Wow, I can't believe the pressure could build up high enough to cause that
in a properly working radiator! Heh, was the radiator cap welded on? It's
only supposed to withstand 15 psi or so before allowing coolant out to the
overflow. Is your overflow hose blocked? I'd guess even if it were blocked
another hose would have blown before the radiator.
Regards, Mike Klinke
-----Original Message-----
From: Killerdak@aol.com <Killerdak@aol.com>
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net <dakota-truck@buffnet.net>
Date: Sunday, January 21, 2001 11:49 AM
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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