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Car Forum / Dodge / Dodge Cars / November 200495 Ram V8 sucking antifreeze/overheating?
All, I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, the temp gauge went nuts and almost redlined. I found my coolant reservoir almost empty. I topped off the radiator and the reservoir (while engine was dead-cold), and everything was peachy again. Today (2 weeks later), the temp was fine this morning, but on my way home (20 mile drive), spiked again, and I found the reservoir empty. I dont think its leaking, i didnt see any drippage or anything after it sat a full night in the driveway, but then again, antifreeze evaporates pretty quick... Anyone have any thoughts before I take it to a dealer? Hell, even if I need to take it in, I'd like to have something useful to tell them... Help! Blown head gasket. Get out your checkbook. >All, >I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Help! How do you know? And what does that usually cost? > Blown head gasket. Get out your checkbook. > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >> >>Help! > How do you know? And what does that usually cost? > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >>> >>>Help! Have you checked your oil level? Roy Yeah, it was normal last time it overheated 2 weeks ago. Today, it seems to be at the exact same level, but its dark, and I'm using a flashlight. Will double-check tomorrow in the am when the sun is out. I also didn't notice any oil in the reservoir... Maybe the temp. sensor gasket is leaking? >> How do you know? And what does that usually cost? >> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Roy > Yeah, it was normal last time it overheated 2 weeks ago. Today, it seems to > be at the exact same level, but its dark, and I'm using a flashlight. Will > double-check tomorrow in the am when the sun is out. I also didn't notice > any oil in the reservoir... Maybe the temp. sensor gasket is leaking? Check your oil for coolant in it. how??? >> Yeah, it was normal last time it overheated 2 weeks ago. Today, it seems >> to be at the exact same level, but its dark, and I'm using a flashlight. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Check your oil for coolant in it. Typically your oil will show way overfull on the dipstick. You may also see water droplets on the oil that shows on the dipstick. >how??? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> >> Check your oil for coolant in it. Still shows well below the top of the 'safe' zone, right about where it was last time it overheated and I looked at it... > Typically your oil will show way overfull on the dipstick. You may also > see water droplets on the oil that shows on the dipstick. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >>> >>> Check your oil for coolant in it. >Still shows well below the top of the 'safe' zone, right about where it was >last time it overheated and I looked at it... It could also be a leaky hose or bad water pump >> Typically your oil will show way overfull on the dipstick. You may also >> see water droplets on the oil that shows on the dipstick. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >>>> >>>> Check your oil for coolant in it. >Typically your oil will show way overfull on the dipstick. You may also >see water droplets on the oil that shows on the dipstick. It will appear very foamy. >>how??? >> [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >>> >>> Check your oil for coolant in it. Couple ways. Look at the oil on your dip stick. If its cloudy, milky or gray colored you've got water/coolant in it. Run the engine for a minute then shut off and take the oil fill cap off the valve cover and look down in. Again, if water is in the oil it will look murky. Your oil level may appear to rise too. > how??? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> >>Check your oil for coolant in it. Still shows well below the top of the 'safe' zone, right about where it was last time it overheated and I looked at it... Looked inside the cap, looks like brown oil to me, same on the dipstick, but I'm no expert. Both look like what I see on my mustang (popped the hood for comparisson). > Couple ways. Look at the oil on your dip stick. If its cloudy, milky or > gray colored you've got water/coolant in it. Run the engine for a minute [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >>> >>>Check your oil for coolant in it. If it had coolant in it there would be foam in the oil ad your oil level would be getting higher. Do you smell antifreeze ever? The antifreeze has to be going somewhere. When was the last time it was changed? You might also want to park the truck on cardboard after a long run and look the next day for wet spots.  SignatureIf at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving > how??? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > > > Check your oil for coolant in it. No foam in the oil, and the level hasnt gone up. Never smell antifreeze. No clue when it was last flushed, I've only had it for about 2k miles (warranty expired after 1k:-/), but I put in a full 2 jugs of 50/50 when it overheated last time, so I'm guessing it was damn-near empty. I'd love to park it on cardboard, but its raining... I'll try it this weekend if it clears up. > If it had coolant in it there would be foam in the oil ad your oil level > would be getting higher. Do you smell antifreeze ever? The antifreeze [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >> > >> > Check your oil for coolant in it. >How do you know? And what does that usually cost? Check your oil. If its nice and frothy and foamy, you have ablown head gasket and damn well might have ruined your engine. At the very least do not drive it, have it towed to a dealer for a pricy head gasket repair. >> Blown head gasket. Get out your checkbook. >> [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >>> >>>Help! > All, > I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Help! Water pump leaking? My parents 98 Olds was doing this a month ago and it was a bad water pump. Bob My '95 Ram V-10 was losing antifreeze over a period of time and I couldn't find any problem. Dealer first told me it was evaporating. Finally they ran a careful check and found that the radiator was defective- was leaking while I drove, but not while sitting (out of warranty). I believe it was a cracked tank. I don't know whether that was because of a "hidden warranty" issue or whether they felt responsible for blowing me off while it was under warranty. The Shop Manager did call Chrysler to get permission to do the no-charge job. Paul Johnson I just spoke to a mechanic at the dodge dealer, he told me it was probably an air bubble and I should try to get that out (run w/cap off, heat on) before bringing it in... Guess I'll try that tonight. H > All, > I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Help! > I just spoke to a mechanic at the dodge dealer, he told me it was probably > an air bubble and I should try to get that out (run w/cap off, heat on) > before bringing it in... Guess I'll try that tonight. > > H If its like mine, there is a banjo type screw, or a hex head screw that you loosen on the thermostat housing to remove any air... You really dont want to drive around with the cap off... Oh...and Antifreeze does not evaporate....its oil based... > > All, > > I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > > > Help! Ok, so I bled the air out of the radiator -- there was definately a bubble in there, a big one. Other things to note, that may help troubleshoot... After running the engine for a good 30 minutes, including a very short drive around the block, the front of the radiator is totally cool to the touch. Maybe I didn't run it enough to feel the heat. The fan works, and blows a ton of air, but the arrow did creep very slightly lower at speed. It also creeped a hair lower when I revved it in neutral. I'm accounting the first to air movement over the radiator, the second to higher pressure from the water pump, but what do I know.. Someone also mentioned loosening the hex screw on the cap to let air out, but since I bled it by starting/stopping the engine with the heat on full bore, and filling up when the level dropped significantly, do I still need to? The temp is now stable at 200 where it always is, but does that mean its fixed? Is it safe to drive? > All, > I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Help! has the water pump ever been changed out? especially to an after-market one? > Ok, so I bled the air out of the radiator -- there was definately a bubble > in there, a big one. Other things to note, that may help troubleshoot... [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >> >> Help! I have no clue -- I'm not the original owner. This morning, the coolant level had dropped about 1/3rd of the overflow bottle. > has the water pump ever been changed out? especially to an after-market > one? [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >>> >>> Help! >I have no clue -- I'm not the original owner. This morning, the coolant >level had dropped about 1/3rd of the overflow bottle. WTF!! Get the damn thing pressure tested before you damage it. This has been going on how long? A couple of weeks? > >I have no clue -- I'm not the original owner. This morning, the coolant > >level had dropped about 1/3rd of the overflow bottle. > > WTF!! Get the damn thing pressure tested before you damage it. This has been > going on how long? A couple of weeks? Second that...it is foolish to continue to drive if you know somethings wrong. Hey..thats a loaded gun....wanna play russian roulette? I'm not driving it -- its just sitting in the driveway. After sitting 12 hours, the level had dropped, dont know why. Its going to the mechanic in the morning. H >> >I have no clue -- I'm not the original owner. This morning, the coolant >> >level had dropped about 1/3rd of the overflow bottle. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > wrong. > Hey..thats a loaded gun....wanna play russian roulette? Have you considered the intake gasket; the '97-'98s had a problem - I have changed 2 in the 4 98's Ive owned; and the 96 never pulled anything; and they said the 2000's would have had the problem fixed. Seldom smelled antifreeze oil clean never dripped when parked always a little low on af and they ran a little warmer at the time SignatureDudLee Brennfoerder Edgar, NE 68935 > I'm not driving it -- its just sitting in the driveway. After sitting 12 > hours, the level had dropped, dont know why. Its going to the mechanic in [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > wrong. > > Hey..thats a loaded gun....wanna play russian roulette? Antifreeze does not evaporate quick!!! if you are loosin coolant and cant see where it is going you may have a blown head gasket or even intake gasket sucking coolant thru the engine and out the tail pipe Glenn Chrysler Tech > All, > I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Help! I think the term "may have" is being a little optimistic. In my experience I'd say your symptoms are pretty classic for a blown head gasket, almost a certainty. I'd say the odds of it are 10:1. Hopefully the cylinder head isn't warped. Unless you are capable of doing it yourself and have access to the tools (i.e., a torque wrench) you're probably looking at a major cost repair, (easily several hundred). You'll also need to determine (and fix) whatever caused it. This may be one of those "chicken or the egg" questions. The most common cause of a blown head gasket is overheating, i.e., running it out of coolant, stuck thermostat, etc. Adding cold water to an overheated engine that's boiled itself dry can also warp the block or head and possibly result in a blown head gasket. >Antifreeze does not evaporate quick!!! if you are loosin coolant and cant >see where it is going you may have a blown head gasket or even intake >gasket sucking coolant thru the engine and out the tail pipe try replacing the radiator caps, the new engines run hotter and could be blowing the coolant out as you go down the freeway... not when sitting, had this happen three times to my girlfriends car before I figured it out. also I've seen that orange antifreeze look frothy, anyway I replaced the cap on the reservoir (this system had no cap on the radiator) and the coolant loss and overheating dissappeared. cheap enough to try before going to the shop saggman54 All, I have a 95 Ram 2500, V8 Magnum, about 120k miles.. About two weeks ago, the temp gauge went nuts and almost redlined. I found my coolant reservoir almost empty. I topped off the radiator and the reservoir (while engine was dead-cold), and everything was peachy again. Today (2 weeks later), the temp was fine this morning, but on my way home (20 mile drive), spiked again, and I found the reservoir empty. I dont think its leaking, i didnt see any drippage or anything after it sat a full night in the driveway, but then again, antifreeze evaporates pretty quick... Anyone have any thoughts before I take it to a dealer? Hell, even if I need to take it in, I'd like to have something useful to tell them... Help! |
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