Archived 98.5 24 valve overheating

[Wooter]

Have had very same thing happen to me!! Truck started to overheat climbing Hill on US 70 Going east of Las Cruces NM pulling our 5th/w trailer. 21,500 gross weight.
On our first attempt, the truck started to overheat about 1/2 way up this grade: I was able to turn around and took truck to Dodge Dealer. They advised radiator was plugged and while exchanging radiator I also had wtr/pump, thermostat & fanclutch replaced, all factory replacements. After waiting 3 days and 3 radiators later (the first two leaked and they came from parts distribution center in El Paso, TX) We were on our way again. This time the truck started to overheat again, only, I just kept going and limped to the top (gauge way in red), in low gear and about 5mph. Since then, have had truck to a repair shop near my home, this Guy knows 5.9s and he pulls them and he has not seen the same thing as he has told me he has not seen the same problem pulling or not and using the same equipment that I have. Don't know what gives but cooling is inadequate as far as I am concerned!!

 

[JR]

Is the truck stock? How steep of a grade are you talking? How many miles on the truck, injectors, VP, etc.? Lots of variables here, including the weight your pulling. Even if your truck is a 2 wheel drive dually with a 5 speed, your still over your max GCW. Depending on your configuration, you could be as little as 1000 lbs over and as much as 5k over, so even if the truck was brand new youd be taxing it quite a bit. Tell us more about your set up.

On another note, I used to ride Wayne Nat once or twice a year. We were just talking about getting down there again this summer, its been several years since Ive been down.

 

[SnoKing]

Got a rad hose sucking flat? SNOKING

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Something very weird for sure - we've pulled our 5er over long steep grades up over I-80 thru California Sierras, thru Colorado, and thru lower states between California and Florida - yeah, we're only a bit over 16K GCVW, but on longest, steepest grades, temp only rises a couple of needle widths over normal, and the cooling fan clutch has only rarely kicked in. Unless your year truck has a lot different radiator and cooling system than my '02.

NOW, my '91 was a different story, even after replacing the idiotic '91 downflow radiator with the crossflow from a '93, it always wanted to run hot...

 

[Tuesdak]

Condenser fins bent flat from a pressure washer?

 

[JR]

I was hoping the OP would update with his findings. He posted in the 911 section so i assumed this was an ongoing problem. I have never experienced any short comings with the cooling capabilities of these trucks but the west does have some grades that we do not have out here.

 

[NIsaacs]

Blown head gasket or cracked head?

Nick

 

[mwilson]

Whacked out sending unit???