you guys are right, its obviously air leaking into the system. thats most likely why i happens every few weeks. than i let the air out and its normal. I'm gonna talk to a mechanic as soon as i can.

Hopefully its not a head gasket and its something easier and cheaper than that. But you're right the longer i try to do an easy cheap fix the more i risk a bigger problem to occur.

What would cause a head gasket to go bad in the first place? if it is a head gasket what are causes of those to go bad/fail?

 

I've gone into oreily and autozone. both places said head gasket is a possibility also one guy suggested looking into the fan clutch because they're notorious for fan clutch problems? I'll called the one and only mechanic i've ever been to and they suggested looking into the water pump?

They said its not as likely the problem would be my head gasket? though nothings been ruled out I'm gonna go in and meet with him in person.

it might help that he used to own a durango? those he had a 2001 r/t. so 5.9l engine.

Any thoughts about the fan clutch or water pump? how would i check myself to see if either one is not functioning properly?

 

Keep in mind that the guys behind the counter at most auto parts stores are not qualified to give great advice. (There are some that know what they're talking about, but they are not the norm at the big chain auto parts stores.) Most of these guys would make a lot more money turning a wrench than fetching parts and running a cash register, if they were as good as they want you to believe.
Also, this forum is loaded with current and former mechanics. You can tell who they are. You need to put the phone down and pick up the wrench because the more people you ask, the more answers you'll get. There is no doubt that on occasion you will replace parts that didn't need to be replaced but that is just part of learning (and sometimes diagnosing). We all do it from time to time. Just go with your gut and trust the experience of the guys that you think are knowledgeable.

 

Thanks for the words of advide samnbensdad. i appreciate it and i know what you said to be true because on most days i fall in that boat. i work at a hardware store and before that no experience and i hate to sound mean but i feed guys a lot of bull **** daily. most of the time its something i learned from listening and seeing. but i've never hooked up a dish washer or sweated fittings together.

But back on topic i talked to a local mechanic who i've been to before. and he says with what i described as

"air somehow entering my cooling system" and my heat and a/c both working and no apparent leak besides being forced back through my overflow tank.

He says one of two things either

1.) the impeller on my water pump is bad, which would cause it to overheat but he says this is not likely since my engine does cool down.

2.) the dreaded head gasket. dreaded for its price. he says that durango's are known for head gasket problems. not bad motors but the head gaskets are known to fail on them. i don't know if i should 100% trust that but at this point what else could it be?

Well, i hate to say it but it might be a head gasket leak. i have a bad feeling that, that is the problem. he says its a 1200 dollar fix. 1000 for labor 200 for parts and coolant and such.

let me make note to this. if my life was at stake the most money i could fork out is 180 bucks. thats all i have literally. that and my gas tanks empty. **time to go find my dad** I'm 19 btw, in college and work at min wage part time.

 

[QUOTE=Bobman;2517505]And you're basing this info on what? There's a whole lot of 4.7's out there for them to be considered "junk". Yes, they require a bit more care (read that as "regularly scheduled maintenance") than the classic "old" motors, but they hardly qualify as junk.

if you looked he says that is a 5.2 and yes the heads are junk they crack actually its about 85% of them that cracks. the 4.7 heads are a lot better for sure.

 

Hydra, I'm gonna put in for the hydrocarbon test. you can diy at home and I'd rather trust me doing it than a mechanic wouldn't you think?

Any basic instructions on how to do it? you insert the test tube into the overflow making sure no coolant gets to the test tube and you get the car to running temp? correct?

I'm still in the hoping its not a head gasket phase since nothing has been confirmed just yet.

 

https://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/C...282450468&An=0

You stick it in the hole where the radiator cap goes, and with the car up to temp, you pour the blue fluid in and use the suction ball to suck in air, but not get coolant in there. If it stays blue, HG is most likely (but not guaranteed) OK. If it turns brown/green, you have a blown HG.

You ask how it can happen? Overheating. If you were low on coolant, it overheated, the heads get so hot they warp or the HG blows to relieve the pressure. All it takes is once. I had it happen (not on my D, but my taurus) and it blew the HG and cracked the head.

Also, please, you have many many threads. Keep it all in one. 4 threads on your overheating isn't necessary, and it forces us to look for your other posts in other threads. To bring it back up top, all you do is make a post. As soon as you post, it goes back up to the top. However, called bumping, if you bump more than once per 24 hrs (that's usually the general rule, correct me somebody if I'm wrong) you can upset the mods and receive a warning or something.

Also, my two cents: if you're going to say that it can't be this or that, why are you asking or help? You ask, well tell you what we think it is. Yet you tell us it can't be that. Also, a word of advice about asking for help: never ask an auto parts employee or a mechanic. They have one thing in common: they want your money. Here, we're here to help, not BS you. All they want is you to buy buy buy. Think about it. If a mechanic told you what your problem is, what money would he make then?

 

josh, if your water pump were the problem nothing you have already changed would have made a difference it would not run fine for a couple of weeks and then overheat again, it would be a constant problem, same with the clutch fan, IMO those two items are fine

do the hydro carbon test and get back to us until then stop asking every idiot you see on the street, or in the auto store for their opinion, you are just confusing yourself

also headgaskets are NOT common problems on these trucks with any of the engines offered, 4.7,5.2, OR 5.9 and we are talking about a 4.7l engine here so whoever said he was talking about a 5.2 needs to read more carefully.

and the policy on bumping, in this forum it tends to be unnecessary, however when it is necessary i tend to let it slide as long as you dont do it by making 2 and 3 posts in a row without anyone responding.

 

Devinpitcher i appreciate the instructions but what do you mean when you say i say it cant be this or that?

At this point i haven't ruled out anything? for all i know my neighbor is coming into my garage at night and emptying my coolant. it could be a water pump it could be my radiator and it could be my head gasket.

And true enough devinpitcher, my thoughts are the same on mechanics and sales guys. i just ask in the hope that maybe they are not just out to make you waste your money.

And I've apologized for making multiple threads.

And i do appreciate the help i get here. People like shrp, hydra, widow, samnbensdad, etc have always been answering my questions. if it wasn't for them I'd have probably spent and lost a whole bunch more money.

thanks guys. sorry for the rant. but i do appreciate it.

Also I found a friend who has a compression tester and is pretty knowledgeable with cars who's gonna help me. once a test or two have been run I'll let you guys know.

 

josh if you and your dad are even a little mechanically inclined you should be able to fix a head gasket yourself... it takes a while but the manuals online here are very helpful and resourseful, and if you want to just pay the 200 for the part then i think that would be the way to go... personally i havent trusted a mechanic to take care of any problems on my car for a very long time... last time my car was in a shop was when it was aligned and the wheel bearing fixed... everything else i take care of myself, if i can do it alone i bring in my dad... im also 20, a fulltime student, and know what its like to only be workin minimum wage...