Hey guys, having a problem with my coolant system. The other day I installed smarty jr. , don't know if this has any factor on this problem or not. But later that night I was driving home and my check gauges light came on I looked down and the coolant gauge was about in the red. I check my antifreeze reservoir and its about empty? Don't know where it went? I then find that a heater hose clamp had broke and was leaking , fixed that and my coolant level is good now. Now again tonight on my way home from work I just so happened to look down and it was getting hot again, I let off the throttle and it went back down to normal and never went back up. Also, I noticed just before this that my engine was pretty warm. Probably about 180* on the gauge, but I was still getting cold air out of my vents with the heat wide open? I just don't understand what would cause this? I don't know much about diesels, but it almost seems like a thermostat or something? Any help would be greatly appreciated guys.

 

Check your water pump. Take the cap off and see if you have water flow.

 

I dont even know where the water pump is.

 

I would check the level of coolant again. You may have had air in the system and it was not full enough.

When looking at your engine from the front of the truck it is on the lower left side. 2 bolts hold the water pump on the engine.

 

If you did not top off radiator and only the tank its still low on anifreeze.After sitting overnight and cooling down that tank ought to be low or dry.Top it off again or slightly overfill it or cold take off radiator cap and fill radiator.Make sure line from coolant tank and radiator is tight and not ozzing or leaking also.

 

normally when water pumps go bad the bearings and seal fail.... they will still circulate water unless they freeze up because of the bad bearing, and if that happens you will know it!

 

If you got it hot from lack of coolant-possible damage. When you get it topped off, keep an eye on heater output. If it's hot then cold then hot again with a fluc. temp gauge, got problems.

 

what kind of problems? i think it has done that before. i only have 22k on the truck

 

I just checked it after sitting all night, the tank is still pretty close to full, but i checked the radiator and it wasnt full, i topped it off, took about a half gallon of water/antifreeze.

 

Start it up without the cap, you'll be able to get more in it that way.

 

You have air trapped in the cooling system. Fill the rad, drive it until up to operating temps and then let it cool down and check again. Sometimes it takes several attemps to get all the air out. Or you could go to a rad shop and have them pull a vaccum on the system and then fill it.

 

dealer time

 

 

You are exactly correct. There is air in the system. Need to crank it up without the radiator cap and see how much fluid is in the radiator. When you crank it up make sure you turn on the heater full blast. Fill the radiator full, put the cap back on, drive it down the road and get it hot where the thermostat opens up. Park the truck, let it cool off, and check radiator again. it will probably still be a little low.

 

its air in the system.run it with the cap off up to operating temp,get the stat to open,usually around 180to 195 degrees,you will see coolant movement in the system once the stat opens,fill it drive it check it again.don't drive it with the cap off,just idle it.