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08:43:41 - 05/19/2024
V6 Dakotas
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Rina120
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
16:47:41
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 Subject: overheating - help out a gal?
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Message:
Hello all.
I have a 96 daktoa 2wd 6 cylinder.
I changed the thermostat. My truck overheats on the highway, not in stop and go traffic. I have searched the archives and there seems like there could be so many causes. I saw clutch fans, computer issues, other fans, water pump, etc.
How can I test if the water pump is out?
I'm broke and don't ahve a reliable mechanic where I live. I just don't want to keep taking it to a mechanic so they can say it's this, oops, not it's that...oops...and then pay $2K.
Anyone near wilmington DE who wants to check it ut for me?
hee hee. Thanks in advance for any advice.!
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vern
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
17:15:21
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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sounds like one of two things,partly pluged rad,
try feeling the rad on both sides,mid and bottom
all over to see if it feels hotter and cooler in different spots when it does it again[shut off motor,becareful not to get burnt]
try some radiator flush
or the top rad hose is colasping under higher rpm,s,restricting flow
new hose
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Chris Rogers
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
17:19:22
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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There's a couple of ways to check.
Before taking the pump off check:
Check to see if there's any leaks around the water pump. Then check around the radiator hose for leaks or hiss sounds when you squeeze the hose.
If nothing wrong this it's inside the pump. Take the pump off. Then check for contamination. Then check the bearings. Check if there loose or broken.
If nothing there either thencheck, If this doesn't work then it's not the water pump. Check the hole that pump goes into the engine for dirt or contamintion.
THIS MY HELP I'M HOPE
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91Dakota
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
20:43:37
|  RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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A failing water pump can always be identified by water leaking at the small weep hole. My guess would be a bad radiator. I had a similiar problem. I changed the radiator and my problem was solved. I ordered a new from www.radiators.com. Arrived next day too.
If you buy the plane ticket, I'll go and check it, repair it and then drive it like I stole it.
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TuckerLudlow
Dodge Dakota
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7/06/2004
22:06:08
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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I'm nowhere close to Delaware, and I'm not a mechanic either, but I have the experience that comes with age.
You don't indicate whether you're loosing coolant or not.
If you're not loosing coolant, the first thing that I would have checked is the thermostat - but you say that you already replaced it. The thermostat is really a thermostatically controlled valve that opens and closes to keep the truck running at a given temperature. If you're not going far in stop and go, the truck may not build up enough heat for the thermostat to be open and the problem wouldn't be apparent. On the other hand, in open road traffic it isn't going to be very far before that thermostat needs to be opening up. But, you've changed that already.....
If you can hear the fan roar when you take off and then hear the sound fade away, your fan clutch is probably OK. The fan's purpose is to pull air thru the radiator when you're sitting still or moving at very low speeds. Once you get going, the fan clutch cuts out and the fan more or less freewheels - you're getting enough air thru the radiator from that air that is being forced thru the radiator from the speed that you've built up. The water pump is driven by the belt that goes over it. The water pump is taking that cooled coolant that is drawn from the radiator and pushes it into the engine block to cool it down.
If you're having to replace coolant, you obviously have a leak somewhere. Inspect the water pump, and look for obvious signs of leakage. If it's going out, you should see little brown streaks around it (generally, below it) from where the coolant has leaked out and dried.
I have had water pumps go out, though, with absolutely no external signs. In those cases, it was invariably a bushing or bearing going out and the water pump - while still working to a degree - just wasn't pumping enough coolant to keep things cooled off. The fan should be stable, and you shouldn't have any up/down/sideways movement where it attaches. If there is, that is usually a pretty good indication that the water pump is getting ready to go out (if it hasn't already) from a worn bushing or bearing. On every rwd vehicle that I’ve ever owned, the fan was attached to the water pump. If the fan wiggles around, the water pump is a goner.
If it looks OK, inspect the hoses themselves, particularly where they connect to the block and to the radiator - you'll look for the same kind of streaking, as well as for any obvious damage. If you have damaged or rotted hoses, replace them. If they've never been replaced and the truck is eight years old, it's probably time anyway and is good insurance - particularly for a girl. There are cheap hoses and expensive hoses. If this is your problem, or part of it, get the hoses that you can best afford, keeping in mind that you usually get what you pay for. If this is the problem, get good OEM hoses from a reputable parts store (Napa, Advance, etc).
Next, check the radiator cap. It should also be clean around it, with no streaking. If there is streaking, replace it (it's also cheap).
If all of that stuff checks out, then I'd look at the radiator itself. If the radiator is getting gunked up inside it MAY not be apparent in short stop and go driving sessions, because the engine just hasn't developed enough heat for it to become apparent. On a road trip, though, it may run fine for a few miles and then suddenly start running hot. If this is happening and you can stop, let it cool off, and drive another 20-30 miles before it runs hot again - well, this is probably your problem and unfortunately not something that you can fix yourself. Sometimes, you can backflush one and it'll last for a while longer, but sooner or later you'll have to take it to a radiator shop and have it "rodded" or you'll have to replace it. I don't know whether the 96' had a plastic radiator or not (for that matter, I don't know whether my 02' is copper or plastic), but I do know that a lot of the late models now have radiators that are plastic. If yours is one of the copper ones, you can generally count on being able to repair it (rodding, getting it cleaned professionally) at least a couple of times before you have to just replace it. Of course, I never had one repaired more than once. By the time it got old enough to have to do that again, the car had other problems and it was time to get rid of it anyway. The last time I had one rodded was about 15 years ago, and it seems to me that it was about $85 then, and I thought THAT was cheap. Of course, I was doing the deinstallation/installation myself - all they had to do was rod it. If you do that, count on leaving it with them for a couple of days.
Old mechanics flush the radiators in older cars and replace the coolant with fresh antifreeze every year. The guys that do that don't often have gunked up radiators, and they'll last forever. (Well - a long, long time, anyway, huh Larry?)
Whatever you do, DON'T drive it with it running hot. That is probably the worst thing you can do to any vehicle. Everything gets cooked, and you'd introduce more problems by driving it hot than about any other other thing one can do. (I dunno, though - the baby daughter tried driving her first one without oil. It had the same effect, and yeah, she called daddy - too late).
One other piece of advice - if you're going to keep your truck and work on it yourself to save a buck when you can, get yourself a Chilton book for it (available at AutoZone or Advance, among others). They generally have pretty solid troubleshooting sections and good step-by-step instructions and illustrations.
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Just Looking
Dodge Dakota
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7/07/2004
03:22:52
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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so it heats up while at high speeds so that usually eliminates the clutchfan as a problem since its not needed at high speeds
maybe a faulty thermostat take it out boil it in water (making sure it doesnt touch sides or bottom of boiling pot)and see if it opens up at 195 or 180 degree F also make sure its placed in the engine properly
after that and it isnt it then it may be bad water pump or clogged radiator or even a bad hose
bad hoses can usually be found by giving them a squeeze if they are soft and can be pinched all the way then replace them
look at radiator fluid does it appear brown or have chuncks in it? if so it may be gunked up unless a new radiator fluid came out colored like rust
It also could be a worn out belt if the belt feels slick on the back side it may be slipping on the water pump pulley
the water pump once the belt is free from it can be spun by hand and if it makes noise its usually a sign its on its last legs and like everyone else mentioned check and see if it wiggles there should be no slack nor should there be any leaks around the water pump
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Dean
Dodge Dakota
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7/08/2004
23:38:30
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Assuming you have checked all the other stuff that's been mentioned here...Make sure the lower hose isn't collapsing at high speeds from suction. It should have a spring inside to prevent that. If you can sqeeze it shut with your hand that could be the problem. You could also have a blown head gasket...You could also have a plugged catalytic converter as well.
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?
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
09:48:11
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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Long winded !!??
Probable 'plugged ' catalytic converter
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TODD
Dodge Dakota
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7/09/2004
13:01:46
| RE: overheating - help out a gal?
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A BLOWN HEAD GASKET yea right man she has coolant and power, id just replace the t-stat very very common if u get the crappy napa or advance t-stats u will replace them a lil more freq. that a good one plus its under 20 bux for one and only takes a few to put in. but good advice i got my wife a haynes man. for her car and she does her ownwork due to such detailed info. but try replacing the t-stat, and if that dont work the flush the radiator. and if over 60k id replace the hoses at this time too. being in DE keep up on ur cooling system though used to live there harsh enviornment girl.
good luck
Todd
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