Hello I am having a nightmare with a dodge durango 03 5.9 v8. We had overheating problemso we changed the water pump. Then I began a part changing frenzy: rad. cap, therostat, top water hose and fan clutch and flush out the rad with a hose the best i can. I can not find area leaks in the engine. Luckly after all the changes the car does not overheat going down the road now. A thing that was odd that after I changed the fan clutch, the engine sounds louder. I seem to have normal rpms starting off around 2 (whatever the scale) then riding down the road it run 1.5 to 2.5 . We have had extreme heat in the south lately 95 plus temp. The temp guage is running slightly below middle during highway driving. The bad thing is that the stop and go driving is murder on it. I have been told a million options from rad flushto compression test to see if i have a crack head gasket or cracked head. I have not noticed a lot of moisture in the tailpipe exhaust (unless it drys up before tailpipe exit). The durango has 99 k on it and we just changed the tranmisssion about2 monthes ago. All service is up to date: oil change, filters and so on. Please help!

 

Here is something you can try, Since you live down South,Just takethe thermustat out, and see if the engine get hot. If it does it could be in the radiator and it might need flushed at a shop.
The engine sounding louder can be the clutch fan. They can be noisy when engaged and the air noise is louder.

 

thx and just now found out my electric fan is not working i believe that has a lot todo with it. thx a lot!

 

OH, if the electric fan is not working you will have problems. especially at stopped or slow speeds

 

Remember, high outdoor temp and A/C can reflect on your vehicle's temp. But the electric fan will play a BIG part as well. Mine will creep up to about the same as yours, but only if I sit for a period of time with similiar outside temps and the A/C running. But Pulling the camper on the highway for 300 miles last weekend, with the OD off and around 2500 RPM's, I was running at normal temps. I'm still going to add an aftermarket fan clutch for the next trip though....

 

Another thing to think of is when you get a new (or do a rebuild)on the trannyit is a good idea to change the radiator, The torque converter can throw a lot of crap up into the radiator and plug it up causing issues with your tranny. The problem is that you can't do a reverse flush on our radiators so you will have a hard (if not impossible time getting all the crap out). You should be able to find a radiator online for a good price and go to a junkyard for the electric fan because that is one epensive part otherwise.