Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 hemp gradually starts to overheat
Asked by Zach Oct 25, 2017 at 10:41 PM about the 2008 Dodge RAM 1500 Big Horn Quad Cab 4WD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I have a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7 hemi. The problem is
if I sit parked for awhile it will start to over heat but when
I’m driving it stays cool and has no issues. I replaced the
thermostat already and has same issue still. I drove 14 to
straight like this and didn’t overheat just when I’m parked
for awhile
9 Answers
have you check the radiator if coolant flows ? also heat core may be clogged
Another thing the check would be if the fan clutch is working as its supposed to
The radiator fins may be clogged with bugs and dirt. Use a garden hose and give it a bath. I would caution you that if you use a car wash pressure wand to clean the radiator, be very careful cause too much pressure at the wrong angle will collapse the cooling fins.
The radiator is new from last year because it had a hole in it so I don’t think it’s the radiator. I’ll have to check my fan today to see if it comes on.
A quick check of the fans is to unplug them and directly connect them to the battery and see if they run. Polarity is not an issue as they will run backwards.
You guys are missing the fact that it probably doesn't have electric fan(s). As I stated above check the fan clutch, if you can spin it by hand (with the engine off), there's little to no resistance and the fan blades will spin the fan clutch is bad. Also have you removed the fan shroud? It plays an very important role in cooling as does the clearance between the fan blades and the shroud and the depth of the blades in relation to the shroud, it should line up about halfway through the blades. The other possibility is a bad water pump, the most obvious sign would be that it's spewing the coolant out of the overflow tube as its overheating. Hope this helps
Yes, the fan clutch on these vehicles causes lots of problems. I would agree with Brianator on this.
I'm having the same issue with a Chrysler 300 my problem is that the fan stays on low not high like it's supposed to so you may have that issue
