I just got a new thermostat and water pump about 2 weeks ago today in LA it is about 95 degrees and my truck overheated that even my "check gages" light came on. I had my AC on and had to pull over to let it cool. Any suggestions there are no leaks just from the cap since it was so hot I amon my way to buy a newradiator capI do not suspect it to be the water pump because it has been running normal the last two weeks and do not suspect it is a hose because there are nobig leaks. Yesterday I check theradiator fluiddo you guys think I didnt put the cap back on right but this morning to school it ran fine. I have a 2000 5.9L 1500

 

check your fluid level....and make sure you put the cap on tight and correctly...dont run your ac or heat at all

 

when i overheat i blast the heat full force (and roll down the windows). its unpleasant but it sure as heck works. brings the temp down pretty quick. of course that isnt a long term fix, but until you figure out what teh problem is, it works.

 

you also might have a leak in one of your radiator hoses going to or coming from the water pump...look for leaks.

 

What temperature t-stat did you put in? Sure the t-stat was put in correctly (flow direction)? I'm not sure if it would make any diff and not trying to put you down or anything. Just asking some questions.

Agree with muddy, when it overheats, the heater core acts as an additional cooling source and can get you down the road, at the cost of a sweaty back though.

 

Make sure they put a thermostat in. When I lived in Nevada, I had an overheating problem and had a mechanic tell me that he wasnt going to replace the thermostat because it would make the engine too hot with it in. I insisted he put a new one on.

The theory is that the fluid continuously moves through keeping the engine cool. WRONG.

The engine overheats faster without a thermostat. It's easy to remove and check. Just keep it in mind just in case you cant find a leak.

Sounds stupid, but I heard the "fix" from a couple people out there too. Stupidity is everywhere.

Oh, and the heat on high works for short trips. Prepare to get sweaty tho.

 

I already bought a new radiator cap and checked the fluid level so well see what happens tomorrow its supposed to be really hot out here again! Thanks for all the advice

 

New cap? The thermostat is on the engine block where the hose meets the block.

Also, check for leaks behind the water pump, drivers side. Theres a little hose behind the pump that may burst if the thermostat wouldntopen at temp. 220 deg +/-.

Otherwise, enjoy the heat. Its 20deg out here.

 

It absolutely makes a difference which direction the thermostat is installed. The spring side has to be immersed in the hot coolant (which is on the block side) in order to open. But he would ALWAYS overheat ... not just sometimes.