Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cooling issues

[FULL TILT]

I pulled my 5th wheel over the weekend and the truck temp was just about maxed out. This is the first time pulling after i put the intake and the chip in so i dont know what it is? My egt's are about 11 to 12 and never went above that. If anyone knows a fix let me know

 

[jhoughton]

Sounds to me like the airflow throught the radiator is obstucted. You really can't see it until you pull the radiator and wash both the inner cooler and radiator thoroughly. I keep my rig clean and at 76k I pulled the radiator and cooler when I pulled the engine. I had quite a bit of build up and had yet to have high temps. Others have indicated your issues and cleaning fixed most. Good luck and hope it's that easy.



Jim

 

[LBARTLETT]

I pulled my radiator, took it to a shop and had it cleaned, hot weather and pullin loaded it never goes over 1/2 and it used to run at the redline

 

[PC12Driver]

A couple threads from the past about cleaning the radiator:

One

Two

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Single largest cause of excessive coolant temp, is the engine blowby bottle located at the from of the engine, just behind the fan and various radiators and Intercooler/AC heat exchangers. The fix is to remove and clean the radiators of the accumulated oily crud that blowby has caused to be deposited, and then modify that blowby bottle by various methods well covered here on the TDR...

 

[PC12Driver]

Single largest cause of excessive coolant temp, is the engine blowby bottle located at the from of the engine, just behind the fan and various radiators and Intercooler/AC heat exchangers.

Can't say that; I've had my bottle off and the breather tube relocated from early on, and I still get as much junk stuck in the radiator as my dad does with his '01 with the stock setup in place. It's gotta be more of an environment thing (pollen, polution, road conditions, etc).

 

[FULL TILT]

Well i think i am going to pull my rad and clean things up and see what to do about relocating the vent tube. This weekend i will be pulling my trailer again so i will keep you up to date thanks

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Can't say that; I've had my bottle off and the breather tube relocated from early on, and I still get as much junk stuck in the radiator as my dad does with his '01 with the stock setup in place. It's gotta be more of an environment thing (pollen, polution, road conditions, etc).

Dunno - I frequently travel in dusty conditions - and spend time on gravel fire roads and such - and my radiator and related cooling devices still look pretty pristine, and I've never touched them in regards to and cleaning - never needed to! The rest of the underhood of my truck, and both sides of the fan blades stay totally oil free as well, only showing the expected light coating of dust that easily wipes clear...



BUT, I only have a bit over 60K miles - so that could be a factor as well.



Here's an underhood shot:



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A closeup shot in the turbo area:



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[JMetzger]

I moved my vent tube to where Gary has his, mine was mostly dead bugs & dried up leaves & pieces of twigs but no oil. Have done a lot of driving in Midwest & East where there are a lot of bugs.

 

[JLandry]

I cleaned my radiator fins and installed aluminum window screen material in front of the radiator (behind the grill). The screen now seems to catch most of the bugs, pebbles, and plant "fluff" which are then easily hosed off. It doesn't affect airflow enough to make any noticeable difference in engine temp. BTW, I do pull a heavy travel trailer in hot mountainous terrain (Death Valley area) and haven't had any overheating problems *since* I cleaned the radiator fins.



Good luck,



John L.

 

[John_Barks]

I had to pull mine and clean it, it really made a difference.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The 2 greatest and simplest mods I've done to my truck to prevent overheating and oil blowby mist mess:



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YUP - we get bugs here in eastern Oregon, just as we did down in northern California - and even though I clean that screen regularly, the current accumulation is clearly visible - and if it hadn't been stopped at that screen - guess where it would have then ended up!



Some will whine about potential loss of cooling air flow - but I sure haven't noticed any, even in the hardest pulls and steepest grades - and that screen is DEFINITELY easier and faster to clean than the various intercoolers and radiators! :-laf

 

[HBarlow]

I had my young mechanic friend pull the radiator once a year on my Gen II '01 Ram and take it to a carwash. He pressure washed the oil film and accumulated debris out and reinstalled and I never had any heating issues. If you don't either protect it as Gary suggests or clean it periodically as I did, you will experience overheating. I was running lots of miles and had never modified the crankcase vent hose that dumped just below the cooling fan so the build-up potential was considerable.

 

[Chief USA]

Dunno - I frequently travel in dusty conditions - and spend time on gravel fire roads and such - and my radiator and related cooling devices still look pretty pristine, and I've never touched them in regards to and cleaning - never needed to! The rest of the underhood of my truck, and both sides of the fan blades stay totally oil free as well, only showing the expected light coating of dust that easily wipes clear...



BUT, I only have a bit over 60K miles - so that could be a factor as well.



Here's an underhood shot:



#ad




A closeup shot in the turbo area:



#ad

Gary,



Where did you get those toilet paper filter coolers at. I like those! Look great and I suspect help a great deal with cooling. I am going to install a Frantz oil filter on mine in the near future.

 

[JohnBoy5]

Dunno - I frequently travel in dusty conditions - and spend time on gravel fire roads and such - and my radiator and related cooling devices still look pretty pristine, and I've never touched them in regards to and cleaning - never needed to! The rest of the underhood of my truck, and both sides of the fan blades stay totally oil free as well, only showing the expected light coating of dust that easily wipes clear...



BUT, I only have a bit over 60K miles - so that could be a factor as well.



Here's an underhood shot:



#ad




A closeup shot in the turbo area:



#ad

what is that oil thing on the left and right side of your truck?

 

[Alexdring]

Johnboy5- I think oil thing on both sides is this, might be wrong though



Anatomy of a Frantz toilet paper bypass oil filter



I am more interested in his tube from his intercooler to his intake. I like to know more about that.

 

[JohnBoy5]

i think you might be right. i was jsut reading about it. very interesting. i would be worried that the TP would come apart and clog and oil gally or something. how would i explan that one. why did you engine lock up, o toilet paper cloged the oil gally. LOL it is a neat consept, i would have to see more on the trucks before i put one on...



yea the intake tube is sweet, i was looking at that myself and trying to make one the creamic coat it.

 

[Alexdring]

I agree, I always like the idea of running as clean as oil as you can, but hate to admit that one. Toilet paper caused it... no really..... stop laughing... . screw you.