[bbpping]

Hey guys

total noob here, posting to see I can figure out what's wrong with my dad's truck.

During city driving it's mostly fine, but the car very slowly heats up (from mid point to the redline of the temp gauge) while climbing long inclines, or driving on the highway from 55mph - 65mph. If I'm going faster or slower, it won't heat up over middle point.

It also won't overheat if I turn the heater on max inside the car, but that's not gonna work out too well in summer

I replaced the Thermostat and flushed the coolant, that didn't seem to help; I thought it could be because I didn't bleed it properly; but it's been a few months now, wouldn't it work the air out itself by this time?

It's almost like for some reason the stock cooling system can't handle the car anymore...

it's a 2.4l 5spd 4x2 XE extended cab. It only has 50,000miles on it, and has been issue free until this.

Thanks!

 

[NISM0]

I think the radiator is clogged to the point that it needs to be replaced or taken to a radiator shop and have it professionally cleaned. First, I would check the thermo-stat or just replace it if your not sure. After the engine is warmed up, feel the top radiator hose to see if it's super tight and expanded. That's a sign it could be clogged. Turning on the heater pretty much answers your question.

 

[bbpping]

oh yikes...

yeah it is super tight and expanded...

 

[Sartor]

Hey guys

total noob here, posting to see I can figure out what's wrong with my dad's truck.

During city driving it's mostly fine, but the car very slowly heats up (from mid point to the redline of the temp gauge) while climbing long inclines, or driving on the highway from 55mph - 65mph. If I'm going faster or slower, it won't heat up over middle point.

It also won't overheat if I turn the heater on max inside the car, but that's not gonna work out too well in summer

I replaced the Thermostat and flushed the coolant, that didn't seem to help; I thought it could be because I didn't bleed it properly; but it's been a few months now, wouldn't it work the air out itself by this time?

It's almost like for some reason the stock cooling system can't handle the car anymore...

it's a 2.4l 5spd 4x2 XE extended cab. It only has 50,000miles on it, and has been issue free until this.

Thanks!

Only 50k miles on a 2k model? thats friggin awesome. how much u want for it? lol

 

[bbpping]

haha yeah it's an one owner car too

I don't know, i think my dad want to sell it and get something newer after we fix this issue.

But we are up here in Canada, (vancouver, BC). The car is in miles because we came from Houston originally, bought it new at the barret jackson there and drove it to Canada haha.

 

[GrnXnham]

My 2001 XE Frontier had the exact same symptoms last year. It was a partially plugged radiator.

We replaced the radiator with an aftermarket (1/2 the price of Nissans) and the problem was solved.

 

[bbpping]

so apparently the problem just went away on it's own suddenly lol

I'm guessing the clogg must've just loosened up with pressure... I'll keep an eye on it and see if the upper rad hose will get tight after warming up

thanks for all the help!

 

[SHIFT_13]

So I live in NM. Hot summers. My sh*t was gettin warm sittin in traffic. So I unhooked my window washer hose and zip tied it so it sprayed out a fan mist. Then I threw that right in front of my radiator so the water just hits and cools down the truck. It worx good.

 

[NISM0]

Glad to read everything is back to normal.

 

[GrnXnham]

So I live in NM. Hot summers. My sh*t was gettin warm sittin in traffic. So I unhooked my window washer hose and zip tied it so it sprayed out a fan mist. Then I threw that right in front of my radiator so the water just hits and cools down the truck. It worx good.

Is this a serious post? I can't believe that just a little mist on the radiator would actually have any cooling effect at all.

Or maybe this is a tongue-in-cheek post and I'm just falling for it hook, line, and sinker.

 

[SHIFT_13]

When I had my S10 I had a small block in it. I ran a water line across the radiator. It cooled enough to make me happy. Don't believe my word I don't give a Sh*t.

 

[GrnXnham]

Don't believe my word I don't give a Sh*t.

Relax.

I said I thought you were joking not lying.

 

[bbpping]

so it started to overheated again haha

so today I took the rad off and flushed it on it's own, took the themostat out and flushed the entire system, both sways

the old coolant turned into a slight orange color... that can't be good... haha


i then put the rad back on, poured in some "cooling system flush" and filled it with water. Ran it till hot (high idle), drained it and flushed the whole system/rad again.

now everything is back together, i'm just waiting for the silicone to dry before filling it up again...

Cross my fingers and hope it goes well...

 

[rock642]

so it started to overheated again haha

so today I took the rad off and flushed it on it's own, took the themostat out and flushed the entire system, both sways

the old coolant turned into a slight orange color... that can't be good... haha


i then put the rad back on, poured in some "cooling system flush" and filled it with water. Ran it till hot (high idle), drained it and flushed the whole system/rad again.

now everything is back together, i'm just waiting for the silicone to dry before filling it up again...

Cross my fingers and hope it goes well...

Any updates?

 

[bbpping]

haha funny that this reply came today, i was just working on the truck earlier.

anyways about a couple weeks back the radiator i ordered finally came in, and with that replaced, it solved the overheating issue. The old one must've been pretty plugged up with deposits.

a new issue arised though - the car now won't warm up to the proper temperture, and it takes a while just to get out of C on the gauge.

I thought it was a stuck open thermostat, so i opened up the cooling system AGAIN today. Turns out, the thermostat actually shifted inside the housing, i must've put too much RTV the last time i opened it up and flushed the system; the TS was unseated and shifted into the gap between the housing and the cover; i can't believe it wasn't leaking coolant there!

Anyways I put in a new TS in anyways, cleaned everything off and put on just a light bead of RTV.

Now i'm just gonna wait and let it dry.