Over heating

[72specialized]

I have an 06 Libby Limited. 3.7L auto. I had a new rad installed last year so it had new coolant done at the same time. Last Friday I had to go pick up some items for work so I rented a 6x12 enclosed Uhaul trailer and set off the the hour 20 min drive. About 45 minutes into my drive I notice the heat gauge creeping over the half way point. It's 30degrees Celsius outside. I'm running the ac to keep myself cool so I drop the windows and shut the an off figuring the Heep isn't liking the load and the ac. The heat gauge creeps back to a normal position. All is grand. About 20 min later the heat gauge is fine but then there is a big yellow TRAN TEMP light come on. Oh ****, this can't be good. I pull over and let her cool in the shade of a tree for 20 min or so. All is grand once again. Now today, 5 days later I'm driving in stop and go traffic and after about 25min I notice the heat gauge crawling up again. No trailer this time and it's 32degrees Celsius out. I once again shut off the ac and heat gauge goes down. Once I was back on the highway at 100km/hr I turn on the ac and the heat gauge is fine. I've never had any issues with this happening before and am kinda at a loss of what's going on. Does my Heep just not like the sun gods??? Help/ideas?

 

[M38 Bob]

You have checked the coolant level to make sure it hasn't lowered?

Bob

 

[72specialized]

Yes coolant level is perfect. Thank you.

 

[tjkj2002]

Sounds like a airflow issue and/or a coolant flow issue.


Being a '06 you have the stand alone AUX trans cooler but since the trans is bolted to the engine when the engine starts to overheat so does the trans from heat soak.

 

[72specialized]

I have the jba matrix bumper guard. Not sure maybe if that is playing a part in this. Blocking air flow ?

 

[M38 Bob]

Yes coolant level is perfect. Thank you.

Always good to check the simple things first. Radiator fins full of bugs?

Bob

 

[72specialized]

All three rads are very clean. ****** rad out front is good. The ac rad is good and the engine rad is new and also clean. I make sure I clean it well after a day out playing on the trails. Muddy water can plug it up quickly. I'm driving it today for several hours and the temperature has dropped a few degrees. We will see how it makes out today.

I'm also going to add a switch so I can manually turn on the cooling fan when in slow moving situations (traffic/trails). I was out with some seasoned veterans a month or so ago and they all had that sort of set up with a manual switch to turn on their rad fan to keep things cool when rock climbing. Thought it was a great idea!

 

[M38 Bob]

I'm also going to add a switch so I can manually turn on the cooling fan when in slow moving situations (traffic/trails). I was out with some seasoned veterans a month or so ago and they all had that sort of set up with a manual switch to turn on their rad fan to keep things cool when rock climbing. Thought it was a great idea!

For extreme conditions there's even this;

Hayden 100 - Radiator Mist System | O'Reilly Auto Parts

not anything most of us would need, much less a cure for a cooling system issue, but effective as hell in extreme conditions.

Bob

 

[Birdman330]

All three rads are very clean. ****** rad out front is good. The ac rad is good and the engine rad is new and also clean. I make sure I clean it well after a day out playing on the trails. Muddy water can plug it up quickly. I'm driving it today for several hours and the temperature has dropped a few degrees. We will see how it makes out today.

I'm also going to add a switch so I can manually turn on the cooling fan when in slow moving situations (traffic/trails). I was out with some seasoned veterans a month or so ago and they all had that sort of set up with a manual switch to turn on their rad fan to keep things cool when rock climbing. Thought it was a great idea!

That's one thing I liked about when I was driving Big Rig, having a manual fan switch for when necessary mainly climbing the mountains.

 

[rdemarce]

When you got a new radiator did you get a new cap too? I had an overheating issue and that's all it was.

 

[renegade 04]

I added in a set of manual switches for the main cooling fan, and You would be surprised at what a difference being able to control the fan will make.

 

[uss2defiant]

I added in a set of manual switches for the main cooling fan, and You would be surprised at what a difference being able to control the fan will make.

I still need to do that.

Kinda curious, would anyone be interested in a circuit that reads the coolant temp and battery temp as input parameters to turn on the radiator fan?
The turn on temperature setting would be adjustable.

btw where did you mount your switch?