Hi guys, I'm new to this site so if I F up, feel free to let me know. Also, thanks for any advice you guys and gals can offer. I myself have a 1997 5.2 dakota that runs perfect. The problem is my buddies.

His truck is a 1999 and has a 5.2 v8 auto and 4x4 lifted. Here's what happened. on a short drive, no load or anything unusal, the truck started to overheat so he pulled over and let her cool down for an hour. He went back home and changed the Thermo. A week later ( yesterday ) it overheated again. He waited for the truck to cool down and drove to minite tune and had them look at it.

Since they only know fluids, they said he was 3 liters low of antifreeze. Topped him off and away he went. He probably lost the fluid when the resevoir tank boiled over.

I checked his truck out and I couldn't find a leak anywhere. Heater core stayed hot, No chocolate milkshake on the dipstick and no oil in the coolant.

Are these paricular engines prone to something like this? is there a typical flaw like a bad head gasket or fan clutch?

If not, how do we diagnose this?

 

it was probly an air pocket that was stuck in the engine.

 

probably from when the first time it overheated

 

if it does it again try and take the thermostat completeley out, thats how I run my vehicles, makes then run colder, better gas mileage, but I also live in a warm climate.

 

The great thing about coolant systems is that they are so simple. If the thermostat isn't the problem, then it can only be a certain number of things. Blockage in the radiator/hoses, bad water pump, leak or incorrect fluid type. I am sure other members will be able to chime in with some other possibilities.

Welcome to the forum.

 

At least on some years
the stock magnum 5.2/5.9 V8 thermostats
were Robertshaw/Sieb that had
steel bodies and brass metal underarms.
The brass arms are prone to crack
and '****' the thermostat partly open
but unable to fully open.

In addition, again on some years
the water pump impellor is stamped steel
and will quickly corrode away
if the wrong anti-freeze is used
because 'cavitation bubbles' blast away metal
at higher rpm.
Taking off the suction hose from the water pump and shining
a light up there will sometimes reveal an impellor that looks
like it has been attacked by termites.

My stock radiator never plugged inside
but at about 145,000 miles it began leaking
where the inlet plastic side tank joins to the aluminum tubes.