Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) OK Solved my overheating Problems and it was a

[hammersley]

PLUGGED RADIATOR - Just like the ones the guys have been talking about! Now it didn't look to bad till I took her off - everything done and back in 3 hours - and way to much of that trying to get the *&%*&$*^% windshield bottle off!!!! Now I have had my "bottle" moved a long time ago but apparently the damage was done.



I wanted to take pictures BUT my camera was with my wife and grand daughter..... HOWEVER it was at leats 30-40% COMPLETELY BLOCKED. I took some degreaser and went to town with a garden hose. She shines like a baby's butt now...



AND - the guage RUNS A WHOLE LOT COOLER ( when she gets to 180 ( I have a 180 T Stat) she immediately cools down to 160 ish. Now this in the evening - will report from tomorrow BUT I know already that this has been my problem... ... ... Will take her up a very steep road to a fire tower in the Gifford Pinchot NF this weekend to see how she handles the climb. A month ago she got pretty warm - like 220 and I had to run with the heater on - great when it's 95!!!!!!!



NOW - as the fan pulls air through the radiator - HOW did the oil bottle get the radiator full from the OUTSIDE in - I mean she was plugged full on the outside but not noticeable from the inside... .

 

[tmacc]

Well, after seeing the other post and hammersley's on this subject, I decided last evening I had to give it a try. Since the Balti/Wash,DC area has had an unbelievably hot summer this year, I have seen my gauge run warmer than normal. Once getting up to about 215-220*.



I had already bought new hoses from Geno's thinking that after 180k miles they would probably need replacing. Shoot, the old ones looked good as new. Go figure. However, one benefit of new hoses is that you can cut the bottom one away to get the radiator out because the spring clamp on the radiator end of the hose is d*mn near impossible to get at. Cut the hose and take it off out of the truck. Actually, just cutting the hose took a bit of doing due to the tight work area. This is a pretty easy job. The washer bottle has a little teat that lines up w/ hole in the fan stroud that has to be pried out a little. I then took a drum brake adjustment pry bar and and got underneith the truck and pried up between the washer bottle and the fan stroud and it popped loose fairly easily. An extra pair of hand was a big help w/ this.



The radiator was filthy!!! Grease, bugs, grass, string, all caked onto the front of it. I moved my vent bottle when the truck was fairly new and vented it out under the truck near the transfer case, but I see vapors quite often, so maybe they are getting pulled around to front of the truck in certain conditions. Like hammersley, I did the degreaser and a garden hose deal and it was impressive how much crap came out of there. I did it three times. I went a head and did the best I could w/ the transmission cooler and the turbo air cooler w/o removing them. I got a fair amount of junk out of them too.



Yup, about 3 hours from getting the tools out to final clean up.

 

[I-6DZL]

If you're concerned about bugs in the radiator, intercoller, trans cooler, a/c condensor (wich you should be) then just go to the hardware store and buy yourself a roll of the fine screen door screen. Cut and trim to fit down inside of bumper and attach to top of radiator support.



Absolutely the cheapest/ one of the best mods i have done to my truck as well as dads truck.



Thanks for the tip-off, i'll have to pull his radiator soon enough.



Curtis

 

[tmacc]

Wish I could report improved cooling temps, but the dummy at the local Cummins shop Gave me a 190* thermostat instead of a 180* When it's 7:30 on a Sat evening your kind of stuck for options. I may still need to replace the fan clutch. It picks up about 5* on a long hill basically unloaded.



Curtis, Your right. I use to do that. I must have pulled it one day and it didn't get back in there for some reason. Thanks for the reminder.



Tom

 

[Nate]

I think mine hit 190* once or twice pulling an 8% grade with a 7k trailer... .

 

[Texas Diesel]

http://turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132208



Like this? The previous owner decided to remove the blow by bottle only. This happens to a lesser degree even if you leave the blow by bottle there.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

WELL, I use some common fiberglass window screen in front of my radiator, and THIS for my blowby:



#ad




... A good clue as to the condition of your radiator, is to check the condition of your fan blades - if they are clean and dry, chances are your radiator is too - but if they are oily, and cruddy, you're probably in trouble.



Merely dropping the blowby bottle alone or rerouting the hose isn't enough - vapors will still be expelled and do their thing - that's why I drilled LOTS of extra breathing holes on my bottle, then cover it with an old sock to actually trap those oily vapors - note the condition of the adjacent suspension...

 

[hammersley]

Yep - my radiator looked just like that...............and now she runs so cool

MAN what an improvement... ... ... ... ... . i was going to get a new radiator - but now I don't need one... ... ... ... ... ... ...