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Dodge Durango Overheating Problems

64 messages,  Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 3:54 PM

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#58 of 64 Re: 2000 Durango Overheat [sdout] by sdout Sep 24, 2009 (7:13 pm)
Replying to: sdout (Sep 24, 2009 6:22 pm) I know you said you had your radiator checked. If you removed it or if a mechanic removed it make sure that your electric fan is plugged in and working. It should come on at the half way point or higher. If it is not coming on, you are not getting max airflow and it could be causing your vehicle to run warm because it is not getting the additional help it needs. If it is not coming on, the connection should be at the bottom of the radiator nearly right in the middle. It sounds like a pain to get to but you can actually get to it from under the front of the truck by removing a couple of plastic rivets and bending down the plastic protective cover behind the bumper. I've forgotten it before and had to plug it in this way. Again, I hope this helps, if you have anymore info, I'll do my best with it.
#59 of 64 03 durango engine light by hypnotist1 Oct 10, 2009 (3:11 pm)
this am for the first time the engine light came on had a diagnostic done on it and it said something about emission or something like that sensors tech erased code and light went out suppose it is ok to drive vehicle > Replies to this message: sdout (Oct 11, 2009 11:07 am)
#60 of 64 Re: 03 durango engine light [hypnotist1] by sdout Oct 11, 2009 (11:07 am)
Replying to: hypnotist1 (Oct 10, 2009 3:11 pm) You should be able to check the code, if it happens again by turning the key on and off 3 times (in an earlier post, I have explained exactly how to do this). It will save you the time and money for having to find out what is wrong with your vehicle. An emission problem could be something as simple like an O2 sensor or something more serious like a catalytic converter. Anyhow, when they erase the code, of course the light will go out because there is nothing to notify the computer that there is a problem. If it is an constant problem the engine light will come back on immediately. If it is an intermittent problem then it will come on when the problem happens again. When the codes are cleared, generally the computer has to relearn the operations of the vehicle, so you won't be able to get it smogged or checked within the next day or even possibly the next couple days. If you can get the code, then you can find out how serious your problem is. If they noted the code on the paperwork, you can google it and find out what the problem is. I had a friend who had some strange code on his CR-V, once it was removed it hasn't come back (it's been about 3 years), however most codes are an indication of a sensor failure or a problem and you will see it again if the problem was not resolved. Hope this helps.
#61 of 64 Overheating, oil light and more by lesliesholly Oct 12, 2009 (7:19 am)
I have a '98 Durango SLT with 5.2 engine. There are about 230,000 miles on it, but not all of that is on the current engine--we had to put in a new one in 2005 because of the oil sludge thing that 98s are known for, I don't know what year the current engine is but it was supposed to be free of that problem.   A couple of weeks ago my heater core went bad and we had it bypassed. The mechanic said our radiator probably had a leak and was all corroded inside. Many things do leak out of the car judging from the assortment of puddles in the driveway.   A few days ago I was driving up a mountain when the car started running hotter and hotter. By the time we got to the top it was steaming and in the red zone. When it was time to leave we filled it with water and ran it for a few minutes and it seemed okay, but as soon as we started driving again it went red.   There was nowhere to pull over and once we got to paved road although it was still hot it was running okay. We were trying to make it 11 miles down the road to the gas station to buy coolant. But then the engine started clacking. At first it would stop if I drove slower, but then it was clacking continuously. The oil had been showing a little to the low side, but then abruptly the line fell to zero and we lost all power.   We had to pay $80 to tow the thing back to civilization. The mechanic wants $600 to replace the oil pump before he even begins to evaluate what else might be wrong. We don't have any money.   So my questions are: Does this scenario ring any bells? Is replacing the oil pump the thing to do? Is that a reasonable price (in Knoxville, Tennessee) to do such a thing? If we have to replace the engine, how much should we expect that to cost? Is any of this even worth it, given the age of our car and its mileage?   Thanks.
#62 of 64 2000 Durange 4.7L Overheating Within 10 Minutes by egkpop Oct 15, 2009 (9:44 am)
Please help, sdout!! I cannot travel across my small town and back (about a 10 minute stop-and-go drive) without my Durango overheating to the red line. It never overheated before this. I checked radiator fluid recently, and added what was needed (it was pretty low). Because filling it to capacity hasn't worked, today, I removed the radiator cap and found a fair amount of gunk on the cap and inside where the cap connects (radiator logged?). By the way, if I travel at 55 MPH or higher, the temperature remains below the half-way mark. Also (and I'm not sure how I figured this out) but when the temperature reaches the red line, I can put the car in neutral, rev the engine to 4000-4500 RPMs for 5-10 seconds, and the temperature will lower to near the half-way mark. But the temperature remains low for only a few minutes until climbing back up to the red line. Running the AC does nothing, by the way. I'm trying to keep repair costs to a minimum. Should I start by flushing the system and refilling, then go from there (e.g., replace thermostat, water pump, timing chain cover, radiator, etc.)? Thanks for your help. Reviewing your other forum replies has been very helpful! Replies to this message: sdout (Oct 16, 2009 12:47 pm) egkpop (Oct 16, 2009 3:54 pm)
#63 of 64 Re: 2000 Durange 4.7L Overheating Within 10 Minutes [egkpop] by sdout Oct 16, 2009 (12:47 pm)
Replying to: egkpop (Oct 15, 2009 9:44 am) Thank you for the information. You have made some really good observations and points. At first, I was inclined to think that your fan clutch is working okay because it is providing good air flow over the radiator when you put it in neutral and rev the engine, however, if that was true then why would you need to rev the engine, right? Since the electric fan is suppose to turn on at the halfway point, it makes me wonder if your electric fan is working. Since your vehicle is heating up rather quickly, I would run the vehicle at idle and make the following observations. Does the fan clutch kick on ( the noticeable roar when the temp gauge is over 1/4 but under 1/2 on the temp gauge)? Next, when the vehicle gets to the 1/2 way point does the electric fan kick on? My suspicion is that both of these are working, but I would check these because if they aren't working then we want to get these operating correctly to get the best cooling working for your vehicle. The gunk on the radiator cap is potentially the source of your problem, however it could also be the result. If the gunk is gritty (with metal particals) then I think perhaps something is breaking down (possibly the timing chain cover) and clogging up the radiator reducing the amount of coolant being cooled. If the gunk is thick but doesn't seem to be gritty then it could just be the coolant was old and possibly started clogging up the radiator especially if the level was low for a while. If the gunk is gritty, I would remove the thermostat and check behind it to see if there is any deterioration in the timing chain cover. If you aren't satified, you can check behind the water pump, also. If there is no grit and the gunk is just thick, then you can try to flush the system several times to see if you can get more of the gunk out. I would think you might be able to get some of the gunk out and it might help cooling for a while, but ultimately I think the problem is likely to reoccur in the future. If you are okay with constantly monitoring your temp gauge and routinely flushing your system this might work, however, I would replace the radiator. Here are the steps I would take. Since you are trying to keep costs down, I will put what I think is mandatory and needs to be done and optional on things that might be able to slide until you can afford it.   - Check to see if the fan clutch and electric fan are coming on when they are suppose to, if one or both of them are not functioning, replace. (Mandatory)   - Remove the radiator and have it pressure checked at a radiator shop. If it is clogged, replace it, the hoses and cap. (Radiator - mandatory, Hoses, if in good shape and free of gunk - optional, Radiator cap - this is close to mandatory, but at least it needs to be clean and free of gunk).   - Before installing the radiator flush the rest of the system as thoroughly as possible.   - If you have not changed the belt in a while, change it (If belt looks good - optional)   - Install a new radiator cap (same as above).   - Install new coolant (Mandatory)   If you find your timing chain cover deteriorating, then the timing chain cover will need to be replaced which should include a new water pump and thermostat (mandatory). The radiator will likely be clogged and should be replaced (mandatory) along with the radiator hoses, belt and radiator cap (same as above).   I hope this helps, if you have any other questions or find out anything you need help with, let me know. Replies to this message: egkpop (Oct 16, 2009 3:54 pm)
#64 of 64 Re: 2000 Durange 4.7L Overheating Within 10 Minutes [sdout] by egkpop Oct 16, 2009 (3:54 pm)
Replying to: sdout (Oct 16, 2009 12:47 pm) Wow. You're quite the diagnostician. I am truly grateful. I'll let you know how it goes. Fortunately, I have a friend that can help who's very knowledgeable about cars in general. But your input will definitely get us on the right track, and sooner rather than later. Thanks again!!

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