So I've been working through some problems with my truck which has been causing me to cry myself to sleep....

It's been overheating so I changed the fan clutch and water pump. Better, but still warmer than last year so changed the thermostat but haven't worked it hard up the mountain yet so don't know if all is ok.

So I changed the oil, and was suprised to find the filter was only half full of oil. Any thoughts why this would be so? Normally I get "oil to the elbow" when taking the filter off from underneath....

 

The oil in my filter siphons down a little after the engine is off. Mine started heating a little on the mtn pulls and I just got done changing the belt - the stat is next. I'm going to frush and refill and I got some Purple Ice to try. The fan turns with considerable resistance but I don't know if there is a bulletproof way to check the clutch. I know the fan doesn't roar like it used to. I wanted to be sure the belt isn't slipping. Craig

 

try pressure washing you radiator for your temp issues. as far as the filter goes mines always down just a touch from over flowing when i pull it. what brad filter are you running

 

What temperature do you consider too high and under what conditions?

 

That was a Fram filter I believe. Just never had one come out half full before.

As far as overheating,
Going up a 10percent grade 20 miles long at midnight, truck was not hot
(200) then a jet sound for a few minutes, pulled over and couldn't tell exactly what it was, figured it was just the fan.

1 hr. later, a long, slow grade running 70mph temp spiked to 230degrees.
Backed off and kept the throttlebelow 2000rpm the temp constant at 210.


Ran straight through the night and as the day warmed up in S. Dakota, temp was constant at 220 IF I kept rpm's below 1900. Pull into a rest stop/fuel and temp would spike to 235, the fan wasn't working but maybe it cooked going up the mountain the night before due to another problem which caused it to overwork?
All this pulling 9000 pounds with high wind resistance.

Yes, new fluid, and flushed well with water.

Last weekend going up the same grade with the gooseneck and draft horses, constant at 210 then suddenly spike to 235. That's with the air conditioner off, and for the rest of the climb we had the heater cranked and kept the temp at 220. Put a cooler 180 thermostat in this week but haven't tested it because threw a u-joint and haven't got to it,

I was told local ranch guys with DMax's have to flush their rad each year or they are overheating hauling up into the Bighorn MTN.s Don't see why with distilled water they would need to do that. Prbly to cheap to put in distilled water, though that's what's in their budlight


I'm used to my '04 auto pegged straight on 200 while hauling with hardly a deviation no matter what...

 

probably wouldn't run a fram filter not worth the chance on a $6k plus engine. as far as the overheating make sure you have it bled out completely. make sure your new t stat is opening and not sticking. pull your rad out pressure wash it from the back side as to not force more junk into the fins. also clean the i/c and other coolers in the front of the truck. make sure your fan is working properly.

 

i knew someone would have something to say about fram filters .
my brother in laws sisters girl friends husband has been using them for years and never had a problem...in fact he claims 26 mpg with fram

 

I had this happen on a small block Ford, with a Fram filter. After a little research, I found this sometimes happens, but only with a Fram filter. It's caused by a faulty valve in the filter. I'v never used Frams since, and never had the problem.

 

When you described to "jet sound" when pulling a hill, I thought maybe you have blown an intercooler boot or something. Have you checked the intercooler piping, connections etc?

 

no, haven't looked at that. will poke around some more.

Thanks

 

if my truck was @ 235 and the fan wasnt kicked on that is what I would look @

 

The thermostat is where I would start, but always seems to be peoples last resort in these trucks, and I am not sure why.

But if you think about the size of the cooling system, and the average load on the engine the thermostat cycles an amazing amount, so the spring will wear out in fewer miles that it would on an engine that would get to operating temp and stay there.

I changed my thermostat with 48K miles on the clock and noticed a large difference. I run cooler empty, the temp doesn't fluctuate anymore, and the temps are slower to increase while pulling large hills and I have only see 212* in the places/conditions that showed me 215-220* last year.

If the thermostat doesn't do it, the radiator may need replacing, they can plug on the inside that no amount of cleaning can fix. How many miles are on the rig?

 

odo says 115k bought it local last year from a guy who doesn't maintain things....said 90 when I bought it, but since then, a couple neighbours have told me that their are way more miles on the truck, as he has gone through a couple sets of tires. So I don't know for sure, doesn't matter anymore I guess. got it cheap, and I kindof knew why. It looks like it has 250k on it.....

since the new fan clutch install, I can hear it running now, couldn't before.

So I pulled the intercooler, their is a dent in the bottom of it from previous owners stumpjumping days, visibly just appears dented, not broken. How much of a leak is acceptable in the system, can I fill the cooler with water to test if it leaks? Should it be pressure tested?
Also, the rubber boot attaching the cooler seems to have oil residue. Is this normal?

 

The t stat can get a wear pattern in it from normal cycling and then can stick when it needs to open farther due to heavier load. My 97 did that. The stat only had about 40k on it and I put it on the stove in water and it would only crack open a little ways. I only buy the Cummins stats - the napa stat had a smaller port, same size as an old gas engine stat. Your turbo might be blowing oil causing the oil you see. No leak is a good leak. The connector clamps must be kept very tight. I also feel around the rubber boots about once a year for soft spots or holes. I made plugs so I could pressure test my 97 CAC system. I used an air regulator and at only 10 psi, I could hear a leak and my 3 hp compressor couldn't pump fast enough to maintain 30 psi and the leak was nothing but a slightly loose clamp and I couldn't hear it while driving. A simple pressure test with a gauge is good enough but you can dunk it at the same time, too, to show any tiny leaks. Craig

 

The odometers are very hard to fool in the newer trucks, its kept in the ECM not the dash.

And these trucks are hard on tires, I could easily see 4 sets by 115K miles.