[Jarett]

Just curious if this is comon amongst Dodges.

My truck is fine driving around the street, even on hot summer days, never gets hot. As soon as I start going slow on a trail, especially up hill, the temp shoots up. In trying to solve the problem I have flushed the coolant system, and it has fresh coolant. has new hoses. The rad is in great shape. not clogged, no bent fins, I have replaced the thermostat and also checked the water pump. It definately works well. My friend has a 92 Dakota with a 318 in it and has the same problem. He has even gone as far as replacing the rad twice.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
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1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[RedneckDale]

got a 360 and never had that problem although it usually runs hot 325-350 degrees farienheit(with headders). I would suggest running a cooler thermostat and maybe converting to a dual electric fan, but first make sure no coolant is leaking, check hoses, rad, heater core, manifold gaskets and, head gaskets.

Good luck!
Dale

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75 Dodge PowerWagon
360,NP435,NP203
35" BFG MudTerrains

 

[RedneckDale]

Also if you have obstructions in front of rad (lights, winch, big bumper, ect.) they can affect airflow to the rad.

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75 Dodge PowerWagon
360,NP435,NP203
35" BFG MudTerrains

 

[Jarett]

The only stuff in front of my rad are a tranny cooler, and the grill of the truck. Wow I though mine was hot when the temp got up to 240F. It normally runs at 190F. Would putting in a thermostat with a lower temp rating really help it with over heating? It is open all the way at the poing it over heats anyway. No coolant is leaking.

Thanks for the sugguestions.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
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1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[joel2]

Maybe an electric fan would be your best bet, because your truck is not moving very fast, not as much air is flowing through your rad. Plus youre probably putting some load on the motor in 4-lo...
My 2 cents.

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98 Dakota

 

[DB]

Is is possible your fan clutch is shot?

It's supposed to rev pretty fast at slow speeds.

I replace mine because the fan was getting pretty wobbly.

Sounds like I have a turbine under the hood now, especially when I'm going slow.


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92 Dodge Ramcharger-318 EFI-Stock.

 

[desteurm]

Are you running a fan shroud?

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Shopping List...
15"x8" wheels 5x5.5" BCD
[email protected]

 

[Jarett]

Fan clutch? It doesn't have a clutch. It id directly belt driven.

It has a shroud, but not sure if it is efective. The shround is the ugly steal thing that came on it from the factory.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[DB]

The fan clutch is belt driven.

If you see a round disk shaped thing with all kinds of grooves in it just in front of the fan blades then you have a clutch. When the engine is cold and off, it should turn by hand with very little resistance. When the engine is warm and off, you shoud feel extra resistance and the the fan should not have excessive play when you grab one of the fins and move it back and forth or up and down.

If either of the conditions exists; replace the clutch.

Another possible could be your water pump. If it is rattling or if there is excessive movement of the pulley(up and down or side to side)replace it. It might be that the impeller fins have corroded away and the only way to check that would be to take the pump off and look inside(might as well replace it if you go that far).

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92 Dodge Ramcharger-318 EFI-Stock.

 

[Jarett]

I will check for the fan clutch when I am home. Thanks

The water pump is working well. When I was replacing the Thermostat I flushed out the coolant at the same time. I though I would test the pump so I stuck a hose in the rad and started the truck with the thermostat and hose off. It shot a large fountain of water out about 2 feet high. I think it is working well.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[DB]

Final thought!

If it isn't the stuff already mentioned then maybe its the head gasket. I don't know if you're using anti-freeze or not but anti-freeze in the combustion chamber will produce some pretty serious high temperatures. My experience has been seeing these temperatures swing up and down going around corners(a little)and going up hill(a lot).
I don't know how many clicks you've got on your beast but it could be that you are due. If the milage is low because you've rebuilt then maybe this saying might apply - "never gun a cold engine"(gasket eater).

Good luck with it.

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92 Dodge Ramcharger-318 EFI-Stock.

[This message has been edited by DB (edited March 01, 2002).]

 

[Jarett]

hmm.... You might have something there. The previous had the engine rebuilt about 12,000 miles ago(7 years) but whoever did the re-build didn't tighten the head bolts properly. the head gasket does leak slightly. The only time I notice the temp increase is when I am climbing, and it goes up really fast if I gun it while climbing a hill when warmed up of course.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[Jarett]

I checked the fan clutch today. Well.... It doesn't have a clutch, so I guess that won't be my problem

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[RedneckDale]

Jarett, I sugguest that you pressure test the cooling system and do a compression check this will tell you exactly where it is leaking and make it easier to diagnose.

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75 Dodge PowerWagon
360,NP435,NP203
35" BFG MudTerrains

 

[RedneckDale]

Hey Jarett, you have mail!

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75 Dodge PowerWagon
360,NP435,NP203
35" BFG MudTerrains

 

[Jarett]

I have had the pressure checked and it seemed good. I can't remember what it was though. The coolant level doesn't seem to go down. As for the gasket leaking, it just seems to leak a little oil around the edges. nothing serious. The compression is even and good on all cylenders(between 155 and 160). Thanks for that e-mail. I will have a read through it. I use a 50/50 mix of antifreze and water.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN

Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

[This message has been edited by Jarett (edited March 03, 2002).]

 

[DB]

Hope to read what you finally figure out.

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92 Dodge Ramcharger-318 EFI-Stock.

 

[Jarett]

I will do that. I am not working at solving that problem at the moment. I have many other things to do first. new axles, throttle body fuel injection, wiring.... I am pretty sure that it is just the rad is not big enough. Everything else seems to check out.

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Coquitlam Crawlers
------------------
1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, TF-727, NP-205, D44 front, chrysler 8 3/4" rear with detroit locker
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey

 

[valdicor]

Hey Jarett

I have a 77 Ramcharger with a 318 as well that loves to overheat going slow or with a load on the motor. Got some work done to help (recored rad, pressure test, water pump test...) and nothing helped in the slightest.

I don't have a shroud (BIG no-no) so tried to get one/make one with no luck. I decided to pull the belt driven fan and put in an electric, but my buddy at Lordco put me onto a flex fan, which I mounted in front of the rad and put it on a switch. You can use a thermostat switch too. I didn't use the through-core mounts that it suggested as it would destroy the rad on the trail, so I made a couple brackets to hold it against the front of the rad. The fan is 16", I think it blows 2200 CFM, and covers about 70% of the rad. Whenever I get to the trailhead, I flick the switch and haven't had a single problem since then.

Just my $0.02.



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77 Ramcharger, 318, 203 w/ manual hubs, 32" MudKings on 4" lift

 

[Jarett]

valdicor: Thanks for that info. I have been thinking of trying that. I think that is what I will end up doing.

I have also though about using a rad out of a diesel truck. anyone know if this would work? Which would be the more cost efective way to go?

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Coquitlam Crawlers
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1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon BROKEN
Looks beaten up but it's fun.
360 V8, 3 wheels
http://members.shaw.ca/jaretthumphrey