Hey guys im new here, an from the hot phoenix arizona, i drive a 2000 Dodge Durango SLT 5.9 V8 4x4. Glad i found this place it seems helpful. i have a couple minor problems, lately since the weather has been getting warmer after driving for about 45 min to an hour the temp gauge reads @ 210 degree mark an jus a little above some times, wen before it never got close to there, what can i do to make my truck run cooler, also i have a loud squeak coming from under the hood i have replace the pullys an the powersteering an belt i cant seem to find where its coming from. any help or advice would be Greatly appreciated

 

Welcome to the site. I will move this thread to the first generation Durango section,
FF

 

Yes for the engine running hot there are 2 things that I would do that are not hard to do at all. First off you're going to purchase a 180* thermostat from the dealership (because aftermarket thermostats are not all they're cut out to be) and get some coolant and a bottle of distilled water from the market.

Drain the coolant and run a flush thru it (some use a garden hose) to get all the old coolant out. Next you're going to install the new thermostat with some RTV silicone to make sure it don't leak and re-install the upper hose. Next fill it thru the upper hose cap and do an approximate 50% coolant 50% distilled water mix.

This is most likely the case, but I have to ask you one question..? Is it running hot all the time or is it just in city driving when it's stop and go traffic? If it just does it in traffic it's more than likely an electric fan issue and I'd check to make sure it's clicking on and off like it should once it starts getting hot. If it runs hot all the time I'd replace that thermostat and flush the coolant to make sure you get any possible blockages out of there.

As for the squeak there's a pretty old school trick that works great for isolating where the squeak is coming from. If you have a stethoscope, great but if not you can just use a straw to do this. Put your finger over one ear and with the other ear put the straw in it and place it around and look for where that squeak is coming from. If you can isolate where it's coming from then it's going to be way easier to replace.

 

I'd actually say that if it gets hot only in traffic or when stopped, that it's probably the fan clutch. That was what was wrong with mine.

 

Check the electric fan.

 

Welcome to the site

 

Did you use a cheap belt? Sometimes they will squeal due to the firmer, inferior rubber used. Try wetting the belt to see if it goes away temporarily. If it does, you've found the culprit.

 

Very true! It can also cause the squeak to get worse sometimes by the water running into a worn bearing. Baby power does work great for duplicating the effects of water with your method of testing a belt.

As for the OP, a cheap brand belt is anything you didn't spend too much money on. Dayco and Goodyear Gatorback and my personal favorites as I've had great success with them.

Personally I use Gatorback because they are known for being the best of the best and I've never heard of an instance where something went wrong before it should. However, that being said you can also spend $45 on a Gatorback belt so this is what veers most away.

It is a love/hate relationship with your vehicle sometimes, and why cheap out with something as important as a serpentine belt?