Over Heating CRD?!

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

Wally3430 wrote:

I said, I like that shinny new 2008 cummins mega cab out on the lot....

They sure as hell will not fix it now. Not when they smell more money. If you do buy it why reward them for their stupidity? Buy from someplace else.

Wally3430 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:14 am

Well, they've had plenty of time to fix it already. The service guy I spoke to seems to be an honest guy. Ah---I wish I was back in Gilbert--at least then I would have a selection of dealers. Up here in Great Falls, there is just nobody here that knows anything about these Jeeps. In fact, I think I have the only diesel Jeep in the city--probably one of about 10 in the state of Montana. Oh, and by the way, I work with a guy that basically had the same problem. Bought a truck, truck broke, dealer couldn't fix, he ended up having the dealer by back his truck FOR WHAT HE PAID FOR IT, then got a new vehicle at employee pricing. He must of went to a dealer with a little integrity...shocking.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 9:11 pm

After taking a closer look, I found an air vent port on the top of left tank. The hose travels over to the coolant tank. I have seen this design use by VW for years and has worked well. The only problem is when the hose plugs up with debris. To check for this, I would remove the hose and probe vent hole with a small drill bit to extract the debris. When coolant flows out the hose, the port is clear. Blowing on the hose with compressed air only moves the debris into the radiator and it will come back again.
This is just one item to check when one reaches the point of frustration and running out of options with over heating problems, but this does happen.

Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/warp2diesel ... 5025280210

Wally3430 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:44 am

So...the mechanic took it cross county over holiday. He managed to duplicate the "overheating" while cruising at 70mph up a hill. The gauge read 3/4. His scanner at the time read 217 F. He stopped and recalibrated. The next hill it read 219 F but the needle read 1/2. Guess this fixes it---we'll see. Funny, the second time I had it in they said they did the exact same thing. Can't wait to try it out....

Herk · **Posted:** Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:39 am

Well I haul a camper over the mountains this weekend with the same overheat issues that most of you have experienced. I have 48000 miles and off to the dealer this week for a re-flash and hauling the same camper over the same mountains this weekend I will keep you posted.

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:36 am

nursecosmo wrote:

Have any of those having the guage tell them the temperature is high actually verified it with a true guage with the temp numbers printed on the face? Autozone sells a nifty little radiator cap with a thermometer built right in for 14 bucks.

Am I missing something here? The only radiator cap I can find where I could put one of these gauges is the one on the plastic overflow container. And if you put it their it won't come in contact with the fluid very often. Where is the "cap on top of the radiator" that people mention where this device could be placed? I searched it fairly carefully and saw nothing resembling a radiator cap.
???
- Chris

Herk · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2008 2:09 am

Well the re-flash helped to make the temp gauge not so sensitive but the overheat issue is still there. How many had luck with the clutch fan? How about the transmission cooler?

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:58 am

As you go higher the air is less dense and cooling is diminished, are you running at high altitude and pulling a heavy load up mountains?
Even electric motors are derated at high altitude so they don't burn up. I remember at a job at 9800 feet they used a 5 horse motor to do the job of a 3 horse motor so it would not burn up.
You may need to do several tricks to increase your cooling capacity if this is the case.

greiswig · **Posted:** Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:26 pm

Herk wrote:

Well the re-flash helped to make the temp gauge not so sensitive but the overheat issue is still there. How many had luck with the clutch fan? How about the transmission cooler?

My fan clutch failed at 50k, but it seized. I wouldn't be surprised if failing on the other side (slipping) is more common.

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:12 am

warp2diesel wrote:

As you go higher the air is less dense and cooling is diminished, are you running at high altitude and pulling a heavy load up mountains?
Even electric motors are derated at high altitude so they don't burn up. I remember at a job at 9800 feet they used a 5 horse motor to do the job of a 3 horse motor so it would not burn up.
You may need to do several tricks to increase your cooling capacity if this is the case.

I go from sea level to about 1,400 feet every day - the last half is a gravel driveway. Hence the need for 4X4 (especially in winter). Even though I put a tow hitch on it so I could tow my trail bikes, I have not dared to because of the ever-lengthening list of problems. I just don't trust the quality of this vehicle. So, no high altitude, no trailers. Just going up my driveway appears to be all it takes to kill this Jeep.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 4:43 am

9,000' Possible, 1,400' no way. Shoot the water outlet with a laser guided digital thermometer. Typically there is a 30f drop between the outside and inside of a typical casting. Basically 150f = 180f inside and 180f=210f inside. The air to boil conversion for a cooling system using 50/50 mix is every 1 PSI of the cap elevates the boiling point by 3f. A 15 PSI cap = 257f boiling point with a 50/50 mix. Now you have the Engineering cheat sheet info, you can determine if the gauge is a liar. Since the head is aluminum you could shoot the cylinder head next to the sending unit and check it out when it pulls the stunt. Code readers are nice but they only report what is reported to them and like politicians of every party in the Universe, even the most honest will lie.

Good luck.

gmctd · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:54 am

I'd bet your condenser fins are way plugged, and your c\a-cooler fins are plugged, and your radiator fins are half plugged with the various detritus sucked up whilst traversing that gravel driveway in the fall\winter\spring climes - pull the fan and shroud, try a wet back-flush straight into the fins from the engine-side - may require pulling the radiator and c\a-c to really clean the condenser fins

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 3:15 pm

Pull the top flap between the inter cooler and radiator and take a look in there too. Since the gap between the radiator and the inter cooler will mess up any attempt to flush the debris out from behind the radiator. You may be able to make a wand out of 1/2" PVC pipe that will fit in the space so you can do what GMCTD is recommending. I would put and end cap on the PVC pipe and drill a 3/32 " hole perpendicular to the axis of the pipe through the end cap. Connect the other end to the garden hose and go for it. If the 3/32" hole is too small, drill it out a little bigger.
If you want to be highly analytical (like an Engineer with a PE) before you try the simple fix, measure the temp of the top radiator inlet and the outlet. If you do not have a 20f or more temperature drop you can bet the fins are clogged with debris.

gmctd · **Posted:** Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:59 pm

Always: measure twice, cut once.................

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:47 pm

gmctd wrote:

I'd bet your condenser fins are way plugged, and your c\a-cooler fins are plugged, and your radiator fins are half plugged with the various detritus sucked up whilst traversing that gravel driveway in the fall\winter\spring climes - pull the fan and shroud, try a wet back-flush straight into the fins from the engine-side - may require pulling the radiator and c\a-c to really clean the condenser fins

I'll use the laser guided missile uh, I mean temp gauge and shoot this thing later this afternoon when it gets hot. (90F + expected) I'll check the top of the radiator, the engine head and various other parts to get a temperature profile for it. (I can't imagine checking the hoses or overflow would do much good because they are insulative)

I will also inspect the various cooling fins and take my air hose, water hose and power washer, respectively, to the backside of all of them and then do the driveway test again.

But still, the first time I noticed the overheating problem was when I first bought the thing - with only 15K miles on it. I took it up a long, steep stretch of logging road in 18" of wet snow and did not notice anything until ding ding ding ding of the warning bell. I glanced down and the gauge was pegged. I let it idle to cool down, which it did very quickly. I then took it to the stealer where they told me nothing was wrong and that I did not have the VIN# that required the gauge cluster reflash. Apparently I was imagining the whole event.
However, recently, it has been getting worse....

gmctd · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:50 pm

Did you check at that original event for iced-up heat exchanger fins - ac condenser, c\a cooler, radiator?

Be very careful with that power washer - in fact, I'd advise against it, as automotive heat exchanger construction hasn't been up to power washer par for many years

Good hot water at normal pressure from the lower spigot on your home water heater should just about do it, and much safer, mechanically

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:56 pm

gmctd wrote:

Did you check at that original event for iced-up heat exchanger fins - ac condenser, c\a cooler, radiator?

Be very careful with that power washer - in fact, I'd advise against it, as automotive heat exchanger construction hasn't been up to power washer par for many years

Good hot water at normal pressure from the lower spigot on your home water heater should just about do it, and much safer, mechanically

Good advice.

No, I did not check for icing problems during the first event partly because it was above freezing. I was taking it on it's first snow trial and was only a few miles into the Cascades in slushy, rapidly melting low elevation snow. Perhaps the radiator got plugged with snow....but it does seem suspicious that the overall problem still occurs on a regular basis coming up my driveway.

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:31 pm

I pointed the laser thermometer at various places on the engine before driving, after driving for an hour on a country road and then after reaching the top of my driveway with the AC running.
The sections I pointed to get a broad spectrum of data included: The cylinder head, the reservoir tank, the radiator fins, the turbo and the coolant outlet casting where it connects to the hose. This last spot is what I assume is probably closest to the actual temperature of the water since it is conductive and in constant contact with the hottest water.
Results:
Cylinder head ambient: 75 deg. F
Tank: 75
Fins: 75
Turbo: 75
Outlet: 75

Flat country road w/AC
Cylinder head: 192 deg. F
Tank: 150
Fins: inconclusive
Turbo: 380
Outlet: 190

Top of driveway w/AC
Cylinder head: 225 deg. F
Tank: 190
Fins: inconclusive
Turbo: 400
Outlet: 220

I can't vouch for the accuracy of this thing but based upon pointing it at myself it appears to be about 3-4 deg. on the low side so we could safely add this to the temperature.

That is quite a spread of temps, no?

No debris anywhere in the fins. In fact they look prestine. My drive is usually damp so there is little chance of much getting up into them.

Comments?

gmctd · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:38 pm

How does that compare to the significant other's '06

KeighJeigh · **Posted:** Tue Aug 12, 2008 10:30 pm

gmctd wrote:

How does that compare to the significant other's '06

She just got home....so I drove both of them up and down the drive with the AC running.
Unfortunately, I could not get mine to do it's thing.
I'm focusing on the head and outlet temps.
The wife's 06 was 210-220 range at the outlet.
My last run showed with mine showed in the same range....but I couldn't get the dang needle to budge this time! It stayed 1 tick to the left no matter what I did.
However, ambient air temps are down to 68 deg. now so....who knows...
Perhaps I need to take a late night drive up onto the logging roads and see what she does after 5,000 vertical feet of up.

Over Heating CRD?!

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