I'm new here and my name is wayne and I thought i was a great do it yourselfer. Well my problem is my dakota was overheating and leaking out the water pump so I changed the water pump and thermostat and all the pipes anyway it is now 2 weeks later and it's like running hot for no apparent reason. It's pumping top return hose is getting warm from thermostat releasing but yet my radiator is bubbling and running in the overflow and there is absolutely no coolant leaks please help me i'm baffled. I took the radiator cap off of my durango and it still done it could it be a radiator problem and could it be fixed I've flushed today also out the top heater hose and it still runs hot I don't let it red line but it would if i kept it running . It's a 99 dakota 3.9

 

Welcome to the forum Wayne! Could your radiator be clogged? Have you made sure you don't have a large air pocket in your system?

 

Stupid question, but have you made sure that the coolant level is correct? Make sure there is plenty in your reserviour. Let the truck cool all the way down with the radiator cap off. This should let a large amount of the air out if it is in there. When it has cooled all the way off, try to bounce the front of the truck up and down to work out any other air pockets. Fill it to the top, along with the reserviour and see if that helps.

 

Hmm try replacing the radiator cap the gasket sounds bad on it causing the fluid to pour back into the overflow tank there for running your water out radiator into that tank and you have no coolant to keep cool. Man if it where me when something like that happens if its something to pertain to the problem I change it all hehe fuel pump went out so I changed fuel pump fuel filter EGR and cleaned the injectors.

 

thanks for the reply, I thought i did a good job with the fluids before but then today i backflushed it and the way i do with the coolant is let the truck run and ad as needed until it asks for no more about a 30 min process I suppose so i don't know any other process of getting the correct coolant level as for air bubbles I've never encountered a problem with air but i'm going to try your technique to see if that works. I've checked my oil numerous times in the past 3 days and no level change or any signs of coolant so the air bubble theory should be right if i can force it out or try a better way of adding coolant. Can a radiator be clogged? Just curious and it's funny because my durango started leaking out of the pulley on the water pump go figure rains it pours so i'll be installing new pump thermostat on it tommorow

 

Also, your current thermostat might be opening, but not all the way.

 

It seams odd that the water pump would go on both trucks a few weeks apart. Do you do any thing to them befor this all started? Otherwise just do as Chris said and fill the reserviour to the proper level. I had air in the lines on a Ford I owned but I could just burp it out by squeasing the upper hose. Never had this issue with my Dakota.

 

well that would bea ford for you
****er
only
runs
downhill

[sm=shootshoot.gif]

 

ya, I think it sound like air in the lines too. I would let it idle with the rad cap off and rev it up to like2 grand when it warms up and the T stat opens it should let the air out.

but I know what it feels like you fix something and then something else goes.

 

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nah I did nothing whenever a pump starts leaking out of the front it's just time to go it pumps but just leaking out of the seal. and for 3 weeks until 3 days ago my dakota was running great and I did nothing i think i checked the tranny fluid and opened the cap and check the coolant level and the day after it's been hectic.



99 durango
99 dakota
03 yz250f
00 cr125