Hello, I am having an issue with my pick up overheating on me while towing. I live in Oregon and while pulling a pass my heat guage kept climbing past 1/2 and would come down unless I pulled over and let it sit. It runs perfect around town just under 1/2 on the heat guage and only heats up when towing. My cousin has the exact same truck and trailer and his reaches 1/2 and then drops down to below half. it repeats that and never heats up. Any ideas?

Thank you very much for posting. Mark

 

There are a few threads w/ guys who had similar symptoms and the possible causes if you do a search. Take a look at these threads https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...erheating.html and https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...-elec-fan.html
First check and make sure your thermostat is opening up, then check the radiator for cool spots when your at operating temps (this could mean a clogged radiator), and after that it could be a bad clutch fan, bad radiator cap or any number of things. Good luck.

 

Pull your thermostat, put it in a pot of boiling water and see if it opens, if not, that's a simple $15 fix. Otherwise follow the steps mentioned above, cooling issues are not uncommon on the 4.7, they like to clog radiators.

 

Thank you very much for the input. I had my cousin drive his truck to my house and listened to his truck after it stopped running and noticed a difference between the two. After I shut mine off it still makes hissing wheezing sounds for 5-10 seconds then stops. His, is silent when he shuts his down. What do you think? I also have a code P0038?? o2 sensor. Problably gas cap huh?

 

As said before, the 4.7s seem to have a common cooling issue and there are plenty of threads on this from other owners.

 

if that code P0038 is for an 02 sensor what in the world would make you think it would be the gas cap?

 

put a new radiator on it!!! thats the problem. i have a 4.7 and it was overheating so i replaced the thermostat..still had problems. then i replaced the water pump..still overheating... i talked to several different people they were surprised. then someone suggested feeling for cool spots on the radiator. ended up that it did feel cold so i replaced it.... no more problems. are you having idle problems?? i did then after the new radiator no more.. and that hissing sound is going to be coolant that has pressure behind it squeezing through your clogged radiator, which also causes idle problems!! my coolant was circulating so i didnt think that there was anything wrong with the radiator, but apparently it wasnt circulating as good as it was supposed to. i hope this helps because i know what you are going through trust me!!