This subject has probably already been addressed ad nausem, however....I have an overheating problem when the air temp rises above 85 degrees, and when towing my 5x8 enclosed trailler.

I have read some other posts, on other sites, and many claim that the cause is the clutch on the radiator cooling fan. Could it really be that simple? There is no possibility that the radiator is losing cooling capacity? What about the thermostat? Are there any computer sensors, that if malfunctioning could cause this problem?

Some other noticable items are that when the temp needle (I know these guages are only indicators and not precision instruments) gets 3/4 of the way to max temp, I can hear the fan lock up and then the temp will drop back to its normal range only to repeat the cylce again....etc. I never have a problem in the winter (I live in Maryland and we do have winters here). Also, in the summer, when it is hot...if I spray the radiator with water from a hose, the temp will drop like a rock.

I have been focusing on the radiator thinking that it was the source of the problem. Could it actually be that the radiator is not the problem but that the fan is? Has anyone else had a similar experience, and what if any was the final resolution?

I would like to find a solution without (of course) having to spend a king's ransom to do so.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

The fan clutches do wear out. Since you can tell that its not functioning properly (you stated that it'll kick in at 3/4 and then everything cools right down), that'd be the first thing I replace. Have you checked the coolant level?

 

Yes...coolant level is OK, but I'm going to have it flushed and replaced with the correct coolant mixture 50/50. If that mixture is off, will that have an impact on the cooling efficiency of the radiator??

Thanks very much for the response.

 

Enots:

Any updates on your situation? If the ratio of coolant to water is not right, it can indeed cause overheating.

Buy having the proper percentage of coolant in there, the mixture will not boil until closer to 260 degrees as opposed to 210 degrees where plain water turns to steam.

The same goes for the cold temps as you know. Water freezes at 32 degrees, and the proper mixture should be good for -30 degrees or better.

Don

 

Did your Durango come with a towing package? Make sure that you do not have any air in the system as it will trap heat,
FF

 

Did your Durango come with a towing package? Make sure that you do not have any air in the system as it will trap heat,


It did come with the towing package, I purposely sought out one with that equipment. The system has no air, have checked that...which keeps bringing me back to the radiator itself.

How do you flow test these radiators?

 

Enots:

After rereading your initial post, I am looking toward the fan clutch. Granted, Once you are above 35 mph or so, the air naturally moving through the radiator as you move should be all you need and more.

Speaking of the cooling capacity, it is very possible that some of the cooling tubes of the radiator are partially or totally plugged.
This would show itself as a problem when you are working the engine as in towing, but might not be bad enough to cause issues under normal operation.

Don

 

Thanks for the response....Ken Myers

 

Ken:

Please keep us updated and let us know how things turn out.

Don

 

I have had the same problem, and while researching I found that the manufacture admitted that they had problems with the manufacturing process, and it lead to remnants left behind in the casting process and the impurities worked their way to the radiator and plugged it up. After I have flushed and burped my system, tested the fan, replaced the thermostat... I am leaning towards a new radiator. I haven't done it yet, but have found them to be about $200. Hope this helps. Again, I didn't hear the story first hand about the manufacturing process, I just read it online.