So I live in Calgary, It is amazingly cold here right now. Went out this morning and the old girl reluctantly started. That was good. I let it run for about 20 minutes while i shoveled some snow. I left to go to school and about 2 or 3 km down the road the temp needle starts rising, and rising. I figure i'm not driving to the other side of the city. I drive, stop and shut down to let the needle come down, rinse repeat. Then i got caught at a light and sure enough it overheated, huge plumes of steam coming out from under the hood, etc.

Now...I had the truck in a rad shop about a month and a half ago because there was no heat. The guy reverse flushed the core and changed the thermostat. He has been doing rad work for 50 years, he knew what he was doing. But I didn't see what the rad fluid tested down to. After the overheat this morning the fluid that came out slushed up...i'm assuming this isnt' supposed to happen? Also I checked the resevoir dip stick thing (as you can tell I am not a mechanic) and it came up with more of the same, looked like a 7-11 mountain dew flavored slurpee. So if i add more new rad fluid, and maybe some of that stuff that is supposed to make it effective in even colder weather I should be ok right? No? While I was waiting for it to cool down every now and then trying to limp it back home, i gave the hoses a squeeze. the ones going in and out of the heater core had fluid and heat, the one down on the bottom side of the engine had heat, but the one going from the top of the engine to the water pump didn't feel to full. Should it?

Thanks for any input guys.

 

Sounds like your rad is plugged, you have a faulty rad cap, the thermo isnt opening, the water pump isn't pumping,or your anti-freeze wasn't mixed for cold enough weather. The squishy top hose should have been firm and full of water. One of these reasons, is causing your anti-freeze to not circulate. I would have your rad shop take a look at it again and tell him his fix didnt fix your truck, or he plugged something else for ya. Good luck.

 

moe in wichita ks
did the lower rad hose get sucked closed?

 

I don't know. didn't see anything out of the ordinary down there

 

I live in calgary too. -47 god dam its cold here. My truck wouldn't shift into overdrive because its so cold. Even after letting it warm up for 20min. Ran a test on it, and even while im driving it for about an hour the front grill area where the battery is located is -27. I can't even go over 80kph. I wish I lived in Hawaii now. Maybe there this crap wouldn't happen.

As for the overheating, i'd check to see if the thermostat is closed shut. I replaced mine and got a 195 degree one. Works awesome, heats up pretty quick too.

 

How do you check this? Its only two months old what are the odds that it failed?

 

Follow the rad hose to the top of the engine. The hose goes straight down, and if you take the hose off, you can see the thermostat. Sometimes they'll stay shut, or open. Either or. As for the odds of it failing in 2 months thats weird. Both my high beam lights went out yesterday night. Both sides, which i've never heard of happening. First thing i'd do is check and make sure your anitfreeze can withhold the temps were having. I bought pre mixed stuf, and it withholds pretty low temps. Next i'd just check the thermostat. Just take a look at it. I had a 195 stock one and it stuck open. Took the truck about 30min to warm up. Just got a new one, put it in, and even in -15, takes about 5-10 min and its blowing hot air.

 

Well i think i found the issue and it is indeed insufficient protection from the radiator fluid. I left the truck sitting for several hours, and when i went back outside the top radiator hose was 'sucked in' fairly tight, and i was feeling it to see if there was fluid in it and as i got up closer to the connection with the radiator i could tell it was iced up. same with the lower hose. so now i gotta figure out how to thaw that out and get some proper fluid in there.

 

well the hose is shot now anyway...so take it off and do a flush...

 

That sucks man. I'd make sure next time you check the print on the anti-freeze. See what temp its good till.