Were the head gasket the factory ones? I'm beginning to wonder if the
factory head gaskets are worth a shit or not. I know that the 360 I'm
building is going to have really good head gaskets in it... I don't want to
fry another engine from using cheap gaskets...
I found coolant in the oil of my 318 earlier this week... either from head
gasket failure or cracked block... probably caused by the thermostat...
Oh well, nothing I can do about it now... just have to build another
motor...
Later,
Tom "Slick"
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@BUFFNET.NET]On Behalf Of Chris Mangano
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 11:40 AM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: DML: Re: Radiator EXPLODED on a trail...geeeez
Check your head gaskets. If it got that hot you could have blown them?
----- Original Message -----
From: <Killerdak@aol.com>
To: <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 12:32 PM
Subject: DML: Radiator EXPLODED on a trail...geeeez
> OK, so I hit a local trail yesterday afternoon with a buddy in an old
> 4Runner, just cause the trails were nice and slick and we needed a quick
4x4
> fix. Hit a very muddy, soupy, huge, deep mudhole and I got high-centered
on a
> rut, tires spinning, kicking up tons of mud but going nowhere...tried
pulling
> me with the 4Runner but no luck, I was STUCK.
> Apparently I overheated pretty bad because while I'm fishing around the
> toolbox for a shovel and Hi-Lift, I hear a loud BAAAM! and big billowy
clouds
> of steam are coming from the engine bay...CRAP! I shut down the engine,
temp
> gauge is maxed out. Pop the hood, the radiator had exploded and there is
hot
> coolant everywhere. The entire top plastic half of the radiator had blown
> out, ripped to shreds. I was stunned!
> How it happened, not sure. Need to do some investigating. Perhaps electric
> fan did not kick in, perhaps it did not cool fast enough, don't know
yet...
> Had to call another rig with a winch to get me out and towed to the road,
got
> flatbedded home. Can't get a replacement radiator from anywhere for at
least
> a couple days, AutoZone so far had best price. And the Dak is my ONLY
> vehicle...
>
> Has this ever happened to anybody? The guy that winched me out thinks that
> the electric fan is not drawing enough airflow when I'm going slow on
trails,
> thinks a spacer and a shroud might help...?
>
> Also, having the engine overheated like that, is there anything I need to
> check that might have been seriously damaged? There were a couple times
> getting out of the slippery trail that I had to start the engine back up
> (without coolant) to turn the wheels to get unstuck but it was not long...
> ____________________
> Dave Kilian -- Clayton, NC
> '96 Dakota CC 4x4 3.9L 5-spd, 4.10, 4" susp/2" Body lift, 33" MT's etc...
> http://cnc.4x4.org/members/members.php3?member=david_kilian
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