lhfarm

I put 50/50 coolant in it. So would I be safe in taking it for a short test drive (no more than a couple of miles)? Given the cold weather and no place to work on it, I think I'll try to get it in somewhere. Don't have a trusted mechanic, but now might be a great time to find one.

Barry

PNW EFFONEFIFTY

Yes you'll be fine with a quick trip into town. Double check coolant level is up to max at the COLD mark (assuming your truck is actually cold) and keep an eye on the temp gauge. If it starts getting too hot then pull over and let it cool down a bit and recheck coolant level.

I've never been to a mechanic since I've always worked on my own vehicles however if I was to go to one I'd steer clear of any type of dealers (Ford, GM or other). Always over priced and sometimes don't care for customer satisfaction as much as the smaller guys that depend on that word of mouth from happy customers to stay open.

Good luck and please report back when you find the culprit.

lhfarm

Just took the same trip to where the truck started overheating yesterday. All seems fine, including the heater! I'm going to watch for any leaks and may do a flush.

Thanks for all the help. When I find out more, I'll report back.

Barry

lhfarm

I'm fairly new to the area and haven't found a local shop, so bite the bullet and went to the dealer. Had them do a complete system check and flush. Everything checked out (no leaks, etc.) but they recommended I replace the thermostat. As mentioned here they suspect the thermostat had been stuck, even though it was working properly now.

It was expensive, but glad I had it checked. Plan on keeping the truck for a long time.

Thanks again to everyone. Your good advice saved me both worries and even more money. I was ready to have it towed to a shop, but at least didn't have that added to the bill.

Barry

Hongstertruck

So, you lost about 1 and 3/4 gallon of coolant but no leak to be found!
That is a mind boggling problem to me.

lhfarm

There was probably a bunch lost when it overheated. Probably shouldn't post since EPA might be watching, but when looked at the gravel where the truck had been parked, it was clear that a lot of something had been dumped. I couldn't see it when the truck was there.

But I agree with you. That was a lot to boil out.

Hongstertruck

Glad to hear. And glad you had the thermostat replaced. Hopefully the thermostat was the culprit stuck closed.
Thanks for the feedback.

VTX1800N1

A stuck closed thermostat would not prevent cabin heat. I think you have additional issues.

Hongstertruck

That's not all true.
If a thermostat is stuck closed, pressure raised and blew out 1 and 3/4 gallon so there none left to circulate and therefore no heat.

VTX1800N1

Actually, it is. A stuck open thermostat would let coolant circulate through the radiator all the time and the engine would not get up to operating temperature, especially in cold weather. A stuck closed thermostat would cause the engine to quickly overheat, but coolant will still circulate through the heater core. At some point you will get cabin heat, at least until the engine loses coolant pressure. You will get a lot of cabin heat until the engine boils over. From what he described, he wasn't getting any.