overheating problems

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, look closely at the whole cooling system. Make sure that all of the electric fan components are working properly. I would change the thermostat for sure. I suggest not buying a normal "fails closed" thermostat.

I have had my own cooling issues, twice in the last two weeks. I have an electric fan which had a circuit breaker fail two years ago, and last Wednesday the trigger wire came loose.

I have used a Failsafe thermostat since I bought the truck, so three times the thermostats have ended up locked open. That means that my truck was drivable after the overheating, though it ran very cold. Motorad is the original maker of this thermostat, now it comes under the brand of Murray, but still should be named Failsafe. I've bought these from O'Reilly's, for a SOHC it's a part # 7248-192.

Check your coolant, the level and freeze rating. Add Water Weter to make it cool/heat better, check it often just after opening the system and cap.

Electric fans are great when they work, but it must be stone cold reliable. Be sure that the controlling parts are of the highest quality etc. Regards,

 

[gijoecam]

It's not a problem... I apparently had my forums confused.... Several others I belong to have a 'no bump for 24 hours' rule... this one isn't one of them... but I would still consider it bad form to bump it just because it's a half a page down. No worries though...

I'm not saying you NEED to change the oil or drain the coolant necessarily... I simply said to check for cross-contamination. If you take the radiator cap off and there's oil floating in teh radiator, or if you drain the oil and 7 quarts of oil/water mixture comes out, then we can be confident you blew a head gasket or cracked a head. However, if the coolant level is close to where it was before it overheated, and there's no evidence of oil in the radiator, then we can be relatively confident that no harm was done. In either case, it merits a quick check. (It doesn't take long to pop the cap off the radiator, and if there's oil there, it'll be pretty obvious)

As I mentioned before, the symptoms point towards a failed thermostat.

Don,
When your e-fan fails and you overheat it, does it permanently lock open, or can it be reset? Just curious, that's all...

-Joe

 

[CDW6212R]

Yes Joe, it locks itself open. I bought a new one when it hit 270 after the circuit breaker failed. After adding a liter of water I drove it fine, and for two months before changing it(July). This time they didn't have one in stock, so I managed to unlock the first one, it has four delicate brass tangs which lock it open.

When the fan didn't work last week, it only reached 236 when I discovered the fan not working(in the rain). That was the used thermostat, and it failed open again. I'll call them resettable, but I think the maximum point where they lock open is much less then. It's a trick design, I hope it spreads. It is really nice to know that if no engine harm is done, you are not stranded waiting to change the thermostat.