Can i ask a dodge truck question

[Hosedragger622]

My sons truck, 1996 1/2 ton p/u with 318 motor, upper radiator hose blew off t-stat hosing, hose still good and clamp still intact, any possible reason for this besides loose or bad clamp? Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Coley]

Is the truck and its hose and cooling system fully original?
in other words are all the hoses connected to the right heater and bypass points?....or have any of the hoses being re-routed due to a heater core failure or whatever else reason?
Have you checked the thermostat to make sure it is functioning correctly?...I think it would normally be found inside the t-stat housing. Its easy to check....remove it and put it in a pot of boiling water....it should open up.
Water is not compressible, so if it can't get through somewhere....then the pressure that will build up behind increases...a lot and it will blow through something.

my two bits...so far

Coley

[GR8-68]

Really you need to use a thermometer to be sure it opens up at the correct temperature, you do not want it opening at boiling point.

[demian5]

Jack up the radiator cap and slide a chevy under it.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

It may be overheating or the pressure cap is defective. More then likely the clamp was not tight.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by demian5

Jack up the radiator cap and slide a chevy under it.

Wrenchbender has the likely culprit, but I like your answer. No mercy in these parts!

[toolboxchev]

Dont worry about it. Dodge is having a sale on all new trucks, even giving away a free puppy dog with every purchase.

Again dont worry, you will never have to walk home alone again!

[Coley]

...Again dont worry, you will never have to walk home alone again!

Cruel.....funny!...but cruel.

I'm not a big dodge fan...but they have sure built some good engines.


Coley

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by demian5

Jack up the radiator cap and slide a chevy under it.

Best. Comment. EVER!

Gary

[GR8-68]

Seeing this has turned into a beat up the Dodge, I drive a 2013 Ram reason being it rides 10x better than the Chevrolet I test drove. To bad they couldn't get their game up on Dodge because I have always been a chevy man, or should I say GM

[ApacheNick]

Hate to be the one to say this, but being a dodge 318 I would be inclined to think cracked head(s).My brother and I have rebuilt a few of these engines (he's a dodge guy) and every one that we've taken apart has had at least one cracked head.They seem to like breaking right between the intake and exhaust valves.

Before I get jumped on for this, every one of these engines was a running engine when we tore them apart.

[Hosedragger622]

Thank you for everyones input, we put it back together and he will continue to drive it like a 17 year old will til the next go around. its got 190000 miles on it and has survived his other 2 brothers driving before being a hand me down truck, grand pa gave it to my oldest 5 years ago and its still going for now.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

Dont worry about it. Dodge is having a sale on all new trucks, even giving away a free puppy dog with every purchase.

Again dont worry, you will never have to walk home alone again!

Does that go with the free heated bumpers so your hands stay warm while you push it off the road?

[PanelDeland]

I'm not sure about 1996 but in 200 Dodge went to a plastic clamp system to hold the filler neck in the middle of the hose. I had the original blow apart and then the replacement did. I went and got regular hose clamps and put the second one back together and have put another 40,000 on it.

[old Rusty C10]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

Dont worry about it. Dodge is having a sale on all new trucks, even giving away a free puppy dog with every purchase.

Again dont worry, you will never have to walk home alone again!

My main tow truck is a Dodge... almost every day im dragging home a Ford or Chevy... the first wood deck trailer had a chevy sign on it with the words "your chevy here" I was towing so many of them

[Coley]

Ahhh the old Dodge vs Chevy vs Ford debate....lol.
I don't have too many bias's with the new trucks they all seem to be a lot better built than they used to be.
I haven't been in a newer dodge in a few years but a buddy of mine uses them as shop/business vehicles and although they are good trucks he definitely notices the quality difference downwards in comparison to a new GM....noting that they are less money to buy, making them attractive for businesses.
He says they seem to be a little 'tinnier' in their operation and cheaper in their interior appointments and quality....but that doesn't mean they are not a good truck.

One thing I noticed was they can be quicker to start rusting. I was on holidays this year back east in an area that uses a fair amount of salt on the roads. One thing i noticed was the abundance of newer dodges that were already starting to rust around the rear wheel wheels....very similar to the old '70's square body Chev's.

If I lived in a 'high salt' area I definitely would be 'rust-checking' those areas of the truck as well as the cab, rockers, etc.

Again...I always believed Dodge to make very good engines...and on size for size they certainly used to perform better than the GM's or Fords.

my two bits.
Coley

[61_FL_Apache]

All you need is a new cap, new stat and your good to go.

[special-K]

I would assume the clamp got loose in time or you have the cheesy clamps Deland experienced. Clean the surfaces and reattach and see what happens. All brand trucks have upper radiators that clamp to the outlet neck on a radiator at one end and the thermostat housing on the other end. They all fasten using clamps that can work loose...or hose diameter shrinks at clamp. Ever notice how a hose flairs in time beyond the clamp? They all use antifreeze/coolant which is slimy. This problem has an equal likelihood of happening on any brand. But no way do Dodges break down less than GMs. I'll guarantee more Dodges and Fords get loaded on trailers with bad transmissions than GMs by a long shot...and that is a pricey one! I hardly ever see a Dodge rollback.