Truck running hot
 

Well the last week here has been hot. I have seen 100+ on the OHC on 3 different days including yesterday and today. Okay here is the situation. First off I have an e-fan mounted in the stock shroud. I didn't have A/C working in my truck for a long time but recharged it on Saturday.

On Saturday while sitting in traffic with A/C running the stock temp gauge got close to hitting the red line. I turned off the A/C opened the windows and turned on the defroster. That helped it cool down and I didn't over heat. The rest of the day it was fine but still ran a little on the hot side. I kept the A/C off. Temp for that day was high 90's. I saw the OHC hit 100 but that was while in traffic so I don't know how accurate that was.

On Tuesday. Went off road and spent a lot of time in 4x4. I even spent time in 4 low and had the A/C on. OHC temp was over 100 and I believe it because it was freakin hot. I turned the A/C off and turned on the defroster and didn't get it cooler. I stopped for a few minutes and opened the hood and kept the Efan running. That helped it cool to a point I felt safe driving it out of the woods. On the way home I kept the speed above 40mph but the temp gauge stayed high the whole way home (35 minute ride) and I kept the A/C off. Temp on the road was in the high 90's.

Today Wednesday. Took an hour drive through Philly but on the interstates. I was running the A/C for most of the drive. I ran the A/C till the interstate without the temp getting to hot. Once on the interstate I decided to push the new gears and see what the truck felt like up around 75mph. Felt alright but anyway. The truck got hot quick once I went over 60. I turned off the A/C and drove with the windows open. OHC Temp at that time was around 95. I kept my eye on the gauge and it stayed consistent but ran hot for just about all of the drive. At one point the OHC read 103 and that was at 60mph so I would call that the actual temp. The truck didn't like that very much and if I tried to go over 60mph the temp would immediately start to go up.


So all in all it sucks to drive my truck when it is above 95*. So is my problem directly a result of the AC? Do I need a new thermostat I replaced the one in there now a couple months ago about 10,000miles? I have been worried I may need a new water pump soon since it has a very small leak. Is it time for a water pump? I need to flush and replace my fluid since it hasn't been done since I bought the truck 2 years and 45000 miles ago. Is my overheating because of it needing new fluid?

Just FYI, when you have the defroster on, it is still running the A/C system. The only two settings that the A/C system is not running is vent only or floor only. All the other settings (except for off of course) run the A/C system.

Yes I know that but there is no way in hell I am putting heat on my feet or face when it is close to 100 degrees.

First , I'd drain and flush the cooling system.
Second , invest in a new water pump,since you said it's leaking.
Third , I'd remove the radiator and backwash it.(garden hose aimed at the engine side of the radiator) to remove the bugs and crud.
Fourth , install a new themostat,again.
Fifth ,check the temperature the e-fan turns on at.The controller may be set too high.
And finally,after topping off the antifreeze with the oft recommended 50/50 mix,and driving around the block once or twice,park the truck facing uphill till it cools enough to remove the radiator cap.Top it off again.


edit:Almost forgot; check the inside of the upper and lower radiator hoses for cracks.If you see even one , replace both.

very nice advice. I will get right on that asap. Unfortunately that asap won't be until next friday. Hopefully I can stick it out till then. I only have to drive to work and back and it is 30 miles round trip. And the truck doesn't move most weekends and this weekend I will be away so it will sit.

wharton is sand right? if so the radiator is plugged.

btw the defrost is not the thing to run, as mentioned above.

is the fan turning at a good speed still?

Wharton is most definitely sand. Do you mean the inside of the radiator is plugged or the outside like the fins.

The fan still runs strong.

I know the defrost is not the thing to run but like I said I wasn't about to have heat blowing at me from the vents and no chance it is being put on floor since the floor gets hot enough since I don't have a carpet so it is just sheet metal. not having a carpet sucks worse in the summer than in the winter. But soon enough I will have a herculined floor pan and then a custom carpet job.

The fins are most likely plugged.That's why I suggested backwashing the radiator as you'll take it out anyway to avoid damaging it when you change the pump.
If you need to run the defrost without the A/C just unplug the compressor clutch wire.

If you do a bit of offroading I suggest really cleaning out the fins on the outside of the radiator.

Even if they look clean I am sure there is alot of crud stuck in there.

Maybe even take it all the way out, and flush the system while your at it

Good advice here.. but don't forget that the rad cap spring gets weaker and weaker over time. If it's the original one I'd replace it too. If it can't hold the pressure then the boiling point is lower. Which translates into overheating easier and easier the weaker that spring gets.

Rich

It sounds like the exact same problem I have. I'm guessing clogged radiator, and I bet your coolant is dark and ruined. We have been PM'ing so i'll let u know how everything works out that I have done.

Also, don't run the air when off roadiing, you are getting very little air when the vehicle is moving at 5 mph and working like that....

Normally I don't but when it is 100*+ it is freakin hot.

^^^ I know but if its to hot for you to handle....stay home....lol j/k.

Seriously tho, I NEVER run my air, ever. It takes away to much power and gas mileage...

:bigeyes2:

I'm about the opposite. One thing I promised myself when I graduated college was that I'd always have AC.
I went so far as to tint the side windows 20% just to help stay cool too. I mean... I like my ac set to "snow". And of coarse.. I married a fine lady who likes the ac set one click below "inferno". :squareeye

As far as power consumpton.. set it on max ac. When the humidity gets pulled out of the cab (max = 95% recirc air 5% fresh air) your compressor will run less and less to keep the cab cool. (True for any car)

The underdrive pulley I have made a BIG difference in the low rpm / light throttle power too. ac performance is down a little at 700 rpm idle.. but it's worth the power increase to me.

Rich

I always use my AC if it's hot, especially on the highway. I love it cold on the "snow" setting too, haha. It doesn't just keep it cool it conditions the air and makes it less humid too, which is good. I've never noticed a decrease in power or gas mileage. If I did, I wouldn't mind losing the 1 MPG loss which is what, like 25 cents or something at the gas pump.

In terms of what I loose offroad while running the AC I don't really care since I have the 4.56 gears. And in terms of gas mileage I don't really care either as long as it is above 12mpg. I know it is a truck and i know I am not going to ever get 20+mpg again in it so I don't think about mpg.

If it is above 80 and humid my AC will be on. If it is not humid I will have the windows open up to about 90 then the AC will be on. But luckily for us here in Jersey it is humid most days of the summer.

Its hot and humid here in Michigan but I don't have AC at home so I am use to it. When I go to work I am the only one that has long sleeves on in the middle of summer, I freeeeeeze in that ice box office.....

I can stand the heat up to and around 90* but once it goes above that it really slows me down. I am prone to heat related illness. I have had heat stroke 3 times. I have suffered from heat exhaustion more times than I can count. I try to stay very cool although this summer I have tried to acclimate myself to it more. I work outside and the AC in the house stays around 80*. So driving in the car is normally the only time I really crank the AC. My wife needs a sweater for work and even though the temp on the central air is set to 78 at night she needs a blanket.

Everyone is different, I know that my brother works in the heat all day and once he goes home, he is pretty much asleep on the sofa. I guess it all depends on the individual....

BTW, sorry to hear about the heat stroke, I have heard thats hard on a person...

Yeah I have always envied those people like yourself that can deal with the heat. A guy I work with anytime I say man is it hot he says in return eh its not that bad. Meanwhile I will be on my second shirt of the morning.

Heat stroke sucks. I got it once when I was about 11 after spending all day out in the August sun playing baseball. I collapsed, blacked-out, and woke up 3 hours later. The second time I was about 14 at football practice in August in full equipment I puked a few times and had a terrible headache everything was spinning. It took a few days for me to get back to my regular diet. And the most recent time (22years old) I was working in an attic on a 98*day. We guessed it must have been close to 140 in the attic. I somehow drove home walked into my house and then collapsed face first in the living room. It took three days for me to feel right again. I didn't want to eat or drink anything and my body pretty much hurt all over.


Now I have learned the warning signs for myself and stop what I am doing immediately and move to a cooler area and drink cool water.

Fluids are a must for sure, I make sure that I always have water in hand when its really hot out. Although I do feel the strain of dehydration when I am working in the heat while drinking beer all day....lol.