2003 Dodge Ram crew cab 1500 4.7 Redlined/over heated with no fluid leaking
engine oil level at right spot on dip stick (oil also cools the engine)
all that and no proof of overheating, the gauge sensor is bad.
step 1 for me would be a new gauge sensor, or scan it first for sure.
or the thermostat is bad.
or RAD cap bad.
what does this mean
"had approx 4 of antifreeze in it" ??? please elaborate this?
i guess,drained it and measured how much came out? in quarts or liters? means the test tool, concentration is 40% not 50% test in car
coolant look rusty color of have oil in it or carbon black dust floating it the coolant?
16 quarts (4 gallons). (ok 4 means gallons i bet) and is.
rad, dead cold.. must be 50% no more , less,
best is when cold , check rad level read cap off, and full
if not full we find out why first. is overflow side tank bad? hose missing or fell off?
Evidence LIST mine.:
overheat has many symptoms. not just the funky dash gauge.
fan belt bad, serp belt damaged or tension'er springs dead.
leaks to the road,
leaks to the passenger well <(not you it was bypassed)
leak to pan,(oil will look like milk chocolate. drink !)
leaks to combustion chamber spark plug tips go toa super ugly nasty mess. 1 or 2 can ..
Engine pings, "aka Knocks /detonation) Gas engines.
Next-Generation engine.
4.7-Liter Magnum®, SOHC 12-Valve SMPI V-8
Loss of power hot. for many reasons but ping is top cause.
noise from engine increases.!
Check engine lamp comes on.? (CEL)???
to prove it overheated , do and scan it, see ECT readings
ECT is the engine coolant temp sensor. it will be 180f to 200F
on a hot engine, and way more hotter.
the rad cap raise the boiling point via pressure. 15psi to
from 212° F water and 50% AF 223f to 268° F
never run a thermostat over 7 years, that is there life span.
(tests before, during or after)
scan tools can be used parked, and running or driving and logging
or parked later, scan and see stored DTC or pending DTC
DTC are errors. and can be very helpful on any failure
like DTC telling ECT readings wrong or too slow.
DTC= diagnostic trouble codes.
also learn that if the coolant level in the RAD is allow by you drop for any reasons, the ECT can lie to you with air pockets at the ECT
or even cause a gauge surging reading, up and down , madly.
learn now to check the RAD level properly
some of these cars the engine has, 2 coolant sensors.
ECT and the Gauge sensor , the later is 1 wire sensor and can fail.
so it is overheating or the sensor lies. or coolant levels were low check cold next morning at the RAD cap off, (buy a new cap)
a 19 year old cap or thermostat is very wrong, that old.
Hoses must not leak hot engine , hood up, seen with eyes.
there is simple IR GUN test for the RAD to find bad clogged RAD core tube. be shame top change every related part on the engine
and not do the IR Gun test, to find cool running tubes, that are in fact clogged up.(deep inside)
the only hard problem to diagnose this is water pump impeller blades rusted down 1/2 way, ouch
there is RAD pressure leak down test.
there is RAD test device that discovers exhaust fumes and has blue/green chem reaction to tell the fact.
this is my 20 year old car answer.
there is more, some RADs have trans cooler inside and when rust out and coolant is sent to the transmission(omg), so trans oil is checked for the milky effect. (dip stick looks)
I hope our sender was bad. (gauge) and 1hours work and $5 cost; DIY
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