[matt_baker0723]

Here's what's happening. Tuesday night noticed lots of coolant under the Durango. Take it to my mechanic Wednesday they tell me the radiator was coming apart at the seams and needs to be replaced. Thursday I pick up the Durango with new radiator and everything seemed fine (didn't have to drive far). Friday notice Durango overheating on our way to visit family about 20ish minutes away, this was after driving home from work. Replaced the thermostat Saturday, didn't fix it. Sunday replaced the water pump, didn't seem to fix it. What else should we look at?

Durango is a 2014 Limited with the V6, 153,000 miles. No tow package and no modifications. Included image of temp gauge for reference, it has gone a little higher.

 

[Chase300]

Is the fan working?
Should be screaming at that temp level.

 

[matt_baker0723]

Is the fan working?
Should be screaming at that temp level.

Yes the fan kicks on.

 

[Don Fox]

Matt:
The 3.6L cooling system can be a challenge to remove the air from. I'll bet you have air trapped in there.

Don

 

[matt_baker0723]

Matt:
The 3.6L cooling system can be a challenge to remove the air from. I'll bet you have air trapped in there.

Don

What do we need to try to get the air out? We've done the funnel thing in the radiator and took off the bleed thing that was on the thermostat housing and poured coolant through the radiator until it came out the bleed thing.

 

[Don Fox]

Did you do these steps with the engine running? I have not done the purge on a 3.6L system, so I am not totally familiar with the process. Google is your friend here. There should be helpful videos to show the needed steps.

Don

 

[matt_baker0723]

Did you do these steps with the engine running? I have not done the purge on a 3.6L system, so I am not totally familiar with the process. Google is your friend here. There should be helpful videos to show the needed steps.

Don

We've tried both. We can maybe try the bleeder valve again. We also notice the radiator cap never gets warm even when the engine has gotten to operating temperature. Is that an indicator of air in the system?

 

[Don Fox]

I'd say so. Of course, if you run it long enough closed up with an air bubble, the upper hose should get quite hard. It helps to elevate the front of the D a bit, say on a set of ramps. Running the engine rpms up to 1.5-2K several times helps move the air up and out. Have the heater(s) on full blast. When you experience good heat from both systems, this is a good sign. Continue to top off as the air escapes, and the coolant level drops. IIRC, the temp gauge on the Gen 3 runs around the quarter mark +/- a needle width when things are right, and up to operating temp. What coolant are you using?

Don

 

[Duh-rango]

Go here to see what the FSM recommends for air evacuation from the coolant system.

https://app.chiltonlibrary.com/search/repair

 

[matt_baker0723]

Go here to see what the FSM recommends for air evacuation from the coolant system.

https://app.chiltonlibrary.com/search/repair

The link didn't work for me, sorry. It said the session has timed out.

 

[matt_baker0723]

We've done everything we think we can do short of taking it back to the mechanic. The temp gauge runs up to the white line now almost like that's a new running temp or something. Up until now it has been between the white line and the red. Is the white line too hot? Would driving it at that temp eventually break the engine?

 

[Duh-rango]

Try this link instead.

McDowell County Public Library - Chilton Auto Repair

mcdowellpubliclibrary.org

 

[Chase300]

What type/size radiator did the mechanic install?
I assume the standard size.
Sounds to me like you bled the system correctly...and I'd think any small air the may be in the system would work its way out by now.
Is the thermostat a factory stat or aftermarket? A lot of aftermarket stats don't flow as well as the OEM.
Hard to say if the temp is OK, but I'd say anywhere near mid point on gauge is fine.
If you overheat the engine you risk headgasket failure.

 

[matt_baker0723]

Try this link instead.

McDowell County Public Library - Chilton Auto Repair

mcdowellpubliclibrary.org

That one worked

What type/size radiator did the mechanic install?
I assume the standard size.
Sounds to me like you bleed the system correctly...and I'd think any small air the may be in the system would work its way out.
If the thermostat a factory stat or aftermarket? A lot of aftermarket stats don't flow as well as the OEM.
Hard to say if the temp is OK, but I'd say anywhere near mid point on gauge is fine.
If you overheat the engine you risk headgasket failure.

I'm assuming the radiator is standard as well. The thermostat and water pump came from Auto Zone. The thermostat is a Duralast, it was one that came already assembled in the housing. The water pump is also Duralast. Coolant also came from Auto Zone and is an all purpose type.

 

[Don Fox]

The white line is warmer that it should be, but damage should not occur at the half mark. If it were running up to the 3/4 mark, I'd be more concerned.

Don

 

[matt_baker0723]

The white line is warmer that it should be, but damage should not occur at the half mark. If it were running up to the 3/4 mark, I'd be more concerned.

Don

I tried to answer Chase's question about the thermostat but for some reason my response is waiting for moderator approval. It's a Duralast thermostat from Auto Zone. Also the water pump and coolant added is from Auto Zone. The Duralast thermostat has a temp of 203 degrees. Is the OEM thermostat set to a lower temp? I don't have the original thermostat and I'm having trouble finding the temp of the OEM one.

 

[Duh-rango]

When it comes to coolant I only use OEM as there are 2 different coolant types available:

HOAT (orangish in color) - used up until around 2012-ish, Zerex G-05 is compatible and an alternative.
OAT (purplish in color) - latest and greatest (what your 2014 should be using)

Mixing the two coolants will cause sludge build up and blockage. My co-worker recently had is heater core plugged up do to his shop using the wrong coolant.

HOAT vs OAT Coolant: Know Your Coolant and Save Your Engine

Hey guys, I haven't seen a thread like this here, so I would like to post it up...if the higher powers find it useful enough, I think it should be a sticky, as a very innocent move can cause HAVOC on your entire cooling system/motor. THIS IS BECOMING A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND WILL ONLY GET...

wranglerjkforum.net

 

[vipergg]

Hard to go by color as Zerex Oat for chrysler 2013 and up is orange . Factory fill for wifes 2014 Dodge GC is orange and the color in my 2020 Durango looks orange in the reserve tank . https://www.amazon.com/PEAK-Extende...d_wg=YGb3b&pd_rd_r=a8d55248-4fd5-4785-96af-3b340f83380f&pd_rd_i=B08PC8JJPL&th=1

 

[Don Fox]

The orange stuff was good for 5yrs/100k, whereas the newer purple stuff is rated at 10yrs/150k. The oem spec for the 3.6 and 5.7 is 203 degrees. Duralast does make some good things, but I prefer oem for some things, and T stats are in that group.

The gold colored G-05 coolant is good stuff, but you'll want to do a good flush and get all of the old stuff out before putting it in.


Don

 

[GT_Plus]

I can tell you from experience having replaced more than a few t-stats on my '06 Hemi Daytona that I have run into a wide variety of varying quality issues, regardless of manufacturer or country of origin. Especially true with the lower temp 180s. What once was a fairly simple device that used to be pretty much replace it and forget it for a while now sometimes is a POS out-of-the-box, to lasting maybe a few days or a few months before I have seen failures.

That being said, having had to purge air on the 5.7 countless times, what I do with the bleed port is to screw in a 1/4" barbed fitting, and using a 6 ft. length of hosing I attach one end to the barbed fitting and drop the other into a clean empty bucket in front of my vehicle. I keep a bolt in the end of the tube as the engine warms up and the t-stat opens as I'm pouring in the appropriate coolant using the burp funnel set attached to my coolant bottle. When up to temp, wearing gloves, I CAREFULLY pull out the bolt at the end of the tube using a pliers and begin watching for any trapped air being purged as I continue to top off the funnel. When I'm satisfied I see no more air bubbles, I shut off the engine and carefully plug the hose end again with the bolt. When the engine has cooled down, I removed the barbed fitting and replace the plug, then top off the coolant bottle and re-check the next morning.