I have a Ram 1500 4.7. It's overheating while pulling an enclosed 6X12 trailer.
Normally the temp gauge sits right in the middle and never moves during a drive, but when I hook up the trailer it keep rising until finally it red lines and beeps at me.

I've went through everything. Thermostat, Clutch Fan, Water Pump, and obviously a flush (hehehe) each time. I even disconnected all of the hoses and hooked the hose pipe to it.

How can I tell if the Raditor is blocked? (Before sinking $300 into one)

Do the springs on the thermostat go inside the engine (that seems to make sense) or inside the raditor hose?

 

1. What was the fluid like when you drained it the first time. Did it have crud in it or was the fluid just dark? How many miles on the fluid?
2. Have you cleaned the outside of your radiator to make sure that it is free of road tar, bugs, etc?
3. Is your belt nice and tight or has it worn a bit so it is slipping?
4. Did you replace the thermostat with a quality one? You can check it by placing it in a pot of water, then bring it up to temp, it should pop open. As far as the direction, just put it the same way the OE was.
5. How do you know the water pump is OK, did you just take it off and look at it or just checked for leaks at the weep hole?
6. Did you function test the fan clutch? How?
7. Is the radiator leaking at all? Fluid full?
8. Did you get a new cap or pressure test the radiator cap? This can definitely be a source of headache. I'd probably start with this since you did not mention it.
9. Is it overheting at idle or just when you are driving?

Just some questions to help us pinpoint a particular problem area.

Start here with the following:
1. I'd start by cleaning the outside of the radiator as they like to get coated with bugs and what not. Just make sure that the cleaner that you use is aluminum safe. Also, be sure not to spray with the hose so hard as the bend the aluminum radiator fins over.
2. I'd also check the radiator cap, or better yet, just replace it with a new one.
3. Check the radiator fluid for proper mixture. You can pick up a cheapy gauge for a few bucks.

Good luck and hope this helps.

 

Also more info that could help us:
1) What year is your truck?
2) How much weight is in the trailer?
3) How fast/what speed to you drive around at when it overheats?
4) Where are you, what is the ambient temp, altitude?
5) Are you using the tow/haul setting on the gear selector?
6) How many miles on the truck, and what parts are new?

That plus what osteodoc08 asked, should help in trouble shooting this problem...

BTW, the T-stat should go with the springs facing the engine, not the radiator... That way they can sense how hot the motor is and open up, to let the system cycle cooler fluid from the radiator in. Of course that is if it is working properly...

 

2002 Ram 1500 4.7
Everything that has been replaced is new parts. Including the water pump, thermostat (tested in boiling water), fan clutch.
I would guess the trailer is about 1500lbs.
I'm trying to pull in around 80+ degree weather.
There is no tow haul button just an overdrive on the shifter.
There is 95,000 miles on the truck.

The fluid was kinda cruddy when I first drained it... I feel like its the raditor not cooling properly, but I'm not sure how to test or clean it thourghly. After completly flushing out the system with a hose I can look down in the tank and see sediments.

Does that "Super Flush" stuff by havoline work?

 

Not sure about the havoline stuff, but if your not against doing your own wrenching you may want to remove the radiator and hoses and watch the flow with it out of the truck using a garden hose, plus that will get the sediment out. It should flow through rather unrestricted and when you remove the water feed should drain out fully within a few seconds. If it flows out the top because, its because there is a restriction, also if it is still draining at about the same rate 10-15 seconds after removing the water supply that shows a restriction.
Good luck with it I hope this helps.

 

Sounds like it is time for a new radiator.

 

I spoke with the dealer mechanic today and he said mixing the pink dodge antifreeze (that comes factory) with any other coolant or with non distilled water will cause the pink stuff to gel inside the radiator.

I put in a bottle of "Super Flush" as a last $4 attempt before putting it in a radiator shop and/or buying a new one. The flush says to run the engine 3 to 6 hours. I ran it about 2 and will leave it in overnight, run it again tomorrow, flush and let you know how it works.

It seems pretty badly clogged the bottom 1/3 of the radiator is not as hot as the top 2/3's.

 

OK just remeber to let us know how it works out for you...

 

I know this is an older question but i also have an 05 dodge ram truck doing the exact same thing and I was wondering what ended up being the problem?

 

Harold,

The water passages get blocked by deposits and have to be cleaned off using chemical treatments.

There are two types out there for this, slow acids (phosphoric, citric) for scale removal and sludge removers sodium metasylicate (sp) and similar products.
For best results, use each one, also pull the plugs at the base of the water jackets to drain there also. Center of the block just above the oil pan. I went to the parts store and bought 1/4" petcocks for mine to make it easier next time.

Made a huge difference. Just follow the proper drain and fill method and you can't go wrong