Engine overheating

[Billybriggs]

My 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4.7 L is constantly overheating and can barely make it two miles down the road without the gauge going pretty high. We just had an oil change done on the truck and it is now happening more frequently. There's also the fact that there is a four-wheel drive engine and the truck is a two-wheel drive truck. Although this may part of the problem that I was wondering if anyone knows how to fix the overheating issue.

 

[Dinky]

My 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 4.7 L is constantly overheating and can barely make it two miles.

When's the last time you flushed the coolant?

 

[Billybriggs]

When's the last time you flushed the coolant?

Don't remember but it's been a while. Probably over a year

 

[Jeepwalker]

Did you check the T-stat?

Is the radiator over-pressurising? Check the hoses to see if they're super-rock-hard due to high pressure when it heats up. Wouldn't hurt to check the radiator, ...smell for combustion gasses and look for bubbles in the coolant (could indicate a bad headgasket).

Check the lower radiator hose. Squeeze to make sure there's a spring in it. Is it real spongy and soft? A flacid lower radiator hose can literally pinch together (suction) at road speeds ...cutting off coolant flow.

Sticking T-stat is the most common overheating source though.

 

[Dinky]

Don't remember but it's been a while. Probably over a year

Check fluid level and maybe change thermostat.

 

[Jeepwalker]

It shouldn't matter what the engine is out of, btw

 

[Billybriggs]

Did you check the T-stat?

Is the radiator over-pressurising? Check the hoses to see if they're super-rock-hard due to high pressure when it heats up. Wouldn't hurt to check the radiator, ...smell for combustion gasses and look for bubbles in the coolant (could indicate a bad headgasket).

Check the lower radiator hose. Squeeze to make sure there's a spring in it. Is it real spongy and soft? A flacid lower radiator hose can literally pinch together (suction) at road speeds ...cutting off coolant flow.

Sticking T-stat is the most common overheating source though.

The top radiator hose seems fine. The bottom radiator hose has something almost like a rock inside of it. Could this be the Spring?

 

[indept]

First off the engine is the same in 2wd & 4wd so that's not an issue. Is the fluid full? Does your truck have an electric fan, if so is it working? When it starts getting hot, feel the hoses, is the top hose hot, if not then the t stat is most likely stuck. When you say it barely makes it 2 miles, is that stop & go or highway miles? If highway runs cooler then check radiator fan.

 

[huntergreen]

If this engine actually overheated, it’s time to look for a new engine. They don’t tolerate overheating at all.

 

[Colt4thHorseman]

Thermostat is bad

 

[EdGs]

Wonder what the problem was.