Overheating at STOP please help!

2005 V6.

My truck is overheating when I am at a stop. When I start driving it will regulate and go back to normal. Engine coolant hasn't been replaced in awhile. Could this cause it too? Thinking it could be fan, but it is running. Please help guys, i don't want to be screwed by a shop.

 

Does turning on the heater bring temps back down? You're sure the fan is coming on at idle?

 

I had a ford ranger do the same thing...had the water pump replaced, that was not the problem...it was the thermostat...IDK if that is the case on a Tacoma, but it wouldn't hurt to try...mine was getting stuck in the closed position and the hot liquid wasn't able to get cooled.

 

Positive the fan comes, haven't tried turning the heater on...will do

 

It sounds like your fan clutch is going bad.

 

where can i find this? any way to test?

 

Sounds like the thermostat to me. Stuck partially closed? Higher RPM = increased coolant flow from the pump....
I'd change the stat and flush/change the cooling system. Not too hard too do and not too expensive - and you said the freeze is older.

Also, my engine light came on a couple times - code reader said eng temp.. Check for last stored code??

 

Check the water level.

 

Easy way to tell if your thermostat is stuck shut: http://www.ehow.com/how_7683_tell-cars-thermostat.html

1
Warm up the car but don't let it overheat--don't let the temperature gauge go into the red.

2
Turn off the engine.

3
Open the hood.

4
Find the upper radiator hose. It's black, is made of rubber and is about 2 inches in diameter, with metal clamps on either end. The upper hose goes into the top of the radiator.

5
Locate the lower radiator hose. It looks similar to the upper hose except that it attaches to the bottom part of the radiator.

6
Touch each hose very carefully (they can be extremely hot). If the temperature gauge is indicating that the engine is warmed up but one hose is hot and the other is cold, the thermostat is probably stuck closed, and the coolant isn't circulating through the radiator.

7
Have the thermostat replaced if this is the case.

 

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Check the fan clutch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldGtdJB3fvM

 

At a shop now. Gonna get fluid replaced. Then see what happens. They think it could be thermostat. God I hope I don't have any other issue. I'm tired of dishing money out.

 

I would if I was staying in! Lol separating 29 sept

 

Also, When you stop the vehicle and the temp goes up. Put it in neutral and rev the engine to see if the temp goes down??

 

if it is the thermostat...they are easily replaced and you can do it yourself.

 

They flushed it and it isn't overheating now....im so confused

 

Well, there could have been some blockage in the radiator and the fan could not move enough air to cool the radiator - but the movement of air when driving added enough airflow to give enough cooling ??? That's why I asked if, when hot and at an idle, rev it up for a minute to see if the temp went up (partially closed thermostat or rad plugged?) or down (Pump going bad/ belt slipping ...

 

Here are my methods of diagnosing an overheating truck or agricultural equipment. Above All: CAUTION - when up to operating temperature, coolant in cooling system is HOT. Don't open a cap or remove a hose when engine is hot and coolant system is at operating temperature.

1. Check Coolant Level & Look for Leaks
2. Check Fan Belt / Fan / Fan Clutch (Make Sure Fan is engaging)
3. Clean Radiator/Coolers (ALL surface area, not just easiest to access) (Use Caution to not bend the radiator vanes)
4. Check Radiator Cap (if bad, won't hold pressure in coolant system)
5. Check Thermostat
6. When vehicle overheats, using infrared thermometer, check surface temperature of radiator in multiple locations. Look for drastic temperature differences - shows possibility of a plugged portion of the radiator core & result circulation issues.
7. Check Water Pump (If Bearing/Seal is going out, and pump has a weep hole, a slow leak will be present here) (Also possible for impeller to be broken or spinning no shaft resulting in reduced coolant flow)

 

I'm having the same problem. Will overheat at low rpm (about 1100rpm or less). I've changed the thermostat and coolant before, but seems to only happen on very hot days or long road trips. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

A common cause of this is an air pocket trapped in the system.

See this page, about half way down the page is a video showing how to burp the system air out.:

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/what-to-do-when-your-engine-overheats

Now let’s talk a bit about how to solve an overheating issue.


The #1 cause of overheating is air in the cooling system. I say this from 20 years of experience as a technician. There are many causes of air getting into the cooling system, and finding the cause will be the key to solving the issue for good.
What I see most often when it comes to air in the cooling system is an overheat that occurs after the vehicle has had a bunch of work done that involved opening up the cooling system. Some common symptoms include:

• You or a garage just finished replacing a head gasket, water pump, intake gasket, radiator, heater core, or coolant hose, and now that the work is done, you have an overheat condition.
• You have a condition where the vehicle starts to overheat, then suddenly drops to normal.
• You have issues getting consistent heat from the vents.
• Your idle fluctuates up and down and will not level out.