Went downstairs to check the clutch after reading up a bit more on it. The truck has been sitting all night, so I popped the hood, marked the fan and gave it a good spin, didn't turn easy and only went around once, barely.
Started it up and the elec. fan kicked right on for abuout a minute, I raised the idle to about 2K and could see the main fan start out slow and then saw it speed up followed by the normal roar. I ran it for 10 minutes and the clutch never disengaged. I shut it down and trued to spin the fan, 2 fins passed my start mark.
I'm thinking it's not the clutch now?????

 

To answer your questions:

This is a miss conception because not ALWAYS is this the truth. There are oil ports and water jackets. now technically, when a head gasket fails you can have compression in the oil; oil in the antifreeze; compression in the antifreeze; or antifreeze in the cylinder steaming out the exhaust.

One thing you can do is get under it (very cold) and open the oil plug slowly and see if antifreeze comes out first or you could check it hot by looking at the dip stick and seeing brown junk/foam. Look into the radiator and see if you have oil floating to the top. Check the exhaust and look for lots of steam.

The best way is a compression check as stated.

Sounds like you have checked it out and you might need a replacement. Don't do heavy duty.

Could be.

There is a LITTLE play because bearings can't be fully tight and flexibility of metal.

Could it be a bad bearing? Yes, this could cause cavatation.

Now this could have happened MANY of ways. Lets says it's been a while sense you checked the overflow tank and you went dry. Air would get into the system causing the trouble.

Then you think theres a problem with the T-stat so you replace it and still never bleed the system as specified. This would continue the issues and show air in the system.

Could it be a bad T-stat? Sure.....You always test em before install in boiling water and best to do it with a calibrated thermometer.

Then you take it to the dealer. They do their thing and most likely they don't get it out or didn't do it right (I HATE dealers), well you see where I'm going.

The first thing I would do is a compression test or bleed the cooling system like schusterjo stated and even wrote up for you.

 

The correct rating for the 5.9L and 5.2L are 195 degree T-stats. The problem with this is they incorporate steel heads and blocks. Now OEM is using a head rated for 180 degree in a new motor (age of emissions) and incorporated this same head to 195 degrees which they were never built for.

Well simply the heads crack because they can't handle day to day heat levels of the extra 15 degrees. Call any head shop to verify. Over 90% of these heads cannot be rebuilt for this shear reason.

Now we roll back to the 4.7L heads which are aluminum. Now this isn't as much of a problem in cracking. But now we have a problem with shrinkage/expansion because the metal block shrinkage/expansion during heating and cooling is different to the aluminum heads and this causes them to move differently.

This causes undue stress at the head gasket. This is why most of the time overheating these motors USUALLY takes out the head gaskets... The best way around these issues is to install a cooler T-stat down just 15 degrees makes a HUGE difference in performance and longevity.

Now the heater isn't going to be as hot and emissions aren't working perfect as the government wants and the sure reason for the 195 T-stat and no other reason period.

There are many backyard mechanic tips and tricks......LOVE to hear them brought back!

I don't like the aspirin trick because if you get it open to insert the pill you might damage the T-stat which I have seen many times. The bleeder style is a MUCH better idea and is already there for most applications, just gotta look.

But as usual, ALWAYS test them before installing them in boiling water to ensure they open and close. I've seen many not work out of the box. As many as 3 in a row!

 

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Got another little kicker to add here...

I just had it out on the highway (didn't have a choice and had to take the truck), put maybe 100 miles on it and while on the highway, the temp is fine, I drive it at 30mph on city streets and the temp is fine, I get to a light and sit, temp goes up. I get behind some moron doing 20 in a 40 and the temp goes up (LOL), I sit in the drive thru at the bank, temp goes up.

More fun? I drive on the highway with the a/c on full, temp is fine. I drive on city streets at 30 mph with the air on, were are just slightly over normal. I'm at a light, just a little higher.

What the hell??

I swear I'm ready to just get a new RAM

 

So can someone tell me, is this right:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/EW3/Produ...&currentPage=0

Thermal Fan Clutch, severe duty?

 

That's the one you want.


The extreme duty is too much for what you are going to do. Thats for someone that tows a lot like me. I wouldn't use it either because it constantly likes to roll into lock position for use and if your not using it all the time then you don't want it. Gas mileage goes to **** with EX/HD fan clutches.

 

Went to AutoZone, O'Reilly’s and NAPA and they all carried the exact same one and all made by the same company, it was funny that AutoZone had the highest price though.

Go it back home, took off the upper shroud and had pretty easy access to the fan. The only strap wrench I had or could find was canvas, but it worked, one good yank and the nut broke free. The new one, aside from looking a hell of a lot better was just a little larger in diameter but went onto the fan with no problem.

Started threading on the new clutch onto the shaft and got it hand tight and then put on the strap wrench, could not hold the strap wrench in place while tightening the nut so out comes the wife. Between the two of us we broke the strap wrench (OMG!).

Put it all back together thinking that it’s got to be on there tight (hoped so) and started it up with fingers crossed. Remember that “roar” I mentioned hearing almost every morning in the past? Well it was back but twice as loud as ever, freaked, I shut it down. Looked everything over and started it up again, ran for about 5 minutes and went to about 2500 RPM and nothing bad happened (whew).

So what do you think, is it on there tight? Should I get it checked out?

 

Should be fine......LOL

It will take a little time to loosen up the bearing but now you know how the old one wasn't engaging properly. The old one should grasp the air in the same fashion. Consitering the old one didn't act the same sounds kinda funny huh? It should have acted the same way.

Sounds like it was bad.

Funny that AZ was more costly but as usual you always gotta shop around and compair apples to apples.

 

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all the help this weekend. I'll let you all know how things go the next few days.

 

Please update and good luck!