Truck overheating brings with it a number of risks to engine integrity. If these types of malfunctions in your semi truck are not taken care of in time, they can cause huge losses to your budget.

In this RoadPro blog post, we present to you the 9 main reasons why your semi truck is overheating and offer you the solution for each one of them.

9 Common Reasons For Truck Overheating

The faults that cause truck overheating must be addressed immediately. At RoadPro Assistance you will find the best team of mechanics trained to solve the breakdowns that cause engine overheating. In case your semi-truck overheats on the road, Contact Us for immediate assistance.

Keep reading to know the most frequent reasons for truck overheating and how to solve them efficiently.

Poor Fan Clutch Performance

A malfunction with the fan clutch is due to a number of clogs, including:

• Clogging if it's open and not engaged
• Clogging when closed or due to permanent engagement
• Clogged bearings that make it impossible for the fan to rotate

Clogged Radiator and Coolant Leaks

The radiator is vital for proper coolant flow and dissipation of high temperatures. In turn, the coolant system acts as a cooling mechanism that circulates heat from the air out of the engine. If leaks occur, it is inevitable that the temperature level will be destabilized.

Faulty Water Pump

The water pump is another component that makes the engine coolant circulates evenly. So when there is a breakdown or malfunction in the water pump, the engine overheats.

To avoid this problem, it is necessary to remove the transmission belt to rotate the pulley. Then, verify that the water pump is in good condition and has optimal performance.

Now, if there is difficulty in turning the pulley, it's time to change the pump. For this, hire an experienced mechanical service available 24/7 such as RoadPro.

Lack of Oil

A truck overheated with no leak is a symptom of a poor monitoring of the oil levels in the engine. If the semi-truck is low on oil, it is prone to high temperatures in the engine.

There are two solutions for this scenario:

1. Verify that oil levels in the engine are optimal; if not, refill whenever necessary.
2. Perform an oil change. If you don't know when to do it in your semi-truck, check out How Often Should You Change The Oil In A Semi-Truck? It is advisable to change it every 6 months or according to the manufacturer's instructions. This is essential for the engine to run smoothly.

Always choose high quality oils so that the semi-truck's performance is not compromised.

Blown Fuses

If your truck overheated now won't start, there may be blown fuses affecting the transmission system. To find out, make sure the fuses in the blower motor, heating systems and air conditioning systems are in good condition.

If they are not in good condition or are disconnected, replace the damaged one or establish the correct contact. To ensure that there are no mishaps when changing the fuses, call some qualified mechanical technicians.

Thermostat Malfunctions

The thermostat is responsible for stabilizing the coolant flow rates in the semi-truck engine. Therefore, if the thermostat is stuck in the closed position, it prevents coolant flow and causes truck overheating.

To solve the causes of thermostat failure, contact a mobile mechanic workshop that has the tools for a proper repair. If the diagnosis shows that the thermostat needs to be replaced, leave it in the hands of the experts.

The installation process consists of disconnecting the cooling hose and removing the thread that holds the damaged thermostat. After that, a new one is installed.

Inefficient Coolant Flow

The coolant is composed of water and anticoagulants to reduce engine heat. In case the coolant circulation presents obstacles, the truck overheats, which indicates that the pump is not working properly.

The coolant flow is even compromised when the thermostat is stuck in an open position or when the radiator is blocked.

Repair these faults by asking an experienced mechanic to check the status of the engine water pump.

Damaged Radiator Fan

The radiator fan is responsible for lowering the radiator temperature while coolant distributes heat to the outside. If the cooling fan is not working, coolant will increase in temperature and cause truck overheating.

To prevent radiator fan damage, it is advisable to monitor the semi truck's electrical system. To do this, request a computer diagnostic to find out if there are electrical faults in the semi-truck.

Faulty Expansion Tank

The expansion tank has the function of releasing the gas in the cooling system and circulating the refrigerant. Therefore, as the pressure in the cooling system increases, the water pump overworks to keep up.

If the expansion tank is damaged or malfunctions, the coolant starts to flow poorly. As a result, you have a truck overheating. Consider preventive maintenance on the semi-truck tank before replacement is required.

How Does The Coolant System Work?

The coolant system collects the heat generated by the engine and then removes it. This mechanism is called "heat transfer" and is possible thanks to several components:

• Coolant: Due to its composition of water and anticoagulant, it manages to attract all the heat from the engine. It's recommended to change it every 100,000 miles or when its condition requires it.
• Water Pump: Avoids truck overheating as it allows the coolant to circulate optimally.
• Radiator: Dissipates heat through channels that help the hot coolant to receive outside air.
• Cooling Fan: Its function is to collect the outside air to take it to the radiator.
• Fan Clutch: It's a thermodynamic component that activates or deactivates the cooling fan according to outside weather conditions.

Also, these components communicate with each other to enable good cooling system performance.

Why Is My Truck Overheating But The Coolant Is Full?

If your truck is overheating, but the coolant level is full, other components may need attention because one of these situations is occurring:

• Blockages or leaks in components such as hoses, fuses, among others
• Malfunctioning water pump
• Malfunctioning radiator fan
• High environmental temperatures

Can I Drive My Truck After It Overheats?

One of the ways to preserve the integrity of the engine when there is a truck overheating is to shut down the vehicle. However, if you cannot afford to stop, it is still possible to drive if the semi truck overheats. To do this, turn on the heating system if available.

Why is this recommended? Because when the heating system is turned on, the heat is dispersed from the engine to the cab. This makes it possible to minimize the work of the cooling system. To find out if the heat has been reduced in the engine, check that the warning light has gone out or, failing that, check that the temperature gauge is in its regular position.

Can Adding Oil Solve Overheating?

Sometimes it is not advisable to add oil to balance the engine temperature, unless the tank is empty. The most pertinent thing to do is to use coolant, for this, some safety measures must be taken into account:

1. Wait 15 minutes or until the engine cover is cooler to the touch
2. Use protective gloves to remove the coolant tank cap
3. It's important to cover the radiator cap with a towel to open it. This procedure should be done slowly to allow the heat pressure to escape safely
4. Pour the coolant carefully and fill up to the indicator line

Constant preventive maintenance avoids truck overheating. Get your semi truck the service it needs by calling us at +1 (470) 750-2555. We are ready 24/7 to help you anywhere in Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Jacksonville, Tampa and Savannah!