pump... Now that is not happening???

Yea you could have a thermostat problem... give more history ... See above

on face value you may have a gauge problem....if the gauge reads one thing and the radiator is not even warm...

Has the thermostat and both related gaskets ever been replaced? Do you know what the temp reading in "F" the engine is actually running...via aftermarket gauge? ...... Tstat and gaskets replaced ~7 years ago


MRMoMo:
I'll check again, but i don't think i'm missing a belt.
With the heater running I still over heat....



Thanks for the advice.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Patrick

 

[Elbert]

auto-meter makes some nice gauges... thats all I use in aftermarket stuff. There are a few write-uips on how to install a mechanical or electric temp gauge.

If your thermostat is 7 years old then you need a new one anyway..

There are some cheap type laser or infared temp guns you can use to take a reading off the thermostat housing or engine cylinder head to see what the temps are.

Just for fun you need to check your oil for signs of coolant and coolant for signs of oil. worse case you could have a head gasket issue. You have to solve any leaks...do the thermostat and both gaskets and see what happens. If you have white smoke out the tail pipe or obvious contaminated oil or coolant...stop and assess where you can get a mechanic to look at it...do not run the engine if the head gasket is suspect.

You definitely should not have fully warm engine and a mild to the touch radiator in regard to temp.

You need a real temp gauge in the truck anyway that displays temps in F, real numbers...

 

[cruiserhunter]

Update:
Took the thermostate out.
Ran the truck for ~15min minutes.
Fan going the whole time.
Temp gauge almost red.
Radiator stone cold.
All belts accounted for.
Radiator full of coolant.
Water pump not weeping.

So..............
Waterpump dead? How do i tell. Last time it failed, is leaked like a sieve.
Clogged coolant path... How can I tell if this is the problem?

Any other ways this makes sense to anyone?

Really need and appreciate your help.
Thanks for everyone's input.

Patrick

 

[cruiserhunter]

Oh yeah.
No white smoke from tail pipe. I've got enough oil and it's not frothy or milky


Thanks again

Patrick

 

[MrMoMo]

With the heater running I still over heat....

Patrick

Ok, and are you getting HOT heat out of the vents, or no?

If you are getting heat out of the vents, then I would assume the pump is working, since the coolant has to be pushed though the heater core. (Doesnt mean the pump is working hard enough to push though the rad as well)

If you're not getting heat, and over heating, then either your water pump is not pushing coolant around, or you've got something preventing the flow...

 

[cruiserhunter]

Heater is working....
What could be preventing flow?

I am just worried i wll take the time and money to replace the waterpump and still have the same problem.

So at this point I can change the waterpump out or take it to a shop???

Patrick

 

[hward1]

radiator is clogged i bet -- happened to me before on a 87 toyota pickup -- after going through the other steps (didnt change the water pump)probably not the water pump - it would be leaking i would think also - i took the radiator out and had it cleaned and redone by a radiator shop (cost $50) -- and that was the problem -- - there was no sign of anything when this was the problem (but over heating fast within about 5 minute drive) - let us know what you find out

 

[cruiserhunter]

Hmmm clog in rad...
If I open the rad drain and open the radiator cap. If there is a block either fluid will not drain from bottom or fluid will drain from bottom, but coolant in radiator neck will stay full.

If it drains from rad drain and fluid leaves the nexk of the radiator: does this mean there is block somewhere else in the system? within the engine? or waterpump?



Patrick

 

[MrMoMo]

It might not be a complete blockage, just enough that you are not getting sufficient flow through it.

I don't think the drain test would prove anything... Air will enter the bottom of the rad at the same time as the coolant leaves from the bottom. Air only needs a tiny space to get through...

I'd start by trying to flush the rad...

 

[hward1]

i second that

 

[Spike Strip]

So is the engine actually running hot? Have you checked it with an IR thermometer? As Elbert stated, temp gauge is known to go wonky. There's a long write-up on how to fix it, but I'm too lazy to look and the Mods in this section (yes, you know who you are;p) seem to be unwilling to put it in the FAQ, considering this is an issue seen over 'n over ...

I think it's time for an aftermarket mechanical temp gauge.

 

[cruiserhunter]

This is why i think i have a flow problem instead of a temp gauge problem:
I took out the thermostat and let her run in the arizona heat for 15 min. The temp gauge approached the red and I shut her off. Then went to the engine bay and put my hand on the radiator. Not hot at all.
If coolant was flowing then radiator would at least be warm regardless of where she was overheating or not.

I hope this makes sense.

At the moment My plans is to follow MrMoMo and flush the rad. Burp. And see if it overheats.
If it does. I'm gonna pull the radiator and find a shop in Phoenix to pressure test it and check it for flow, possible recore it again(can you do that, does it make it weaker?)
Thinking about changin out the waterpump while I have the rad out as well.

Opinions?????????

I do really appreciate all the help and advice getting her running again. The MUD community is phenomenal.

Patrick

 

[Spike Strip]

A cooling system without a thermostat will take a long long time to heat up, if at all. Coolant in a big rad will be about 130* F w/ a properly functioning system. W/ t'stat removed it will over-cool.

You need to put the proper tsat back in and test.

It never hurts, if it has not been done, to boil/test the rad, and if it were me, with an old water pump, I'd replace it because it's a PITA if you have to do it later for want of $80.

But before you start ripping sh!t apart, I'd rule out the gauge.

 

[MrMoMo]

But before you start ripping sh!t apart, I'd rule out the gauge.

How about this?

Pop the temp sender out, put it in a pot of water and see what the gauge reads as it comes up to boil (use a camp stove?)... "Normal" should be about 180º F, I expect "overheating" would be 200+, so since water boils at 212º you should read overheating pretty close to boiling water... Could also use a temp gun to measure the actual temp of the water in the pot, and add a short length of wire to extend the harness. (And you'll have to be sure the outside of the sender is electrically grounded back to the block - wrap a wire around the threads on the sender and run the wire back to battery neg)

That would/could then rule out/in the sender/gauge.

Just thinking outloud...

 

[dbleon]

CHECK THE GAUGE, at leas feel the engine block wiht your hand