Overheating - Again!!!!!!

[freddiemblue]

I'm at my wits end! 2004 SSR runs Hot!!!!

I'm in desperate need of a radiator (new or used). Anyone have one available?



Also need some direction on getting the best price for a water pump.

Anyone know of a good place to buy one?

[abadssr]

Is you fan working right see mikeinaz. For fan these trucks do run hot but a fan not working right is bad

[artsmart]

There are radiators available through Simple Engineering
as well as replacement fans, etc. This site and items are provided by an awesome Fanatic, Mike in AZ. Check it out

Radiators & Coolers - Simple Engineering

[240 Gordy]

Is it running in to the red on your heat guage? They are designed to run hot. I've been told the fan doesn't cut in til 221F.

[Dragon2U]

Originally Posted by freddiemblue

I'm at my wits end! 2004 SSR runs Hot!!!!

I'm in desperate need of a radiator (new or used). Anyone have one available?



Also need some direction on getting the best price for a water pump.

Anyone know of a good place to buy one?

Before you start replacing all those items more information might be helpful. These trucks run hotter than normal cars to begin with so a detailed description would help.

1. How hot is it getting?
2. Does it ever cool down or just keep going up?
3. Does the check engine light come on?
4. Have you checked that the fan comes on at the normal fan operation temperatures?
5. Do the fans operate properly when the AC is turned on?

Radiators, pumps and thermostats should be available at the counter at most parts stores. The better fan is available from Mike in AZ.

[Mike in AZ]

Originally Posted by freddiemblue

I'm at my wits end! 2004 SSR runs Hot!!!!

I'm in desperate need of a radiator (new or used). Anyone have one available?



Also need some direction on getting the best price for a water pump.

Anyone know of a good place to buy one?

There are a number of things that will contribute to the SSR running hot..... but before we go there.... let me define what is NOT hot.......

The SSR has a 187 degree thermostat in the INLET to the water pump. This is very well regulated and the aluminum engine likes running at a constant temperature.... The result of the normal 12 degree rise across the engine yeilds a temperature gauge reading of approximately 200 degrees. This is where the thermostat regulates the engine and should be considered the lowest "normal" temperature you will ever encounter.
When you are not using the A/C compressor (air conditioning, defroster and recirculate) the cooling fans are controlled only by the coolant temperature.

The low speed fan will turn on at 226 (increasing) and shut back off at 219 (decreasing). This will give most all "old school" hotrodders the creeps, but it is the way the system was designed to operate.

The high speed fan will come on at 235 (increasing) and shift to low speed at 226 (decreasing). Very seldom does the SSR get hot enough to trip the fan to high speed.

As you can see, the "normal" operating range of the SSR temperature gauge is from 200 to 235. If your truck gets hotter than that, you have a problem someplace in the system.

The A/C will also turn on the cooling fan. Whenever the compressor is asked to operate (A/C or defroster), the computer will turn on the main fan to low speed. If you select "recirculate" or when the A/C system pressures get too high, the main fan will be driven to high speed to satisfy the A/C system needs.

As you can see, turning on the A/C or the defroster will turn on the main fan. The byproduct of the A/C system is that the airflow will hold your temperature at 200 degrees.... period.

In the past 6 years, I have been involved in a lot of SSR cooling system troubleshooting and reverse engineering. There has not been a stock SSR that has ever "needed" a new radiator or a new water pump to solve an overheating issue.

Let's get some particulars on what you are seeing on the gauge and the driving conditions that get you there. We can walk you through this.......

My Best to you,

Mike

[tennesseecozydo]

Mike, very well said. Tennesseecozydog.

[Mike in AZ]

Originally Posted by tennesseecozydo

Mike, very well said. Tennesseecozydog.

You would think that I could just do a cut and paste........ Maybe one of these days I'll post the whole thing on my web site as a PDF..... It would sure save a lot of typing.

Regards

[Mold Man]

My 2005 SSR started overheating while driving in slow or stop and go traffic.I read a number of postings about the subject and I was ready to call Mike in AZ and order a radiator, and OEM replacement fan.

I continued reading the overheating posts and one said run a test to see if your fan is working properly. The post explained You test your fan by starting the engine, turning on the A/C then lift the hood as see if the fan is running. If the fan is not running it is probably a burned out fuse. When I ran this simple test and looked under the hood, my fan was not running. I pulled out fuse # 37 and it was bad. A $4.50 new fuse solved the problem and as Mike in AZ said it now runs at 200 degrees all the time.

[RUN ROD RUN]

Originally Posted by Mike in AZ

You would think that I could just do a cut and paste........ Maybe one of these days I'll post the whole thing on my web site as a PDF..... It would sure save a lot of typing.

Regards

or request one of the Moderator to post your write-up in the forum Library so all of us can help you by having information source to direct a newbe too.

[mikebike]

Glad to hear it was an easy and cheap fix.

[felbrigge]

I am a recent owner of a SSR 2005. After driving approximatly 2000 miles, the fuse for the radiator fan burned out. Is this something that may reoccur frequently?

[Mike in AZ]

Originally Posted by felbrigge

I am a recent owner of a SSR 2005. After driving approximatly 2000 miles, the fuse for the radiator fan burned out. Is this something that may reoccur frequently?

Although this happens occasionally across the fleet that is represented by this forum, it is statistically low occurance. We hear about 1 or 2 per year with about 2,000 SSRs on the forum. If we guess that there are 5 occurances in a year on this forum, it would be equate to about once every 4 million miles.

The fuse is a 60 amp "slow blow". The 10 gauge and 12 gauge wiring to the fan will not support 60 amps for very long. The main failure mode for the fuse is an internal fuse failure due to vibration that causes a crack and then the heat in the diminished material area will blow the fuse. These are rare and would probably be labeled as a fuse quality issue.

The main cooling fan draws about 28 amps at high speed with an inrush current about 65 amps for less than 1 second. Definitely not enough to fry the slow-blow fuse. If it happens a second time, you should be looking to replace your main cooling fan.

Regards,

Mike

[felbrigge]

Thanks Mike for the information on the fuse and fan.