Fastest Way to Cool an Engine Overheat

For me it would depend on how hot it got. Most newer engines will shut down for self protection at a specific temp.

I was climbing the Grape Vine once and my engine fan would not come on when engine temps climbed above 200. When it reached 220,.. I pulled over and shut it off. Had to repeat the process twice before I reached the top and get enough speed to where the engine temps would remain safe. It truly sucked because the shoulder where I was at was minimal. Was almost hit while putting my triangles out.

I'm not sure if what I did is the proper way to shut an over heating engine down. I know there are a lot of things to consider,.. turbo temps,.. hot engine oil,.. block pressure from the hot coolant. Last thing I wanted was to blow a coolant line or worse,.. a head gasket.

Hurst

 

You have to get rid of that hot coolant so start cutting hoses to drain it.

 

If you are overheating your engine and you shut it off all you are doing is allowing the coolant in the block heat soak. Letting it idle and circulate the coolant would be the best thing for it. If you are running an engine hard and then shut it down right away you can peg the coolant gauge on the high side. I have done it before several times on purpose. I wouldn't advice doing it.

 

Heat will actually climb a little if you shut it down so leave it running. You also have two more small radiators that you can use to cool the engine. Turn your sleeper and cab heaters on full. Roll down the windows of course. Gonna be miserable for you but it is cheaper than a new head or worse. If you have a manual switch for your radiator fan, turn it on.

We used to have a Dodge 5500 that would over heat going up a certain hill. One day I had to take it to pick something up with the boss. On the way back it started to overheat so I rolled down the windows and turned the heat on full. He thought I was crazy until I explained to him how I was saving his motor. He had never heard of that.

 

Shut off the a/c if it was ever on when the heat rose up. (as in climbing a steep grade fully loaded)

Some have said, and I have done this, turn on the heater as the engine idles. This will help rid of some heat, but then turn off the heater after say about 15 minutes. Let engine from that point to idle,

As it is idling, check all around for a hose or clamp leak, or a cooling tube leak. I had DD engine one time, that has a cooling tube run along the top of the motor, that rots out, sometimes that tube at one end, usually outside the firewall side of it, loosens up the connecting nut.

 

Cnsper I have done the same thing as you. Pulling a heavy load up a hill on a hot summer day..watching the engine temps soaring...

I roll the windows down and turn the heater on full blast. It helps take heat off the engine or so I've been told.

 

We had to that all the time in the Volvo 240DL that my parents bought before we moved back to the states from Italy. Was no fun in the NM desert having to run the heater when at low speeds.

Did a little research after the car was long gone and realized the problem is that since the Volvo was ordered in Europe for export to the states but not through the Volvo dealer network (Dad picked it up himself at the port of Houston), the larger radiator that Volvo installed in cars destined for the US market wasn't installed.

 

Don't forget too, that the automatic transmission in most cars is cooled by a radiator as well, so this adds to the heating up of many engines. And another problem not too many address, is anything blocking the radiator, such as leaves, maybe the Sunday Times or believe it or not, bent cooling fins. Anything that can cut down free flowing air, can lead to over-heating.

Sometimes too a bad water pump, or a water pump that is severely pitted or worn by using improper mixture of coolant can be a problem.

 

If parked:
1)Engage manual fan if equipt.
2)Place on high idle.

If moving:
1)Engage manual fan if equipt.
2)Cut back to 1/2 throttle.
3)Get rpm to 1400-1500, downshift if needed.

TA