She's Overheating: Heater Core? Radiator? Head Gasket? Now it's a party.
Let us talk about temps. With a stock thermostat, it starts to open at 180F, and is fully open at 204F. The electric cooling fans may come on at 212F, and may come on at certain times with AC on. You want to be sure the electric fan is coming on above 212F, even with AC off. Fan could be siezed (spins freely normally) or fuse blown.
Since water flows thru the heater core at all times, and if radiator is sludged up, radiator can't cool enough. Turn on heater fan, and some heat is moved away by the heater core. I would think if you went outside after truck was warmed up you may find the radiator fins (not tanks) much hotter at top than bottom. By more than 10F. Have you flushed the radiator or replaced it?
My point is that if you are getting a big swing in temp from that tiny heater core and little fan (compared to the big radiator and 70 mph air blast at local temperature) - it makes one think the main radiator could be way less than optimum. 212F in the summer, and then Rover turns on the fans to cool it down.
Now you may want to take another car for your trip, you might be OK, you might be able to do a chemical flush and also wash out all the mud and leaves in your stack of radiators. Getting a new rad delivered might be slowed by the holiday rush. If you must drive the truck go slower, and keep an eye on the temps. Not sure if a bottle of water wetter would have much effect.
Maintaining under 220 is good. Under 205 would be better. Under 200 even better. My D1 does 187 at 70 mph, with a 180F stat. How long you can drive at elevated temp is determined by the Rover gods. If you have failed to make an offering of roasted meat on the fire, you may be on their short list.
Since water flows thru the heater core at all times, and if radiator is sludged up, radiator can't cool enough. Turn on heater fan, and some heat is moved away by the heater core. I would think if you went outside after truck was warmed up you may find the radiator fins (not tanks) much hotter at top than bottom. By more than 10F. Have you flushed the radiator or replaced it?
My point is that if you are getting a big swing in temp from that tiny heater core and little fan (compared to the big radiator and 70 mph air blast at local temperature) - it makes one think the main radiator could be way less than optimum. 212F in the summer, and then Rover turns on the fans to cool it down.
Now you may want to take another car for your trip, you might be OK, you might be able to do a chemical flush and also wash out all the mud and leaves in your stack of radiators. Getting a new rad delivered might be slowed by the holiday rush. If you must drive the truck go slower, and keep an eye on the temps. Not sure if a bottle of water wetter would have much effect.
Maintaining under 220 is good. Under 205 would be better. Under 200 even better. My D1 does 187 at 70 mph, with a 180F stat. How long you can drive at elevated temp is determined by the Rover gods. If you have failed to make an offering of roasted meat on the fire, you may be on their short list.
I can only assume that the rad is the original. I'll see what I can do to flush it this weekend.
I think the Rover Gods have been in my corner for awhile since I may have been driving at these temps all year.
Bound and determined to teach myself all of this. I would be totally lost without this forum.
Good info. I currently have very limited knowledge about the mechanics of it all. I'm not even sure if there is a difference between the electric fan that your'e talking about and the viscous fan that we replaced last Oct. (Fig 15 on the cooling system layout.)
I can only assume that the rad is the original. I'll see what I can do to flush it this weekend.
I think the Rover Gods have been in my corner for awhile since I may have been driving at these temps all year.
Bound and determined to teach myself all of this. I would be totally lost without this forum.
I can only assume that the rad is the original. I'll see what I can do to flush it this weekend.
I think the Rover Gods have been in my corner for awhile since I may have been driving at these temps all year.
Bound and determined to teach myself all of this. I would be totally lost without this forum.
Thinking about a shade tree work around for a sludged up radiator - with no time for a replacement to arrive -
Buy a big aftermarket transmission cooler, install it (they almost zip tie in) and route the heater hose thru it. If the heater core and the small fan make a 4-5 F change, then a bigger core and 70 mph air blast should help.
But you are on borrowed time and may yet dodge a bullet if you can get it sorted out before much more driving. All this is based on no other symptoms like loss of coolant, exhaust gas in coolant, bubbles under dash noise, white smoke out exhaust.
Buy a big aftermarket transmission cooler, install it (they almost zip tie in) and route the heater hose thru it. If the heater core and the small fan make a 4-5 F change, then a bigger core and 70 mph air blast should help.
But you are on borrowed time and may yet dodge a bullet if you can get it sorted out before much more driving. All this is based on no other symptoms like loss of coolant, exhaust gas in coolant, bubbles under dash noise, white smoke out exhaust.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 16,322
Likes: 88
From: Savannah Georgia
Nathan - the electric fan is just behind the grille, mounted to the thing that is called the AC condenser. Between that and the radiator is another small transmission cooler and perhaps an oil cooler, based on your VIN. The radiator is the last thing before the mechanical fan driven by the viscous clutch and the serpantine belt.
If the electric fan is stiff to turn, the motor is worn out. The condenser, tranny cooler, and radiator can all have mud and leaves plugged in their fins, you have to look.
If the electric fan were operating, perhaps it would reduce temps even more.
If the electric fan is stiff to turn, the motor is worn out. The condenser, tranny cooler, and radiator can all have mud and leaves plugged in their fins, you have to look.
If the electric fan were operating, perhaps it would reduce temps even more.
I did it now. Driving around with my heat on hi has probably added to the mess I've created. Temps started to climb to 220, so I pulled over as quickly as possible. Got up to 240 degrees and the fan was barely blowing any heat. As soon as I stopped It gave me white smoke...
Popped the hood and there was coolant everywhere. The electric fan now does not spin at all. Hate to say it, but I did this to myself.
Popped the hood and there was coolant everywhere. The electric fan now does not spin at all. Hate to say it, but I did this to myself.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 16,322
Likes: 88
From: Savannah Georgia
Well, you could have gotten a radiator by now. And you will probably still need one. Did the white smoke come out the exhaust? Or just steam under hood from a busted hose? It was not blowing any heat because you were low on coolant, just steam in the heater core and in the top section of the engine (intake manifold) where hot water for heater comes from. So you could have had a coolant leak, got to a low level, got hot, popped a hose, steam out the back of the truck, but not out of the tail pipe. If you put coolant or just water back in it, can you see the leak? You may have just popped a hose. You need to fix the fan(s) for sure, and maybe the rad.
Before you assume HG, if you can't see a leak from the head, you would want to do a chemical test for exhaust gas in coolant, or look at your oil for being converted to a milkshake, or have white smoke out the exhaust after warm up.
If you have experienced a head gasket failure, the repair parts are about $300, the machine shop will have a modest charge to smooth out the warped heads, and it takes an average shop mechanic 12 hours. Many DIY report two weekends, with machine shop inbetween. Indy shops get $1700 - $2300 for the whole job.
Here is a pix of a HG failure that vented coolant out the rear of the engine, very common at front or back because that is where the gasket is thinner horizontally.
Before you assume HG, if you can't see a leak from the head, you would want to do a chemical test for exhaust gas in coolant, or look at your oil for being converted to a milkshake, or have white smoke out the exhaust after warm up.
If you have experienced a head gasket failure, the repair parts are about $300, the machine shop will have a modest charge to smooth out the warped heads, and it takes an average shop mechanic 12 hours. Many DIY report two weekends, with machine shop inbetween. Indy shops get $1700 - $2300 for the whole job.
Here is a pix of a HG failure that vented coolant out the rear of the engine, very common at front or back because that is where the gasket is thinner horizontally.
TReK
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,171
Likes: 45
You'll get coolant spillage from a coolant breach.
You probably just blew a hose.
If your head gaskets needed replacing you can get coolant gasses making the hoses blow in extreme cases.
I had that on my 2001 in Boulder CO which I bought.
The symptoms were misfire on #1.
And it would throw out coolant if you left the cap off.
And the hoses would pressure up really high.
Try to get a deal on a headgasket replacement and all this nightmare will be over
(well over for 100,000 miles until you get near 200,000 or so.)
You probably just blew a hose.
If your head gaskets needed replacing you can get coolant gasses making the hoses blow in extreme cases.
I had that on my 2001 in Boulder CO which I bought.
The symptoms were misfire on #1.
And it would throw out coolant if you left the cap off.
And the hoses would pressure up really high.
Try to get a deal on a headgasket replacement and all this nightmare will be over
(well over for 100,000 miles until you get near 200,000 or so.)
Well, you could have gotten a radiator by now. And you will probably still need one. Did the white smoke come out the exhaust? Or just steam under hood from a busted hose? It was not blowing any heat because you were low on coolant, just steam in the heater core and in the top section of the engine (intake manifold) where hot water for heater comes from. So you could have had a coolant leak, got to a low level, got hot, popped a hose, steam out the back of the truck, but not out of the tail pipe. If you put coolant or just water back in it, can you see the leak? You may have just popped a hose. You need to fix the fan(s) for sure, and maybe the rad.
Before you assume HG, if you can't see a leak from the head, you would want to do a chemical test for exhaust gas in coolant, or look at your oil for being converted to a milkshake, or have white smoke out the exhaust after warm up.
If you have experienced a head gasket failure, the repair parts are about $300, the machine shop will have a modest charge to smooth out the warped heads, and it takes an average shop mechanic 12 hours. Many DIY report two weekends, with machine shop inbetween. Indy shops get $1700 - $2300 for the whole job.
Here is a pix of a HG failure that vented coolant out the rear of the engine, very common at front or back because that is where the gasket is thinner horizontally.
Before you assume HG, if you can't see a leak from the head, you would want to do a chemical test for exhaust gas in coolant, or look at your oil for being converted to a milkshake, or have white smoke out the exhaust after warm up.
If you have experienced a head gasket failure, the repair parts are about $300, the machine shop will have a modest charge to smooth out the warped heads, and it takes an average shop mechanic 12 hours. Many DIY report two weekends, with machine shop inbetween. Indy shops get $1700 - $2300 for the whole job.
Here is a pix of a HG failure that vented coolant out the rear of the engine, very common at front or back because that is where the gasket is thinner horizontally.
No milkshake oil, but a chem test is definitely needed.
You'll get coolant spillage from a coolant breach.
You probably just blew a hose.
If your head gaskets needed replacing you can get coolant gasses making the hoses blow in extreme cases.
I had that on my 2001 in Boulder CO which I bought.
The symptoms were misfire on #1.
And it would throw out coolant if you left the cap off.
And the hoses would pressure up really high.
Try to get a deal on a headgasket replacement and all this nightmare will be over
(well over for 100,000 miles until you get near 200,000 or so.)
You probably just blew a hose.
If your head gaskets needed replacing you can get coolant gasses making the hoses blow in extreme cases.
I had that on my 2001 in Boulder CO which I bought.
The symptoms were misfire on #1.
And it would throw out coolant if you left the cap off.
And the hoses would pressure up really high.
Try to get a deal on a headgasket replacement and all this nightmare will be over
(well over for 100,000 miles until you get near 200,000 or so.)
I'm sure I'll be ringing lr2001silver soon to come down.
I found the culprit. The viscous fan was swaying back and forth so much that it cut the hose that feeds to the radiator.
The same thing happened in Aug of 2011, only the viscous fan took out my water pump too.
What makes this thing move around so much?
The same thing happened in Aug of 2011, only the viscous fan took out my water pump too.
What makes this thing move around so much?