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1st Gen Ram Tech'93 & older Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve 1993 Rams and older. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
Hello, sorry if this is redundant here, search gave random results.
Have a 1993 Ram that started to overheat and discovered the milky/mustard color oil on dipstick. Of course everyone thinks BHG, but a mechanic stated it could be the intake as I had thought as well because...
-No smell, or color from the exhaust
-plugs looked clean
-no misfiring or abnormal engine behavior
-back of intake mani gasket did look worn, but no major breaks/damage
-coolant was clean and remarkable
Cleaned the intake up and belly gasket under the intake and replaced gaskets. Boiled the old and new thermostat and the old one only opened a millimeter as the new one opened wide, installed the new stat, did a few oil changes and finally took her for a 10 min drive...
No overheating and clean amber oil. Coolant temp was way cold, barely moving on the gauge (wrong/cooler thermostat?). All was well.
After a few weeks gauge went up again to past half way (about a 3rd the way) and they problem came back. Before I pulled the heads, I wanted to know if anyone here has had a similar problem? Thinking it's a small crack in the head...
Thanks for the help, and sorry if this has been asked a thousand times. Truck is clean too, it sucks...
Drain half the water out of the radiator...add stop leak and drive slowly around and around the block until it is really hot (Blowing out the pressure cap)...drive home slowly and turn it off...wait 24 hours. Radiator cap must be on.
This is a slight intake leak or head gasket leak...water gets in the oil. Putting in stop leak and building up the radiator pressure guarantees the sealant and water goes out the leak and plugs it up. This happens to 318s at around 160,000 miles. I do this and then drive to 300,000 miles.....then I give the truck away.
Essentially, the high radiator pressure overcomes the oil pressure, stop leak and water goes out...leak plugs up.
Don't use any stop leak product! Unless you like replacing the radiator and heater core. It will clog it up.
The word "any" doesn't appear anywhere in my reply. However a judicious use of a top name, stop leak product is the bar in my workshop. Using cheap off-name products is not recommended.
It was not in your reply and was meant to say "do not use any of the stop leak type products!"
"Any" —used to indicate a person or thing that is not particular or specific.
Not only do they plug the leak but line the radiator, heater core and the whole cooling system with a film that blocks heat transfer and flow. If you are selling the vehicle and don't care what happens then maybe use it. If you plan on keeping it, fix the issue the right way. This is what your radiator and heater core will look like using a stop leak type product.
2008 Dodge Grand Caravan temperature gauge goes up and down
I have 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan 4.0 engine with 165,000 miles. Temperature gauge goes up and down while driving and stopping in traffic. I have had the the head gasket tested okey, replaced water pump, radiator, fan, houses, pipes, thermostat (twice), spark plugs. But the car still does the same thing. What else can be wrong with it? Thank you.
I have 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan 4.0 engine with 165,000 miles. Temperature gauge goes up and down while driving and stopping in traffic. I have had the the head gasket tested okey, replaced water pump, radiator, fan, houses, pipes, thermostat (twice), spark plugs. But the car still does the same thing. What else can be wrong with it? Thank you.
Yes, that is what everything will look like if you use stopleak improperly. A small
Originally Posted by Moparite
It was not in your reply and was meant to say "do not use any of the stop leak type products!"
"Any" —used to indicate a person or thing that is not particular or specific.
Not only do they plug the leak but line the radiator, heater core and the whole cooling system with a film that blocks heat transfer and flow. If you are selling the vehicle and don't care what happens then maybe use it. If you plan on keeping it, fix the issue the right way. This is what your radiator and heater core will look like using a stop leak type product.
Yes, stop leak used improperly will do that. A small amount used as I have outlined will harm nothing. I used 318's Dodges in my businesses for many years. I did all my maintenance and about a 1/3 of them had this problem develop. That is 6 trucks out of 18 and they all had close to 200,000 miles so I certainly know what I am talking about. You should re-torque the intake manifold also.
I have 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan 4.0 engine with 165,000 miles. Temperature gauge goes up and down while driving and stopping in traffic. I have had the the head gasket tested okey, replaced water pump, radiator, fan, houses, pipes, thermostat (twice), spark plugs. But the car still does the same thing. What else can be wrong with it? Thank you.
07-06-2015, 08:27 PM
Coolant in oil, oil not in coolant.
