My van Is a 2009 with 3.3 T/C. the temp gauge started going up when I was stop at idle, it never went in the red, but when I started moving again it came back to normal. When I got home after dark I look all around did not see any leaks, but the Reservoir was a little low about down to the bottom of the neck. I could not open the cap to look in the radiator it was to hot. Could this be the only problem? Thanks
David

 

Sounds like the classic. It goes like this....

1) Antifreeze not been changed after 5 years use.
2) Therefore ally radiator for coolant corrodes and gets blocked.
3) Thermostat jams in the open position as it is designed to.
4) Driver observes a lot of up and down movement in temp. gauge.

Remedy; change radiator, (it won't flush), replace thermostat or fit Leedsman's second thermostat in top hose (see posting and pix.). Fill with 50-50 solution of HOAT antifreeze such as Comma Go-5. Run it a few miles to get rid of air in the system, top up header tank as required.
Cost? There could be some change out of £300 as a DIY job. Might buy you a packet of ****.

Leedsman.
ps, one assumes the cooler fans were working.

 

Did some looking today in the light and when I move the to heater core hose It leaks. I can't tell if it is coming from the hose or the male part of the heater core. Is this a regular problem? If its the male end of the heater core what do I do with that? As soon as it stops raining I will pull the heater hose and look at the end of that. Pray for me. Thanks for the help
David

 

It was the hose, it look like it had been put on badly. But I just bought this van how do I know what coolant was in it? It was green Ha Ha You said replace it with HOAT not knowing whats in it should I replace all off it? If so what is the best way to do it DIY I have to save money Thanks
David

 

If I were you I'd replace the antifreeze immediate. This HOAT stuff is orange usually, and it stands for "Hybrid-Organic-Antifreeze-Technology". On second thoughts, it could be "Acid-Technology". It's specially mixed for long-term use where there is much aluminium about such as cyl. heads, radiator cores. When ally "rusts" it forms a white excrescence which is hard, blocks the rad. and makes cyl. head bolts seize. This corrosion won't flush. The Comma GO-5 is HOAT antifreeze according to it's description. There should be no trouble, as draining is by taking off the bottom hose. (My old rad. which I kept, has a little drain tap at the bottom,-- this may do the job if yours also has the tap).Just be sure you get the air out of the sysyem.
Handy tip to know:-- You can tell if an ally rad has become blocked with corrosion if you look along the top of the rad. It should be dead-straight. If it has a slight curve, it's blocked. This tip was from a rad. manufacturer, "Northern Radiators" here in Leeds.
The antifreeze should be replaced after 5 years for sure, otherwise much grief and expense. So if you buy a second-hand motor over 5 years old with an ally. rad., this situation should be investigated pronto.

Leedsman.

 

Thanks for the info. If I pull the bottom hose will that get all the green coolant out so I can put the HOAT stuff in instead? Thanks for your time and help.
David

 

Sorry to keep asking so much but should I replace the Thermostat at the same time. and is there any other thing that needs to be done when I do the coolant change? Thanks
David

 

IAT / OAT / NOAT / HOAT. What you should use is HOAT and HOAT is always called GO-5.

HOAT can be two different colours, (1) orange which has 10% recycled antifreeze and (2) yellow [the better one] which has no recycled antifreeze content. The Comma brand of GO-5, usually the only really accessible one in the UK [Chrysler (MS-9769)] There is a 5 year shelf life from the date of manufacture, the date can be identified from a five figure code printed on the bottle. The first three figures indicate the day of the year, the last two figures the year.

 

I agree.

Close, according to my owners manual it stands for "Hybrid Organic Additive Technology"

Comma G05 in not available in the US, we have Zerex G-05 instead.

Thanks for the great tip.

George

 

Okay, so I'll ask the obvious question: Are the cooling fans operating properly?