2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Dirty Radiator and Mild Engine Overheating

[HBarlow]

This is not new information (and my apologies to Gary, I didn't perform a search before posting this). Others have previously posted similar information. I'm posting it only to remind anyone who may have been experiencing mild overheating when pulling a long grade while loaded heavy.



I've noticed for the last several months that the engine temperature gauge of my Ram with 145k on the odometer reads higher during long climbs than it once did. Others have mentioned road debris build up in the radiator fins, some of it caused or contributed to by oil vapor from the crankcase vent. I asked a friend who is a mechanic in a local Dodge dealership to pull the radiator today. I expected some debris but was surprised to find a thick layer of crud on the front side behind the intercooler and also oily crud on the backside. My mechanic friend sprayed on a grease remover, let it soak a while, then pressure washed the radiator. He reinstalled it with new upper and lower hoses, a new thermostat, and fresh coolant mix. I expect that will cure my mild overheating.



He also adjusted the valve lash. I had always held the opinion that the 24 valve engine required a valve lash adjustment at 150k miles. I was surprised, and a little embarrassed, to read in my owners manual today that according to maintenance schedule B, which is severe service, the valves should have been adjusted at 125k miles not 150k as I thought "I knew. "



I hope this serves as a reminder to someone else who may be experiencing minor heating.



Harvey

 

[Berrigan]

Harvey,

Have you towed with it since the cleaning? How many miles were on it and was it mostly bug guts?



I to have noticed that the front side of the rad has alot of crud on it. But the condenser and intercooler are fairly clean. Some how the air must be getting around the front condenser and intercooler and the bugs splatter on the rad. I think I need to do what you did. Bill

 

[ntillm01]

Over the summer, I began towing a tall fifth-wheel camper. It's the first time pulling something like that with this truck so I didn't know what to expect. I did think it was a little much that the fan clutch kept engaging and dis-engaging at 60 mph on a 78 degree day. Seemed like it should be a lot hotter out for it to be working the cooling system like that.



I looked at the radiator "stack" to see what had accumulated. The front of the A/C condensor had some bugs and residuals that it caught from the road. The next layer I could see was the back of the intercooler, and it looked clean and dry. The next layer was where I discovered definite restriction. A light coating of oil (either from the crankcase breather, or more likely from the fan clutch silicone oil seepage) had caused a fuzzy layer to accumulate. Here, cotton wood seeds float around and accumulate in every house A/C unit, (and vehicle radiators too) so that's what was partially plugging my airflow. It was a patch in the shape of a perfect disc, the same diameter as the fan.



Cleaned it like stated above, with a degreaser (Simple Green) and a strong flush and back-flush with the garden hose sprayer. Got a lot of crud out of it that way. Haven't tested it towing, but I have to believe it will help.



Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

My '01 always ran warm when worked in hot weather. Tried cleaning radiator, new antifreeze, T-stat, etc. to no avail. It didn't exactly overheat, it just ran warm when it got in the 100s (usually 205 maybe 210).



The worst thing was Summer '02 when it was 110 once, with high humidity. I wasn't able to drive over 70mph without overheating, and I wasn't towing anything.



Vaughn

 

[HBarlow]

Bill,



The truck had 145k on it when the radiator was pulled. I haven't pulled a trailer again since cleaning but anyone who saw the layer of crud on the radiator would expect a dramatic increase in cooling efficiency after cleaning. The contamination build-up was like you'd expect to see on an engine air filter that had never been replaced.

 

[Berrigan]

Harvey,

Thanks for the reply. I think I will pull mine and clean it. Bill

 

[canblue]

I have an oily buildup on my rad. Did you clean it from the front or the engine side? I have not been able to find any kind of tool to apply the cleaning solution to the

front side where all of the crud is.

 

[HBarlow]

canblue:



To be honest and precise, I stood there with my hands in my pockets and watched a trained Dodge-Cummins mechanic. First, after removing the condensor, intercooler, and radiator, he sprayed degreaser on both sides of the radiator and let it soak 15 minutes or so. Then he carefully pressure washed each side of the radiator. He told me it was important to be careful with the wand to avoid bending the fins. He said he learned the technique working in a radiator shop as a teenager in high school.



Harvey

 

[dodge cummins]

this may not apply to this subject but in case anyone did not know, i know on the older models somewhere 96 or 97 there was alot of faulty thermostats that caused overheating and even some people lost their engines. on my 96 the stock thermostat was sometimes upward of 200 degrees. i replaced it with a updated cummins and boy i rarely go above 180 even while towing.

 

[Big A]

I relocated the blow by tube. All I did was extend it. This will keep the radiator from getting plugged up by oil.

Big A

 

[Berrigan]

Am I missing something? The blow by tube is at mid engine on the underside. This would put it down wind of the rad. How could that get oil on the rad? Bill

 

[HBarlow]

Bill,



The crankcase vent tube is at the front of 24 valve engines. Don't know how it causes build up on the radiator but it appears to do so.



Harvey

 

[Berrigan]

Harvey,



OK, I didnt know the 24 valve engines were different. Thanks for the clarification. Bill