Suppose it's inevitable to have a breakdown. Can't recall the last time, it's been a couple decades, excluding today, as my Dakota overheated and had to park along an interstate. It IS a bitch when it happens. And I'm pretty particular with maintenance and service so this hopefully shouldn't happen. My Dak overheated some weeks ago, then seemed fine driving it on errands. It was due for service anyway so asked the shop to look into the possible cause. Well they replaced the hoses and cap and said they ran it several times. All ahh good?
Today on my way to take a bunch of stuff to my kid's place 220 miles away...I made it 45 miles and noticed the temp gauge climbing to max and shut it down pulling off to the shoulder. Overflow tank was full up to top...steaming like nuts and too hot to play around much. Let it cool down enough to get to the next exit 2 miles away to park at a truck stop. The radiator took at least a gallon of water and noticed what appeared as a trickle of water on the lower left side of the radiator. WDF, all the trips around never a drop of coolant on the ground. So got it towed home after waiting over two hours for the tow. Sure woulda been nice to have had some signals before I loaded the truck up. Got it home ran it awhile and be damned the water level is still full up. Must be a pinhole taking a lot of pressure to leak; but nada a drop on the driveway!
Today on my way to take a bunch of stuff to my kid's place 220 miles away...I made it 45 miles and noticed the temp gauge climbing to max and shut it down pulling off to the shoulder. Overflow tank was full up to top...steaming like nuts and too hot to play around much. Let it cool down enough to get to the next exit 2 miles away to park at a truck stop. The radiator took at least a gallon of water and noticed what appeared as a trickle of water on the lower left side of the radiator. WDF, all the trips around never a drop of coolant on the ground. So got it towed home after waiting over two hours for the tow. Sure woulda been nice to have had some signals before I loaded the truck up. Got it home ran it awhile and be damned the water level is still full up. Must be a pinhole taking a lot of pressure to leak; but nada a drop on the driveway!