# Overheated my truck--Please Reply



## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

Hi I overheated my truck, the radiator began spraying and as soon as the truck began creeping to close to the red I shut it off. It eventually was on the first red line but the truck never quite I stopped and a few minutes later the radiator started spewing. What will happen with it. Will it be okay other than needing a new radiator? Will it have major damage? Just looking for some information. Also It would start when I left, if it starts when I go back to look at it after it cools down would it be smart or okay to drive it home? (About 3 miles all down hill and flat).


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

All it takes is once. I wouldn't drive it home if it doesn't have coolant in it. I overheated my truck once, it never quit running and still had a little coolant in it. But it caused two lifters to burn up and warped a head. I wouldn't risk it if I were you. Good luck.


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

It dose still run I went just checked on it. If it has coolant in the plastic container would it be okay?


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Maybe, but better safe than sorry. After you get it figured out, check the hoses, sometimes they will bulge from overheating too much, then they tend to leak. Any time I've replaced a radiator, I've done upper, lower and heater hoses.

What I meant to say is, Ask chet.


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

Well would it have had to cause any other problems than the radiator, to tell you the truth it has needed a knew one for about a year I guess I backed myself into a corner there. The truck starts the same ,runs the same, sounds the same and seems to be fine. I just wonder if I wait until about 11:00 tonight after it cools down whether it would be okay to drive. I am not completely sure it even leaked all its fluid out.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Do you know exactly what location it is leaking from? You said it's needed a new one for about a year, so is this not the first overheat? 

What kind of truck is it?

From what you have said, if you can verify that the leak is in the radiator, swap it out and run with it, just make sure you fill the system and not just the radiator, make sure to 'burp' the hoses to get air out, run the engine to let the thermostat open and coolant in the block, then top it off again.

But before any of that, make sure you ask chet, he'll have more of the story I just tried to tell :wink:


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

This is the first time it has overheated and it I think it put a knew hole in the radiator. (I pm'd chet by the way) The new one is at the top and the old one was down at the bottom, it is a chevrolet S10, I have worked the heck out of it before and it never has even came close to overheating but I had to put some more coolant in it today and may have overfilled it. It never quite I turned it off when I felt it was getting too hot. It didn't spurt out a very big puddle after I went back up and took a look at it. If it still has coolant would it be okay to at least get home, I know a mechanic that can look at it there and I don't dare tow it with a truck and chain because its 4WD. I just want to get it home if it is okay I know where I can order a radiator and already have the right one bookmarked. I'm pretty sure its okay it dosen't have any different sounds that weren't there before today. Anyway hope its okay its been a good truck.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

It is easy to tow a 4wd, you just need to shift your transfer case into neutral before you tow it. That will disengage your drive train behind the transmission.


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

Ya but I've heard towing a 4WD can ruin the 4WD thats coming from a mechanic. I talked to my mechanic and he said it would be okay to drive home because he also knew the radiator needed work and said it probably will be fine just a new radiator.($130) I was planning on getting a new one soon anyway.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

You could have a stuck thermostat.

Was the upper radiator hose pressured up? 

Can you see any coolant in the radiator? 

Is the oil level good? Has oil been changed recently?


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

The radiator did spew out some coolant when it overheated. This wasn't a major overheating I got it turned off before it was in the red and to my knowledge it never quite reached the red. There is still a full thing of coolant in the coolant reservoir so... Just last week is when I changed the oil I checked that to tonight (I got the truck home) it is at a perfect level, I also replaced the oil filter. I'll be replacing the thermostat and radiator within the next week it didn't even make it past 150 on the way down so I don't know.


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

Have you checked your fan. If not working properly it will cause it to overheat.


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## chet (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm assuming it's a 4.3?? if so, it'll be just fine. If it's an older 2.8 model, just drop it off at tree's house and go on with life.

First you need to find out WHY it overheated. In order of most commonly occured:
Radiator plugged and not flowing properly.
A/C condensor plugged with bugs (I've seen birds in there too) preventing air flow through the radiator.
Faulty radiator cap, If it pops off at 5psi you'll boil for sure.
Low coolant level, not a huge deal until its VERY low, because the water pump sucks off the bottom.
Thermostat stuck closed, or acting sparatic. makes the guage fluctuate up and down and up and down.
Water pump, I have seen impellers completely rotted away.
Fan shroud missing. Yes that peice of plastic is EXTREMELY important. With out it the fan pulls air around the radiator instead of through it.
Fan clutch, your S-10 does NOT have an electric fan. It has a thermo-clutch bolted to the fan blade that hydraulically "locks" up when the radiator gets hot. Usually when they fail they lock up more often and are very noisy, or the bearing goes bad and the fan wobbles.

What would I do?
I'd buy a new radiator, cap, t-stat, and hoses. And install them after I blew out the fins on the condensor and flushed the engine block. Dont use cheap coolant!
You could try flushing the radiator, but lets face it $130 is CHEAP!!! Hell that'll barely fill up my Super Duty!

Hers's some tips:
When the needle's climbing and your only a few miles from home, TURN OFF THE A/C! In fact turn on the heater, it will act like a radiator and could just save a tow bill (not to mention a head gasket)
If you feel like you need to pull over to let it cool, dont shut it off. Give it a little gas, just off of idle, this will accelerate the water pump and the fan making the system more efficient. If you shut it off the water in the block will boil. But sometimes it's just too **** hot and you have no choice but to shut it down.

I need to jump in the shower, bye


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

chet said:


> If you feel like you need to pull over to let it cool, dont shut it off. Give it a little gas, just off of idle, this will accelerate the water pump and the fan making the system more efficient. If you shut it off the water in the block will boil. But sometimes it's just too **** hot and you have no choice but to shut it down.


This works well unless........Your water pump, or fan clutch has gone bad. If thats the case you will be causing more of a problem. So watch your temperature gauge closely. :wink: If the gauge doesn't stop climbing, or even stop falling after around a minute of idling shut her down.


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

The fan shroud has been toren up by the fan and is not all there, but after looking at it the radiator didn't sprout a knew hole the top whose was just spraying. Like I said this isn't the best radiator and although I have taken it on the mountain before with it this is the first time in the heat. It ran fine on the drive back (it is a 4.3) and no odd sounds or anything were present. It still had a full coolant resovoir and on the way back never got over 150-175 degrees. The fan runs fine and the truck seems to be okay, like I said in never before I left the truck to let it cool down got to the red. The truck has never heated up before and has always been very steady in temperature every time it runs in the same place. Good truck I don't want to ship it off so I better be careful. Ya after replacing radiators in a few other things especially $130 is cheap and worth it for a truck worth quite a bit more. Anyway hopefully the radiator will get here soon enough.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

fixed blade said:


> chet said:
> 
> 
> > If you feel like you need to pull over to let it cool, dont shut it off. Give it a little gas, just off of idle, this will accelerate the water pump and the fan making the system more efficient. If you shut it off the water in the block will boil. But sometimes it's just too **** hot and you have no choice but to shut it down.
> ...


Did you just question chet's advice? Are you crazy? Do you want his address chet? He lives close by. Just let me know, I'll help you rough him up and steal his Old Milwaukee and cheap whisky. :lol:


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

Chet and I argue all the time. Especially over Napa and car quest auto parts. :lol:


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## buggsz24 (Mar 18, 2008)

I was already leaning toward no on your will my truck pull this trailer thread, now after seeing this issue I'm guessing you either ignored the No folks, or they were right before you even tried.


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## HJR (Sep 21, 2007)

This is a different truck: NOTICE this post was posted before the can my truck pull it question: This was a Chevy S10 that overheated because the radiator is plugged, the truck I was going to pull the trailer with is a Chevy Silverado 1500, I would appreciate it if you read my entire thread.


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## buggsz24 (Mar 18, 2008)

Both chevys and neither one can get the job done....hum?

I actually read both posts, but the subject line "can i tow it", followed by "my truck overheated is it dead" is funny when it happens on the same forum, let alone posted by the same person.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

He posted the overheated truck post before the trailer hauling post. Anyway, did you really want to let the cat out of the bag and get me into Chevy's again. Any Chevy can keep up with any Ford any Dodge and do it a whole lot faster and better.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

So, what I think you just said 1Deer#1, is that dog $hit smells better than skunks and rotten fish, is that correct?


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## buggsz24 (Mar 18, 2008)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> He posted the overheated truck post before the trailer hauling post.


that may be true, but the order (based on last post) was can i tow, then overheated. Not the same truck, same poster so its very funny.



#1DEER 1-I said:


> Any Chevy can keep up with any Ford any Dodge and do it a whole lot faster and better.


Its not really all that hard for a Chev to stay close to a Ford or a Dodge when the tow chain pulling the Chev is short.


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## chet (Sep 7, 2007)

whenever fixed tries to argue with me, he ends up telling me to bite his choad????? I dont know what that is, but I think it has something to do with owning a vette....... 8)


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

> whenever fixed tries to argue with me, he ends up telling me to bite his choad????? I dont know what that is, but I think it has something to do with owning a vette....... 8)


Wow fixed you gotta get off that gut pile.


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

Chet, you lying bastage. :evil:


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> He posted the overheated truck post before the trailer hauling post. Anyway, did you really want to let the cat out of the bag and get me into Chevy's again. Any Chevy can keep up with any Ford any Dodge and do it a whole lot faster and better.


Not the one(s) in this thread. :? _(O)_ :roll:


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