Random Overheating, but Only for a Short Time

Troymclure · 2016-04-03T16:45:11+00:00

Hey guys, Havent been too active here recently, but keep having a recurring problem with my truck overheating. First happened a few weeks ago, as I was driving home from school. Drove on the freeway for about an hour then pulled off to go get some food at a drive thru. As Im sitting waiting, the temp gauge slowly rises until the needle is pinned in the red. At this point Im freaking out, so I pull out of the drive thru and turn the truck off and get out to. To my surprise, the radiator isn't boiling over, nothing seems extra hot and everything seems fine. I go to start the truck up and the temp is back down in the normal range. I drive the truck around the rest of they day and everything is fine. My first assumption was the thermostat was stuck closed, and as it heated up, the pressure would build and force the thermostat open, and it would cool down. Fixed that and nothing changed. The next week it did the same thing in the same drive thru. My next guess was the fan clutch. I thought that since it only happened after long drives on the freeway, then coming to standstill in the drive thru, the thermocouple on the fan clutch was broken, and one the air flow from driving at 70mph would stop, it would take a bit for the fan to kick on to cool it back down. Replaced that, and thought the problem was fixed, since the old one was leaking oil. Fast forward to the next week, and dammit, it happened again. Temp slowly went up to pinned in the red, then after about 30 seconds, came down to normal. At this point I have no idea what could be the cause. My only other guess would be my gauge is having issues or the temp sensor on the motor. Anyone have any input? It would be much apprecciated

Thread starter Troymclure
Start date Apr 3, 2016

Troymclure

New member

Apr 6, 2016

radlynx said:
nobody even suggested to try replacing your ECT sensor. it's located next to the firewall between the cylinder if you have a v6. that's a $50 part. that sensor is what controls the gauge inside the cabin.

Yeah but in between my random overheating, occasional rough starts, failed block test, low coolant level, water gurgling noise in the heater core/dash and strong smell of exhaust in the radiator, Im almost 100% its the headgasket.