This weekend in preparation for selling my old house, I towed my 1968 21' travel trailer approximately 70 miles from my old house to my parents house. All seemed to be going well (oil pressure was good, but the temp was a tad bit "warmer" than normal almost to the 225 mark, that is straight up and down right?) I got to Tomahawk, WI and had to drive through town as my parents live on the far side and I noticed that the engine temp really started to climb while I was in town (about 3/4 of the way to red.) Once I got out of town and drove the remaining 7 miles to my parents house the temp began to drop again and all seemed fine although I think I smelt coolant.

On the drive home at 65 mph everything was great, engine temp sat at the usual spot (just below the halfway point 225?) and never moved. Since then however anytime I drive around in the city the temp seems to want to climb if I'm not moving faster than 35mph.

My question is...you ready? NOW WHAT? I'm guessing either the clutch fan is not fully engaging or the thermostat is not fully opening. Either way I'm strapped for cash and really can't afford a million dollar repair bill right now so I hope the my extended bumper to bumper warranty will cover it.

What is your opinions as to what the problem is and how do I go about knowing for sure, I don't plan to do the work myself, but I have a very unhealthy distrust of mechanics as I have had them try to sell me services that I don't need.

The truck's stats:

2002 Ram 1500 4x4
5.9L 360ci Gas - All stock 113,500 miles
3.55 Gears (I know I know, but I can't afford to change them.)

 

Could be the water pump....check it and see if coolant is coming out the weep hole. Do you do regular maintenance to your cooling system...i.e. you don't have the original coolant in there?

 

I don't appear to be leaking anything anywhere (except the condensation by the AC when its running.) In the morning when I fire the ol' girl up the concrete is completely dry under the truck.

As far as the coolant maintenance goes...your guess is as good as mine...I bought her about 6 months ago from a dealer in Fon du Lac, Wi with about 104,000 miles on her and I haven't gotten around to checking that out. Anything that I could look for in a quick and dirty sort of way that would give me any indication if the coolant system has been flushed lately? I'm not the most mechanically inclined and tend to call my DIY maintenance quits at oil changes, plugs wires, and filters...beyond that I pay someone to fix it, so I'm not sure where I should be looking, etc.

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I'd flush the system and replace the stat either way but you can buy little strips that test the acid content of the coolant...you just dip the strip in the coolant. If you're smelling coolant in the cab your heater core could have a tiny leak. Any leak in the system would lower the coolants boiling point from the lack of pressure build up.

Go to any autozone and rent a coolant system pressure tester...they'll let you use it for free. Look up the allowed pressure loss tolerances for your truck and thens ee where you stand.

 

As far as the smelling coolant goes, it only happened once and I'm not 100% sure that was what I was smelling.

The 220 million dollar question is how do I change the t-stat and flush the system? I am clueless here and have never even attempted it before.

 

Try the simple stuff first. Check the coolant level when the engine is cold and top up if necessary. Then check the oil level and while the dipstick is out, smell the oil on the end to see if you smell gas. Check the oil filler cap next to make sure all you see around the cap is oil and not a white emulsion. Swap the coolant pressure cap for a new one (they are very cheap. You can pay a few bucks more and get one with a built in temp gauge.
If your truck has aan electric fan as well as the mechanical one, (my 2003 hemi does) jump some power to it to see if it kicks in.
If the temp is still in the normal range during non-towing operation, there is a good chance you dont have a problem but I would pull a couple of plugs to check the color of the electrode and strap. If they are white - its overheating and you need to report back here.
Hope this helps
Steve

 

See if the fan has any front to rear wobble when you wiggle the fan blade. If so, the clutch is shot.
Below 50mph, you need the fan in most cases (especially with the a/c on) to keep it cool. Only at highway speeds would you not need the fan.
1/2 way up on the stock gauge should be about 200 or 210, not 225.

 

After listening to all the suggestions and replies from you fine individuals I realized that this one is beyond my abilities and made an appointment with the local dodge dealership (thank god for bumper to bumper extended warranties.) I'll let you gents know what they find and what the final bill would've been.

Edit: I went outside and spun the fan by hand with the truck off and cold and it spun...fairly easily and stopped almost immediately when I shut the truck down...comparatively the fan seemed to "free spin" ~ 5 seconds when I shut the truck down warm last night and my understanding is when the truck is at operating temperature it should be locked up and stop much much faster. I'm beginning to think that it is the clutch fan that is the problem, but as I said...i'll be sure to let you gents know.