Truck at dealership for overheating

[TCornish]

Ok, so I just changed the oil and fuel filters two days ago and made all my checks for leaks so I didn't cause it. I was on the way home from work
and monitoring the evic as I usually do and coolant started creeping up, then the transmission temp, then the oil. Anyone care to add what they think
it might be that is causing this? There were no leaks when I pulled over to get a tow. No smell of coolant, nothing. I checked the oil. It was still there
I'm guessing clutch fan, thermostat are the top choices, but I want to hear from all that care to comment. Thanks

 

[Killer223]

how hot did it get? driving type? outside temp? towing?

 

[BigPapa]

I would suggest checking oil, transmission fluid, and coolant for cross contamination.

 

[TCornish]

The outside temp was 94. I was unloaded, not towing. Oil and transmission fluid were fine, Coolant level at overflow was fine. Did not try to pop rad cap. The coolant temp was 215 and climbing, transmission temp was 188, oil temp was 209 when I pulled into a parking lot to call AAA.

 

[Jared Herzog]

Interested in what you find. Mine will climb to those temps when i get home while the truck is idling to cool. Then they fall quickly. Maybe your thermostat was about to open? I am not sure what the thermostat open temp is but these trucks run hotter than my past Cummins.

 

[Kirwin]

Those temperature are not that unusual. I frequently see 200-205F just before the thermostat opens the first time. Towing I've seen 230 F on coolant and oil at 235F. Keep in mind that oil temperature and pressure are just computer guesses. There is not a oil temperature or pressure sensor that the EVIC is using. I have and Aisin transmission so I can't comment on that from real world experience, but, I would not be worried until 220F or so. My fan gets noisy at about 218F coolant temperature as indicated on the EVIC. How fast were you driving just prior to this? Stop and go? Highway cruising?

 

[TCornish]

It was definitely abnormal. The coolant runs around 190, oil the same to 199, transmission usually never gets above 167, even when I tow my boat. I was watching it climb and it got above the normal and kept going, I quickly found a good place to pull over. I may not find out til Tuesday:0 cause the service adviser said they may not get to it til then

 

[Kirwin]

Had you driven it for a while and this happened all the sudden?

 

[Jared Herzog]

It was definitely abnormal. The coolant runs around 190, oil the same to 199, transmission usually never gets above 167, even when I tow my boat. I was watching it climb and it got above the normal and kept going, I quickly found a good place to pull over. I may not find out til Tuesday:0 cause the service adviser said they may not get to it til then

If it usually acts differently there is something going on. I watch my gauges, at least the ones that are real, in the hopes of spotting trends. I wish all the gauges were true numbers and it would be awesome to have a pre turbo egt sensor. Good luck and hope they get you fixed up. Please report back with the fix.

 

[Kirwin]

Well, I'm trying to help him narrow it down. If it had been operating for a while, and everything started creep up rather quickly, then I'd suspect water pump as it affects all temperatures due to loss of coolant flow. If it was a fan issue, it still will occur but it takes a significant amount of time. If it was the first start of the day, add possible stuck thermostat.

 

[TCornish]

I was driving for about 30 min, part hwy and part not, but not stop and go. It never has done this, that's why it concerned me to have it checked. The transmission temp was what gave me the pucker factor. I was driving about 45mph in 5th gear, so it should not have been in those temp ranges. I am leaning toward thermostat, but I had no way of checking it as my truck was loaded with my work gear and not the right tools. I was not prepared

 

[BigPapa]

Was this by chance your first 94* day with the truck? I know there's a big difference with my truck's coolant and transmission temps as ambient temps rise.

 

[TCornish]

No, it's been hotter than 94 a few times.

 

[BigPapa]

Then I don't want to live where you do......

We have 10-15 days in the summer here in middle TN that it will get to @ 100*. That's more than I want.

 

[TCornish]

Yes I am in Texas, gets pretty warm here

 

[TCornish]

Ok update.. The tech test drove the truck and did not get it to overheat, but did add 1/4 gallon of coolant to the rad. Where did it go. Do I have a cracked egr cooler? I saw no leaks, nor smelled coolant....hmmmmm. Now I either to go pick it up and try again, or leave it and have them run a full diagnostic. Any ideas?

 

[Jared Herzog]

1/4 of a gallon after being three model years old is not much. Mine varies from below minimum cold to max when hot. Thermal expansion makes the level rise. So where is this new level compared to your old level as it heat cycles? Maybe the quart just added to the fluid volume rather than replace any that was lost.
If i was worried i would do a used oil analysis to check for coolant in the oil to rule out head gasket.

 

[Killer223]

Is it under warranty? Or is all this out of pocket?
If under warranty, I'd drive it till something really showed its head.

 

[TCornish]

Yes it has the max care extended warranty. It will cost me 100 deductible for whatever it is. My 2005 did this once, but it got hotter, then once out on the hwy it was ok. That one turned out to be the water pump cause when I arrived at work, the water pump puked coolant on the parking lot. I refilled the coolant on that one and made it home with a new water pump.

 

[TCornish]

Ok, The dealership still cannot duplicate the problem just by driving the truck. I am of the opinion that it may be the fan clutch because when I originally stopped the truck and opened the hood, the fan was just turning idle with the engine speed, almost like the clutch was not engaged. I stopped the engine and spun the fan. Should it not have been hard to spin with it that hot?