UGH. What a night! Finally got the new fan and fan clutch in and was super pysched.
So, first the good:
For sure the old clutch was toast, and the fan was disintegrated. At first start up with the new parts it didn't sound much different, and then once it heated up a bit you could really hear the fan kick in. Never heard it like that before! I went for a drive and the same thing, you could hear the fan. I was pumped! BEST of all, I have had a vibration at around 3000 RPM you could feel in the truck since I got it. I checked everything I could, replaced the drive shaft, etc. Everything else looked clear, and others here suggested it might be a motor mount, and that is what I figured too. Well, just so happens it was just the chewed up fan. Amazing that the fan could shake the truck like it was doing! So, if you have an unexplained vibration at a certain RPM, take a look at your fan!
Now the bad: A couple miles into my drive the temps kept climbing up into the 210's. It was a 40 degree night and just doing some 35MPH back road driving. It should be lower, so my heart sank a bit. Regardless, it was two things that needed repair an two more things checked off the list. Thanks to the great feedback here, I figured it was not the only issue, but hoped it was most of it.
Now the ugly: I turned back and headed for home as I wanted to test the highway speeds but not tonight. I go around a corner and hear a choppy "thunk" sound. It was dark, and I thought while going around the corned I just hit a branch (still lots on the road from the snow/tree storm).
About 1/2 mile later, I hear the belt squeal and the lights dimmed a bit. My first thought was I was an idiot and got some PB Blaster on the pulley that I didn't clean. I looked at the temp and it hit 235. I immediately shut it off while rolling and coasted about 1/2 mile as it was downhill. I figured at the least if the belt was slipping the fan would not run. I had to turn it on for about 300 yards after a stop sign, and the belt was still slipping but the temp did not increase. I shut it down and was able to coast the remaining 1/2 mile to my house, where I had to restart it for the last 100 yards to get to my driveway and roll down.
I get out, and can see steam coming out and coolant dripping from below. I was really scratching my head on this one, as I didn't touch anything else in there. I start thinking that maybe I messed up the water pump, etc. After letting it cool down a bit, I put the hose in the overflow tank as at that point, I knew I would have to do another flush anyway. I start it up and let it run. The belt slipped a couple more times, and I still saw coolant coming out. Temps were good, especially as cold water was constantly pouring in. Finally, I found the issue. A hole in the stupid radiator. Upon further inspection, it looks like a piece of the old fan that broke off a long time ago with the PO was hiding down there, and with the new fan running much faster, sucked it loose and shot it into the radiator springing a leak. The coolant then got sucked in by the fan, and shot onto the belt causing it to slip.
So... I'm hoping that what I think happened is what actually happened, and that just means a new radiator and a new belt.
Thoughts?

 

IMHO Murphy's Law applies at an hour of the day... Of course, by the time you heard the thunk, it was over.

Yep, radiator (any salvage yards near you) - at least you have a D2, the copper D1 rad can run $600, depending on your VIN you will/won't have engine oil cooler, but certainly will have a tranny cooler at the botom. Eyeball these to be sure no damage or leaks. Wonder if insurance would cover hitting a road hazard. Maybe belt. While at it, replace or at least clean out sampling holes in thermostat, which if plugged keep it from sensing hot water in correct time. Also consider water pump, you have run with unbalanced fan and increased wear on shaft bearing. Pix of old wobbly leaky pump, after wobble they jump off and send fan into radiator..

 

Yes, 100% doing the belt too. It is not that old, but was showing wear anyway. Cheap insurance I suppose. It really annoys me in general though, as that radiator was not old either. Everything else looked good down there and nothing else was hit. The water pump is not old either, but I am thinking like you and with all that shaking around it might give me peace of mind to just do it anyway.
As far as the radiator, do you think I should just go with new? I've been researching them a bit, and see a few at parts places for under $200. AB has one for $350. They mostly say aluminum with plastic tanks. I was going through the RAVE and some other spots, but can't really tell what the OEM unit is, and trying to figure out which have 1 row, which have 2 and what the Disco came with.

 

The D2 will have aluminum radiator with plastic tanks, saw then for maybe $200 at British Pacific.

 

i bought mine from Radiator Express for$230 and I am very happy with quality and fit of it

 

When doing the radiator replacement, replace your t/stat, switch away from Dexcool and go to Peak or one of the better yellow or green coolants and ad a bottle of either Water Wetter or Purple Ice to the coolant for more protection.

 

Yep, got the new t-stat too. I had previously been on the Peak Extended Life 50/50 Green, so will go with the same. Both Auto Zone and Advance have them on sale plus a rebate, so good timing. I've never used the Wetter or Ice but would for sure give it a try. Any downsides you see? Preference to a brand?

 

As long as you don't use Dexcool, and once you start with something else, use the same product to top off. If you can put a piece of the label under clear shipping tape under the hood it may survive. Date you changed is good to have also. Not everyone carries a little black book.

 

Good tips for all for sure. I actually changed it out twice since I had it in the last year (Changed hoses) and went with Peak, and have some extra. I just get the 50/50 as it is easy and I can't mess it up, plus always keep a full one in the truck's storage too just in case!

 

depending on the size of the hole, use some quick weld putty and plug the hole. works well if its just a pin hole or something, and much cheaper then buying a new one.