Congragama****inlations. Sometimes it is the simplist of problems that are the hardest to fix. Way to stay with the pitches and get it resolved.

 

Thanks, Bro. I hope the more junior, or up-and-coming DIY mechanics find my methods practical and with deliberate actions. I didn't just barrel in there and replace several components at once (i.e. someone suggested pulling the heads). I made note of what happened and what didn't as well as what the conditions were when the overheating happened, particular trends, etc.

NOW -- I have to figure out which of my driver's side lifters keeps banging [:@] It seems to lose pressure from time to time. I want to pull and replace that one soon.

 

Lifters are simple and don't fail often.

 

Sorry, been out of touch for a few days, but, YAY![sm=icon_cheers.gif]
Time to put this one to rest!?!?
WC

 

Ehhhhhh, pardon my French, but that ********** spit again yesterday when I went on the 5-mile test drive.


HOWEVER



It spit from the radiator cap, which is leading me to suspect the cap is bad. I'm going to change that thing ASAP. Lest anyone forget, I did a pressure check on the radiator, and it held 18lbs for 20 minutes. The next culprit is the heater core, and the reason I say that is because I've noticed (in the days before I replaced the waterpump) there to be a slight fog on the inside of the windshield on the mornings the air was cooler outside. And, I was not running either the A/C nor the defrost.

 

Well, the radiator cap is a super cheap fix if that's all it is. And the fog on the windshield COULD just be high humidity inside the cab vs. the cooler outside temps. And if you could...Would ya mind sending some of that cooler stuff in the direction of Florida; still 95+ and high humidity here. WC

 

This may sound crazy, but if you're going insane trying to find the problem and you can find a 20lb cap, the extra pressure might help whatever's causing the problem to completely fail faster, then you'll be able to find it. If it's just the cap,then the extra pressurewill just keep the coolant liquid at ahigher temp and that'll at leastkeep the higher temps from causing as much damage, or at least pull the heat away faster thansteam would.

I'm 100% there with you on the frustration aspect. I was chasing down a air intake whistle for two weeks. I even had WayneC running out in his jammiesat nighttaking pictures of his engine trying to help me out. Turns out it was a stupid, little, too-thin TB gasket. I can't even imagine what you're going through trying to trace thissince May.

 

^^ Sounds like a good idea...force its hand and see what blows 1st.
BTW, aim, tomorrow at work, check with one of the english teachers and see if " Congragama****inlations' is a REAL word!?! hahaha
WC

 

Yeah, but that doesn't make sense. A larger radiator shouldn't mean a higher pressure cap, should it? It had been suggested to me to do that, but O'Reilly Auto Parts only stocks the 16lb caps. I may have to check with AutoZone and NAPA.

When I got home tonight I checked the coolant overflow (did not drive the truck to work) and it had sucked up almost all of the coolant that was in there after yesterday's drive. Part of that is I tried partially removing the cap after the drive, went too far, and some HOT coolant shot out. I don't believe a system with a leak will suck it out of the reservoir.

Anyway, fired it up and went down the road, and sure as hell the needle bobbed over 200ยบ, dropped to 195ยบ, and then settled around 200ยบ. It is not hot here, and I also noted that when I would slow to idle the temp wouldn't increase. It now seems to increase when I head down the road. I plan on taking the truck to work Friday and then up to Tulsa (120 mile drive) on Saturday. We'll see what happens.

 

The larger rad should mean it doesn't need to be as high pressure, but I don't know thatit can't be higher. The cap's obviously supposed to be the weak link so you don't blow anything else. The cap might be blowing and relieving some pressure, closing as the system cools with the bobbing heat and then sucking out the coolant in the reservoir.

I think somebody (maybe HankL at one point) suggested a mercedes rad capmight work. I can't personally confirm that though.

That needle bobbing is weird. Mine will climb slowly (to about 200 running the 180 tstat) if it's100+ out and I'm stopped, but as soon as I move the ram air helps pull it back down.Sounds like a stoppage that clears itself. Where is the actual temp sensor for thetemp gaugein the instrument cluster?Is it pre or post thermostat? That might help you tell where the problem lies. If it'sin theradiator, then is sounds like super hot liquid hits the rad and then it desperses the heat and brings it back down, hence the bobbing.

God, if you hadn't replaced it already I'd have guessed t stat too. I'm for throwing smarts not parts at a problem, but I might just pull the current tstat and put it in a pan of hot water and heat it up until the thing pops open. With a 195 that would obviously be just before boil, but it you've got a turkey or grill thermometer you can stick the probe in the water to check for accuracy.

And Wayne, "Congragama****inlations" is more than a word, it's a feeling you get all over. [sm=smiley36.gif]