Plz someone help lol.. I have 97 dodge ram 1500 Laramie 5.2 4x4.. ok their was nothing wrong with the motor it ran great I’ve had it the last 8k miles I’ve changed the oil every 3k I’ve never noticed any signs I’ve a blown head .. but I had a timing chain cover gasket leak so I bought all the parts on rock auto figured since it has 193k miles on it and if imma be right their Il change the timing chain I tore everything down I lined up the dots facing each other and changed it with the dotes facing each other I put on a new pump and clutch fan new thermostat and both sensors but the coolant gauge is running hot.. I’ve have now changed the thermostat 3 times also ran it without it and it stayed half over 200 I’ve burped the system and even got another water pump and clutch fan and a new radiator and had my bother bring the gauge to suck all the air out and it still ran hot. Even tore it back down had the harmonic balancer at TDC and both dotes were facing up at 12 clock not sure if that was right but we spun the crank back to were they were facing each other not like tht mattered to do so if it was wrong but we went peice by piece put it all together like it was belt is the right way also and I even got a thermostat and drilled a hole in it .. still it is running hot.. it cranks up fine doesn’t sputter r nothing just slowly runs hot idling. The hole coolant system is new I have no idea wat else it can be and I’m broke asf now and I don’t know anyone to ask.. email address is weswilson929@gmail.com

 

If you changed the sensor, I would be putting the old one back in, and see if that does anything.

Moving this to second gen ram section for ya.

 

Well I kinda broke the the sending unit sensor the temp sensor I replace twice the sender sensor I’ve only replace once and the radiator once. Thermostat 3times water pump twice lol when it says it’s running really hot the bottom hose on the radiator is still cold and the top is hot but it’s not swelled

 

Is it actually running hot or the gauge is reading hot? I did a major tune up on my '96 5.9 last summer. I thought it would take 2 weeks and it took 3 months after I fixed everything I found that was iffy. After I pit it all back together and filled all the fluid and connected the last wire, I fired it up. Within 2 minutes, the gauge was reading hot. Using thermometer, I checked the engine and it was running normal. At operating temperature, it was 195 degrees. Right where it should be. I replaced the sending unit as the old one was a bit nasty and original. The new gauge sender still reads hot. I suspect either the wiring or a poor ground at the sending unit.

The fan is pulling air through the radiator isn't it? On the timing chain, either it's on compression or exhaust. If it's running, the timing marks aren't your problem. I always rotate so they are next to each other, but if a straight edge runs between the marks and the bolts, your chain set is right. If you didn't monkey with the distributor, it should be fine.

 

Honestly idk if it is really running hot and the fan is pulling air from the radiator to the motor… and I don’t have the old sending sensor cuz the bracket holding alternator slide onto it .. guess Il buy another one of those and see wat happens .. even when im burping the system it never wld do tht drop when the thermostat opens and I changed it three times and after we put it together again last night and let it almost run to the red it didn’t seem like it really was hot .. wasnt boiling nor steaming, kinda swelled a lil too hose was hot but not swelled the bottom was full and cold

 

An no I didn’t touch the distributor

 

I can actually get my hands on a thermometer but wat all should I scan and shld it read… hey I greatly appreciate yal taking the time to hmu and help seriously..
also got no heat

 

Get one of the IR fellers, that is point and shoot. Aim it at the top of the thermostat housing to check temp. Should be right about 195 when the stat opens.

You have two sensor for temp on your truck, the one wire sensor is for the gauge. The two wire sensor is for the PCM. If you have a scanner that can read live data, you can see what temp the PCM thinks the motor is as well.

 

Was going to mention the two sensors, but you finally got to it. With the circuit open (disconnected) I believe the gauges reads full hot?

If you have no heat I would also suspect and air pocked. The heater core is a bugger to blead out, put the right front tire up on a bump and run the engine, try to burp the coolant. Can also disconnect the return line from the core to the pump to help push air out. (be careful if its already hot/pressurized)

 

He said he drilled a hole in the t stat, That will let the air out. If the bottom hose is cold it's not circulating(bottom hose is the return). It could be that it just opened the stat and closed depending on the temp. You could take the cap off(when it's cold) and watch when it opens to see if it's flowing. Does the gauge start cold and then rise when the motor gets to operating temp or does it go right up to the red?