I have a 98 quad cab with alot of mods (see signature)and it gets real hot pulling Engine temp that is I mean like 220 at 73 mph 2200 rpm i like to drive it around 80 on the highway pulling a 1845c bobcat and a 22 ft gooseneck trailer about 11k total weight but I cant. If you run 60-65 it is fine.. Just wondering if it could be old anti freeze or maybe the radiator needs to be cleaned out or just way to many mods and have to live with it??? I sure hope that it is a fixable problem,it has a 175 or 180 thermostat too.. Thanks for any help

 

How old is the anti-freeze? Has the rad ever been flushed? Have you ever seen any oil in the rad? How long since the thermostat was changed? Are you sure your timing is correct?

 

Old diesel mechanic gave me some great advice. Every 100K R&R the coolant system and have the radiator boiled out.
Cost is low in comparison to the results you get.
And being that taking the radiator out these trucks is a easy job it makes it even a better option.

Trickytrae

 

Im not sure how old the anti freeze is but it had 179k on the truck when i bought it now 200k it appears to look good but looks could be deceiving have not put a thermostat in either, neverbeen flushed that i know of the timing is set at 16 no oil in radiator either.. Thanks alot for the replies

 

What kind of EGT's are you seeing at that speed and rpms.
Like most of us BOMB'd truck owners...you will find that when EGT's run up, the coolant temp starts to climb.
We pull 10k lb 5th wheel with my 97 5 speed. It has right now a #11 plate and stock 215 hp injectors,4" exhaust and a PDR HX35/14. When we come home from the coast there is a hill that I call my test hill. Its 6-7% grade for about 3 miles.
I usually climb the hill in 4th, 2200 rpms,boost @30lbs and egt's are 1100 or so and the coolant temp is 210*.
The heat that is being generated by the EGT's has to go somewhere and that somewhere is into the cooling system. The cooling systems on our trucks is huge but when they are taxed by higher egts...they have to work that much harder.
Yes I do believe that the radiator may need attention..but I also believe that the amount of fueling you are doing could be part of the problem..

Rick

 

Also check you fan clutch they wear out. With engine off spin the fan with you fingers. It should have some resistence. Also try starting truck, then shut off and have a helper watch fan. It it free wheels more then a few seconds the clutch is shot.

If you still have the OEM thermostat in the truck get rid of it. It's for a 24V truck, but who really knows how many bad t-stats got out. See this TSB: http://dodgeram.info/tsb/1998/07-08-98.htm

 

Great info Hemi Dart!

I'll check that on mine. I don't have a heat problem but would be a good check every 6 months.

 

Given the load you are pulling, I would suspect that your radiator is starting to sludge the cores a bit. You do not list where your timing is set, but with that load I would look for 6 degrees lead in the injection pump and 13.5-14 degrees static timing to get your heat to a managable level. You can set the static timing yourself, but need a Bosch shop to set the pump for you. If you have never had the rig timed, look for your timing to be way down below 9 degrees, and that will really heat things up in a hurry. Remember, these were the engines with the loose nut from the factory on the injection pump, so the timing works down over time.

 

As far as the egts it runs around 1250 or 1475 depends on how hard im in it the timing is set @ 16 degrees and the fan seem to be fine but i think i might have the radiator checked out and change the antifreeze and thermostat..thanks for all the help...

 

That 1475 sounds tooooooooooooooooo hot! I still say that higher EGT's will tax the cooling system! That heat has to go somewhere and it WILL transfer into the cooling system.

Rick

 

For what it's worth alot of people, including myself have had trouble with sticking termostats. Yours might be stuck mid-way open and normally it still passes enough water to cool itself, but under heavey pull conditions it can not?

 

Remember, HP = Heat A cooling system is designed to handle just so much heat. If it is over worked, it may not be able to disipate all the heat that is generated by your engine. BIG MIKE

 

dm24, please remember that after you have resolved this problem to post the fix so that we can all learn.

 

My 93 D350 was over heating so pulled the rad and had it rodded out, replaced the t-stat and put in Texaco extended life antifreeze, I also used distilled water to keep from haveing sedament build up. I'm not haveing any problems pulling my fifthwheel. Oh, I mixed it at 60/40..

 

I think im going to take mine out friday and have it worked on,where would be the best place to get a cool thermostat for this thing the parts stores look very crappie not well made at all... and i will let you know if it fixes my problem thanks