Do you drive a big rig or semi-truck? It’s summertime and temperatures are soaring to triple digits in many places. Can a 100-degree day be good for a truck? Probably not! What are some reasons why a semi-truck might overheat?
Impeded Thermostat
If your truck has a partially open or stuck shut thermostat you might be seeing the wrong temperature; This can affect your truck’s true temperatures. You might need to check and then re-check your thermostat to make sure it’s working properly. Maybe it’s broken.
Blown Head Gaskets
What about a blown head gasket? That could be the culprit to why your truck is overheating– if your temperature gauge seems to be going up and then you notice bubbling coolant under the hood, have a mechanic check the engine when it cools down.
Coolants Not Releasing Properly
If your coolant isn’t vented out properly and/or not escaping the cooling system so that it releases pressure as intended, then you might have a broken radiator cap which leads to overheating problems. A hose could burst and the radiator system could leak and then your engine won’t work well.
Trucks can overheat due to a bad water pump– a very common occurrence– or a coolant leak.
Steps to Take if Your Truck is Overheating
If and when you notice your truck is overheating, the first thing to do is get off the road (when it’s safe and lawful to do so) and pull over to let your engine rest and cool down. You can then call a mobile semi-truck mechanic to come find you and make needed adjustments, repairs or replacements.
If you know the truck is overheating and it’ll take a couple minutes to safely pull over, turn the heater on to “get rid of” some of the heat. This counterintuitive idea helps by moving heat away from the engine. You should also open your windows to let heat escape.
How can you prevent overheating from occurring? Whenever your coolant is at a low level, top it off. Keep extra coolant with you when you’re driving, and keep an eye on fluid levels both before and during hauls. Also pay attention to the temperature gauge. Get your radiator flushed as needed.
To sum it up, overheated trucks need time to cool down, and, in many cases, attention from a mechanic to resolve any issues.
If you’re a driver in need of a job, see how Platinum Drivers can help.