Cooling issues/plugged radiator

[WiscoRedkneck]

Since I got the truck back on the road abouta year ago I have been fighting cooling problems.  FYI the truck sat torn apart for almost 3 years and endured me moving twice during the process.

When I first got it going it started to overheat sitting in the driveway at idle on a 95° day.

I found a bad water pump replaced that and flushed the system.  I try to flush the system once a year, after I replaced the pump I was good or so I thought.  The truck would sit at 190 and with a large trailer it would creep up but never overheat and it was only at slow speeds.  I replaced the clutch in the fan and made an improvement and now when the engine revs up you can here the fan so that was bad for awhile .  Yesterday it climbed well past 190 again  so I let it cool down and pulled the thermostat and still at idle at 90°degrees ambient temperature it still goes past 190 at idle but drops down after I start moving.  I'm thinking plugged radiator but I don't know any more... any thoughts?

[Hawkez]

Have you ever pulled the radiator to see how dirty it is?  They are simple to pull and if you haven't rerouted your CCV it is more than likely covered in grime and dirt which would not allow air to pass through the fins and cool.  I had this issue with mine.  I pulled it and soaked it in degreaser and used a pressure washer to clean it.  It was simple and my truck stays cool now.  Is it losing fluid?

[TFaoro]

@WiscoRedkneck, out of curiosity, where did you get your fan clutch? I can't seem to find one that will unlock when the truck is cool.

 

As for your overheating, I agree with @Hawkez. You're likely very plugged up causing your issue. (Crank case vent being the issue)

You definitely do have an issue, but once you get it sorted out remember Cummins spec says you can run the engine at 220 all day and never hurt it  

[WiscoRedkneck]

@Hawkez no I have not pulled the radiator ever and with 327,000 I think it is due.  I will pull it out this weekend and inspect it.

@TFaoro it is a Napa brand clutch fan I was leery about it as my last one I got for the old Durrango took 3 trys to get one that worked right.

No I'm not loosing coolant fyi and the ccv tube hangs below the radiator now it got fixed about 75,000 miles ago.

[dripley]

The only time you ought to hear the fan running is on first strat up or when under heavy load. You will hear run on first start up and some times on a hot start up. Should not run for long, just enough to get the fluid right in the fan clutch. I know when mine comes on it sounds like a turbo prop plane is passing over me.

[Mopar1973Man]

@Taz I've had to flush the face of his radiator twice now. He was having overheating problems. I've got to pull it completely out some day so I can really flush it right. I not able to really get all the mud and bugs out of it. This is even on a 3rd Gen truck. I've got to wash mine down weekly from all the bugs and road miles. 

[TFaoro]

4 hours ago, WiscoRedkneck said:

@Hawkez no I have not pulled the radiator ever and with 327,000 I think it is due.  I will pull it out this weekend and inspect it.

@TFaoro it is a Napa brand clutch fan I was leery about it as my last one I got for the old Durrango took 3 trys to get one that worked right.

No I'm not loosing coolant fyi and the ccv tube hangs below the radiator now it got fixed about 75,000 miles ago.

Lucky!  Been through 5 Napa's and gave up. 

3 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

@Taz I've had to flush the face of his radiator twice now. He was having overheating problems. I've got to pull it completely out some day so I can really flush it right. I not able to really get all the mud and bugs out of it. This is even on a 3rd Gen truck. I've got to wash mine down weekly from all the bugs and road miles. 

No bugs, no rocks, nothing gets in here. Cheap and easy to do! 

 

[JAG1]

13 hours ago, dripley said:

The only time you ought to hear the fan running is on first strat up or when under heavy load. You will hear run on first start up and some times on a hot start up. Should not run for long, just enough to get the fluid right in the fan clutch. I know when mine comes on it sounds like a turbo prop plane is passing over me.

This is good information and is the same I've experienced with three different Cummins engines, two that I now own and one I owned in the past. Thanks Dripley as long as your name doesn't come from having  leaky radiator it's cool. lol

 

Tyler, TFaoro, I do the same thing with a piece of screen on mine. I can shake all them bugs right off the screen. Need it on my 01 thanks for the reminder to do thiat

Edited July 15, 2017 by JAG1

[WiscoRedkneck]

Friday after work I was able to examine the radiator and I found the radiator filled debris and what not(used video scope light and mirror).  

Now later that night at a gathering I ran into an old friend who happens to be a off road heavy equipment mechanic so I asked what he reccomends, his response "it's easy happens all the time we'll link up Sunday and get it fixed"  t

 

So today we started and finished in under an hour and a half.

 I started by spraying the radiator down with a compressed air degreaser wand from the front pushing back towards the engine btw the wand fit quite well in between radiator and intercooler let it soak 5 minutes spray engine side towards intercooler wait 10 minutes then repeat the front going back towards engine now wait 25 minutes.  Blow out front with radiator wand going back towards engine. Now take a hose and start rinsing from engine side going out you can get between 75 and 85 percent of the radiator with the shroud still on you just need to wiggle around soak everything until water is clear. Use radiator wand and blow from in between radiator and intercooler towards engine then go the other way once most moisture is removed start engine.

Also added 190° thermostat back into system and added coolant for that lost in thermostat change.

 

Results,

Engine temp indicator sits right on top of the number 1 just below the 190 center point indicator were as it used to sit on the 9 or the zero plus now it's steady as can be.  The fan kicks on for at start up but I'm yet to have it kick on excessively like it did before the cleaning,  IMHO i feel this way is effective at cleaning a plugged radiator is it perfect probably not but it worked 

[Mopar1973Man]

Make sure not to use metal screens. They will eat into the tubing and coolers if you not careful... Ask me how I know. 

 

If you do put the metal screen on your grill not the coolers much safe and less damage.

Edited July 17, 2017 by Mopar1973Man

[TFaoro]

4 minutes ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Make sure not to use metal screens. They will eat into the tubing and coolers if you not careful... Ask me how I know. 

 

If you do put the metal screen on your grill not the coolers much safe and less damage.

Plastic!!!

My dad's has been on since 96. The condenser still looks brand new at 180k.

[jlbayes]

Was gonna say....190* is far from over heating.