Hey everyone. You guys know some stuff. I have a 2001 Dodge Dakota 3.9L sport that I really like but is costing me a fortune because none of the knuckleheads I've taken my truck to seem to have any answer or if a part is replaced it does not fix the problem. Throughout the day driving my truck the temp gauge slowly but surely goes all the way down to the H and the oil pressure gauge goes back and forth erratically. Midas changed the fan clutch and checked the temp and they said my gauges are not working properly. Just all of a sudden two gauges don't work properly and all the rest do, hmmm. They also previously put in a new thermostat. I just had the two front precats put on and one new O2 sensor.
The air conditioning really does not work once the needle is on the H, it blows out warm air. So I would have to say the techs at Midas are wrong. I also here this kind of water gurgling sound, it is hard to explain. And it sounds like it is lightly fizzing. Water drips on the ground pretty profusely after I stop and turn the engine off. I like my truck but I am really getting AGGRAVATED and thinking about trading it in.
I have read some threads and some of you really know your stuff. Throw in your ideas, I would be GRATEFUL.
thanks.

 

sounds like poor flow to me... your pump may be on it's way out or you may just need to flush your motor & rad real good. the gurgling noise... is it coming from the rad cap? if so, it's not holding pressure like it should.

 

Thanks for your input. I work in a pharmacy so I am not as mechanically apt as probably most of you are. I will take my truck to my uncle's shop and do what you said. Which pump, water pump?

 

If your uncle has a shop, then start with the rad/motor flush and see what kind of crap comes out of it. if alot of gunk is coming out, I suggest you have them repeatedly flush it with clean tap water until it comes out clear, then add the rad flush additive to it and follow their directions. once you drain that out, flush it again with with tap water until it comes out clean, then refill with antifreeze & distilled water. that way sludg gunk wont form in your cooling system.

on your oil pressure problem... the oil sending unit is probably bad. located back by the distributor, a common problem as they do go bad. when your uncle yanks it out, have him inspect the wiring as when they fail, oil will start wicking up the harness, make sure that is all cleaned up.

 

I once had a vehicle that started the gurgling. I flushed the system, bled the air out, and still gurgling. I just put up with it because the thing was old and not really worth worrying about, and then about 8mos after the gurgling started, I found the problem... leaking, and then blown, head gasket.
Have you had the coolant checked for oil, or the oil checked for coolant?
Just a suggestion, I truely hope that's not what it is.

 

I doubt the blown head gasket is what you heard. if you can hear it, it has to be external to the motor.

DaknBlk you have a nice truck btw...

 

Hey thanks for your suggestions. They all sound really reasonable. I will go ahead and take my truck and have it flushed. I will have the oil sending unit checked.
Thanks a million.

 

happy to help, let us know how it goes.

 

Thank you for the kind words on my truck, Steve!

Actually, I could hear the gurgling as a sound behind the dashboard, in the firewall area. This started happening when the weather was cold, and I was running the heater most of the time. I was hearing the gurgling from the lines going to/from the heater core. No matter how hard I tried to keep the system bled, air was entering the system from somewhere, I just didn't know where until she blew.

 

that sounds un-related. most likely you still had an air leak allowing air into the system.