Hi,

i recently got an 04 ram 1500 i had some steering issues had to replace the ps pump and rack & pinion all is good now, but i have an overheating problem. i replaced the thermostat and flushed the rad but it didnt seem to work. if the external temp is cooler then the truck is ok unless i am going uphill it begins to creep up to 3/4, yesterday it was 30 degrees out and just driving around it would go to 3/4 then got stuck in rush hour and it went almost to the red. a friend of mine says he thinks the fan clutch needs replacing. i have a new one ready to put in tomorrow but just thought i would ask to see if anyone might have anymore ideas. i took a small drive this morning, it gets to operating temp pretty quickly i then shut off the engine and turned the fan i could move it easily, when i spun it it didnt spin to far but is easy to move. at highway its is fine and even around town if the weather isnt too hot outside. the main time is when i go uphill or get stuck in traffic or the weather is hot out.

thanks guys

 

Overheating is never good, but if your truck is a 4.7 it can be down-right disastrous! These engines just don't put up with even a mild overheat.

My first guess would be a blockage in the radiator. I'd burp it first, you'll always get an air bubble or two on a flush/refill. Check the hoses and see how well they are flowing. But I've seen a LOT of '02s and then '03s need a new radiator, age is now creeping to that point with the '04s I guess now too.

I change my radiator fluid at 50k in both of my vehicles with a 100k rated coolant, plus I run a bottle of Purple Ice in both. The "Ice" has additives that guard against buildup of contaminants plus has rust inhibitors. Another benefit is I find it keeps the engine temp about 8-10* cooler than just coolant alone.
All this is probably over-kill, but I don't take chances when it comes to over-heating, especially with the 4.7 HO in my Grand Cherokee...

 

I had a similar problem with mine. After replacing the radiator, thermostat and pipes I realized it was a clogged heater core and had to have a new one. That did the trick, but it sure was expensive.

 

Yeah true, heater core can clog just as easily as the radiator can... Just one more reason to change coolant MORE OFTEN than the manufacturer recommends...

 

thanks guys, its a 5.7 engine, you not think i should change the fan clutch then? i drove it 30kms today and spun the fan its pretty free moving is this normal? ill try burping it in the morning or maybe even this evening. do i have to be on an incline to do it?

 

Hammer. I did see on a tv show a ploy about the royal purple coolant. I am happy to hear that it does really help with cooling.

 

is that the name of the coolant. so tomorrow i am going to burp my rad and replace the fan clutch adn hopefully thats the problem fingers crossed ill keep you all posted

thanks

 

No question, at least it does bring engine temps down a tad. Now as far as the anti rust and fouling issues go, I can't really vouch for that. But, my needle on my Grand Cherokee used to settle in right at 210* on a hot summer day and after adding the bottle of Purple Ice (I siphoned 16 oz. directly out of the radiator and poured it in). I saw an almost immediate difference to just a hair under 205*. No big difference for sure, but still a difference.

Now unless they figured out a way to have this liquid lie to a sensor, I'd say it does something, anyway...

 

ok so what is the coolant called? ill look out for it here, how do i test the temp of my coolant my temp gauge doesnt have any numbers on it

 

ok so fan clutch replaced doesnt seem to have made a huge difference, i noticed though when it is getting hot on the gauge i never really hear the fan kick in, is this something i should hear? could it be a sensor not reading the temperature righ and the engine isnt overhearting how would i check the temperature of the coolant at the sensor? i am just trying to think if everything before i resort to a rad replacement and or heater core. i also burped the rad but there wasnt any air coming out. any ideas?