About 2 months ago the truck started running hotter than normal. In traffic it would heat up to where the needle on the gauge would be well above the 90 degree angle mark. But when I got going again, it would cool back down to near normal. I took it to a shop and they said one of the hoses was leaking, they fixed that, and it solved the problem for a few weeks. It never ran as cool as it did before the problem started, but cooler than it had been. Then it started doing it again. Back to the shop, they said the radiator was bad, and replaced it. It's running cooler than it had been, but not as cool as it did before the problem started. Now it's starting to get hot here, and it's running too hot for my comfort. I know the shop checked for leaks, replaced the radiator, what else could be the problem? The mechanic mentioned when I took it back the second time that it could be the water pump, but apparently that wasn't it. And ideas?

 

If the thermostat was stuck closed then the problem would not be intermittent..unless it it stuck partially open. Water pump could be the culprit here..it may not be doing its job of pushing enough coolant through the block

 

what we have is a clutch fan.go out and grab the fan and see if you can wiggle it, if it moves back and forth, the clutch my be on its way out

 

Whatever you do, don't pay a shop to replace your water pump if it is bad. It's a $30 part and takes about 45 mins to replace it.

 

I tried moving the fan up and down, side to side, nothing. It's in there pretty good. It will turn, but that's it.

 

I had the pump replaced a year or so ago. Don't remember exactly. But I do remember replacing it.

 

I installed a heavy duty thermostat in it probably 6 months after I bought it. It's a Jet, that was the brand name, thermostat. It's supposed to stick open if it ever goes bad, so you don't get overheated. It's the temp in the middle of the three temps, 180 IIRC.

 

So you have a 180 thermostat? Stock thermostat was a 195 so you should be running nice and cool

 

I would not be surprised if the waterpump is going bad or has gone bad already... are you running a 50/50 mix or 60/40 mix of coolant btw?

 

I had the same problem. I replaced the radiator, thermostate. water pump, fan clutch. By the way their are 3 differnt radiators listed for the Dakota.
Turned out I had a blown head agasket, # 8 cylinder. When the head was removed the spot the gasket blew ate away at the head. I had to have the head welded then resurfaced. I was told by a Dodge mechanic after the job was done that they never machine or repair cylinder heads the issue just comes back. He said they always replace with a new head.
If I was to do this again I think I would just replace the Engine. This happened @ 79K miles by the way.
How convienient for Dodge after the warranty expired!