Hey guys,
I bought a 2004 ram 1500, 5.7, QC about 4 months ago.
I love it so far, the only problem I'm having is when I take it off-road it starts to overheat. It doesnt peg the temp needle, it goes about 3/4 of the way to red. It only does it when there's a lot of load on the truck (like pulling Chevy's out) and the truck isn't moving that fast.
So It seems like it could be normal, I just wanted to see if it happens to anyone else.
It has fresh coolant and the radiator is clean.

 

Normal highway/interstate driving puts my truck at a little over half way on the temp gauge with the stock fan. I'd imagine having it in 4x4 and the higher revving it does offroad, pulling out chevys, etc, would do it. I think you'd only have to worry if that needle is all the way in the red. Does it have the tow package (ie. tranny cooler)?

If you are really worried about it get an e-fan. A good e-fan will help a lot. It's my next project.

 

Are you in 4 low when this happens?

 

mine got just over the halfway mark which it usualy never does during regular driving, but i was drivin in 4 wheel drive goin through a ton of mud and was gettin reved up pretty high, so id say its somewhat normal

 

Yeah mine usually sits a touch under halfway, that's why it made me a little nervous.
It's happened in 4-hi and 4-low. When I pull other trucks I normally have it in low, so the engine doesn't have to work as hard. Have any of you guys tried Water Wetter?

 

I am thinking maybe your clutch on your fan slipping. So you are not getting as much air as needed to keep your engine cool while going at slower speeds.

 

yea its normal, i do alot of offroad with mine also, and when i start towing my buddys out it goes that high.. even higher now with my sand filled rad lol ...

 

Change your gears so the motor isn't having to work so hard. 4.56's are sounding about what you need my friend. Then also change to a 180 thermostat and an efan.

 

THAT is the single biggest reason I installed my Flex-a-Lite E-FAN, pulls 3300 cfm no matter if you are standing still or doing 90 on the highway.

A clutch fan spins in relation to engine rpm...

 

would that be this one??
http://www.jegs.com/i/Flex-a-lite/400/183/10002/-1