Radiator

[04RAM_3]

I think I'm going to have to put a radiator in my 04 with the 4.7 and M5 tranny. I can get one from the local O'Reilly's, or I can get an aluminum Champion three row from ebay for a similar price. I'm wondering of the three row will fit with enough clearance for the factory fan.

 

[GTyankee]

First go to a Radiator/Air Conditioning shop
Tell them what your issue is, or if it is driveable, take it to that kind of shop.

A Radiator / A/C shop almost always can get radiators that are better & less costly than an Auto Parts store

If your radiator has no plastic in its construction
It can be cleaned out & repaired to be like New

 

[04RAM_3]

No local shops anymore here. Radiator looks to be the original with the stickers still on it. It runs fine. Just gets warm on hills and then can't cool back down. It's not overheating, just getting warm to the point of about 3/4 on the gauge, but I want to resolve this before it overheats if you know what I mean. It's got 143,000 miles on it now and I drive it about 600 miles a week

 

[GTyankee]

California has Radiator / Air Conditioning shops everywhere

In my town alone, there must be 10 of them & at least 3 of them have been in business at least 40 years.
Where do you think the owners of Hot Rods & Classic vehicles go ?

 

[Atcer2018]

No local shops anymore here. Radiator looks to be the original with the stickers still on it. It runs fine. Just gets warm on hills and then can't cool back down. It's not overheating, just getting warm to the point of about 3/4 on the gauge, but I want to resolve this before it overheats if you know what I mean. It's got 143,000 miles on it now and I drive it about 600 miles a week

Run RMI25 through the cooling system. It’s a very good product and will remove contaminants and slime out to the overflow tank where you can suck it out with a pump or fluid syringe. Also is the water pump original? Sounds like your cooling system is operating as it should but the fluid isn’t circulating properly. A worn water pump doesn’t move the fluid efficiently. My daughter’s boyfriend had an old F150 with about 150k on it. The thing never overheated but wouldn’t produce heat in the winter. No heater core leaks and after back flushing the core it ran clean. We pulled the water pump and it literally had no fins left on it. They were worn so badly it couldn’t move fluid well. It never made noise or leaked but was worn out internally.

 

[04RAM_3]

It looks like a new water pump. Still shiney even

 

[04RAM_3]

RM125. I will look for it tomorrow. Thank you

 

[sailorboy]

Flush the rad out with a good flushing fluid and follow the direction on the can.

 

[04RAM_3]

Flush the rad out with a good flushing fluid and follow the direction on the can.

Did that Saturday

 

[Atcer2018]

It looks like a new water pump. Still shiney even

If you have flushed the system, no leaks and sure the thermostat and radiator are working efficiently you really only have the water pump left. Exterior condition isn’t an indicator of internal condition. Some aftermarket pumps have chrome or polished aluminum housings. Heck some aftermarket water pumps fail out of the box or don’t work effectively. How long have you owned the truck? If it’s new to you the previous owner may have installed the cheapest pump available knowing they were getting rid of the vehicle. With all you’ve done to correct the overheat condition it sounds like the system is in good condition but the volume of fluid moving through it isn’t sufficient. Please keep us updated on the radiator replacement and if that fixes the issue.

 

[04RAM_3]

If you have flushed the system, no leaks and sure the thermostat and radiator are working efficiently you really only have the water pump left. Exterior condition isn’t an indicator of internal condition. Some aftermarket pumps have chrome or polished aluminum housings. Heck some aftermarket water pumps fail out of the box or don’t work effectively. How long have you owned the truck? If it’s new to you the previous owner may have installed the cheapest pump available knowing they were getting rid of the vehicle. With all you’ve done to correct the overheat condition it sounds like the system is in good condition but the volume of fluid moving through it isn’t sufficient. Please keep us updated on the radiator replacement and if that fixes the issue.

Will do. I got it apart today. Since it's apart, I might as well install a new pump. Then everything will be new

 

[04RAM_3]

Got it back together today. It runs perfectly. It better! It has a new cooling system in it now. 90 degrees today and it didn't vary the temperature at all. Even pulling hills with the A / C on! Stoked!

 

[Atcer2018]

Got it back together today. It runs perfectly. It better! It has a new cooling system in it now. 90 degrees today and it didn't vary the temperature at all. Even pulling hills with the A / C on! Stoked!

Congrats! You work fast. Happy it worked out well for you.