Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Parking brake and thermostat

[Hemmen1]

My 2001 overheats when pulling at max gvcw - in colorado, california, and arizona. i have tried new thermostats, power washing radiator ect... does anyone ever take the thermostat out and run it that way in those regions, also, my parking brake wont hold and is adjusted all the way, does the parking brake use the same brake as the rear axle -- if so are my rear brake shoes shot?



my truck has 140,000 miles on the 24valve should I be thinking about a valve adjustment or is it just a waste, would that improve power?/



Darren

www.longdistancemovingspecialist.com

 

[Bob4x4]

If you are not overloading the truck,the things to look at are the fan clutch,and the radiator. Flushing will not remove hard deposits that can hinder flow and heat transfer.



Do you have disc or drums in the rear?



Bob

 

[Hemmen1]

drum brakes -- in regard to the overheating -- i have tried with and without the edge ez -- still overheats in certain areas (higher elevations and long steep hill climbs)

 

[bmoeller]

The parking brakes are the same as the service brakes with drum brakes. the cable is attached to them and pull on them when brake is applied.



Are the brake shoes adjusted up? If the automatic adjusters aren't woking properly, it will affect the park brake function and service brakes. There are several rubber plugs (if they are there) that cover the holes. When removed, they allow you to look athe gap between the drum and shoes. Behind one plug, you will see a small wheel with teeth on it. That is used to manually adjust the brakes. If they turn freely, you can get by with a big blade screwdriver. You can also get a tool that is made to do that job. Cost about $5-7. Got mine at Sears.



Overheating?



Check the fan clutch. Look inside the radiator for gunk build-up. Is there junk stuck in between the other coolers? Water pump OK? Is the belt tensioner keeping the belt tight enough?



Is the truck actually overheating, or is the gauge reading incorrectly? Use a socket to turn the sender back and forth to make sure it is grounding properly, or remove to make sure it is clean on the end. (Make sure the socket stays straight, or it can, and will damage the connector on it. )



BTW, I see you are from Boone. I used to live NW of you about 25 mins. away. Used to be in Boone frequently when I still lived near there.