Overheating/Temp Gauge Problems

[apimpdad]

I was in the drive through at Wendy's yesterday with the windows up and the a/c on and my truck just started overheating. The coolant temp was almost in the red with me just sitting there idling. Now, here is another thing, when I got home, i rolled the windows up and as i held both buttons in the roll up position the coolant temp gauge jumped up. I don't know if there is a short in the system or what but it shouldn't be overheating like that in the first place. Any opinions on what it may be?

[Crazy Ivan]

I don't think there is a short in the system, but who knows.
I just replaced my radiator (summer is here, and my radiator ran on a high side when I tow heavy trailer.) So I got mishimoto radiator (Toyota Tundra Performance Aluminum Radiator Manual, 2000-2004, by Mishimoto) and it seems like it improved cooling. I will report back if interested.

[csawyer]

Maybe you need a new thermostat??

[Crazy Ivan]

I had similar problem when my fan clutch quit.

[apimpdad]

Tinik, I remember reading your how to on fixing the fan clutch. Maybe that is my problem so I will look into that.

[Boosted27606]

Hey Pimp,

Sometimes when the battery gets old, the whole electrical functioning of the car ( or truck ) seems to go berserk.

In that case, I can't see any relation between using the windows and overheating ( unless the voltage drops due to the battery being bad ). If the voltage drops, then maybe the gauges act funny and you are not actually overheating.

Check battery and alternator function to make sure before replacing anything.

let us know what you find !

[apimpdad]

Hey Pimp,

Sometimes when the battery gets old, the whole electrical functioning of the car ( or truck ) seems to go berserk.

In that case, I can't see any relation between using the windows and overheating ( unless the voltage drops due to the battery being bad ). If the voltage drops, then maybe the gauges act funny and you are not actually overheating.

Check battery and alternator function to make sure before replacing anything.

let us know what you find !

The battery is less than a year old, so I doubt that is it, but I will double check anyway. I think I am going to do what Tinik did and re-build the fan clutch or whatever. It is definitely overheating, because when it did, my tranny temp gauge rose too, because the sensor for it is located right beneath the engine, so the heat from the motor affects my tranny temp sensor.

[muvico]

my friends 2001 overheated , it was the water pump.It had 110. it was original,same as tim belt.

[Herbicidal]

Could it...maybe....just possibly be....a radiator clogged with mud? Naaaaah! No way! That truck NEVER goes off-road!

[apimpdad]

Could it...maybe....just possibly be....a radiator clogged with mud? Naaaaah! No way! That truck NEVER goes off-road!

LOL, you would post that picture! But the radiator has been cleaned multiple times since then. Yes, there still is mud in it, but you cant get all of it out unless you remove the radiator. So, in that case, I am going to remove the radiator, spray it out completely, replace the fan clutch lube or whatever it is, and put in new coolant.

[yspert]

do this: get the temp high and then flood the radiator with a garden
hose. if the temp comes down, then your problem is "air flow"...fan
clutch, mud, etc.
if the temp does not come down, then you have a flow problem...clogged
radiator, thermostat, etc. yspert

[SVH]

I would start with the thermostat...they are easy to change and it costs like $15. The fan clutch will probably be more like $75. However, I've had overheating problems several times and none of them have ever been the thermostat (although it is always my first order of business). One time it was a clogged radiator and the other 2 were both water pumps.

[SVH]

I forgot to ask what happened next in that mudding photo...didja make it out? Cool photo!

[UnSub]

You might want to check the radiator cap also. Sometimes it can be the simplest thing of all. Good luck.

[yspert]

(((( self censored ))))

yspert