8.1 Engine Running Hot

[drifterpilot]

I left VA this morning to go to Little Rock AR. After driving 144 miles on an interstate and while climbing a mountain near Charlottesville VA, the engine temp started to climb. Outside temp was 88 - 90 deg. I pulled over as the indicator was near the very high temp mark. No numbers on the gage so don't know the actual temp, just graduation marks. With engine still running, I opened the engine compt and noted the coolant recovery reservoir was full of red coolant. The two auxiliary cooler fans were running. I don't know if the radiator fan was running; didn't think to look. When the temp indicator was in the normal zone, I started driving again. The coolant level in the reservoir also dropped down about halfway. A few miles down the road, the eng temp started to rise again. I put the dash heat and blower on full blast to remove some heat from the engine. The eng temp lowered down to the normal zone with the heater running. However, as the road climbed and dipped, the temp indicator changed accordingly. I also tried running the dash AC on max cooling with no difference on the eng temp rising.
Additional info: Last week at my home location, I had an auto/truck shop change out my alternator because of a bad bearing, also replaced serpentine belt, and for good measure, I had the water pump replaced as it was original and had 113,000 miles on it.
I am stopped for the night in Dublin VA., engine shut off and will check under the hood at daylight to see what the coolant level is and go from there, add more if necessary.
This being Labor Day weekend, not feeling hopeful for any repair work probably till Tuesday in Little Rock. I do plan to try and put some miles behind me tomorrow. Also will entertain a recommended repair facility along my route.
I welcome any and all recommendations / comments.

[ExTreker_Vic]

Drifterpilot,
I was reading your postings but not signed in. After signing in I was unable to get back to the thread I was reading so I hope this gets to you.
A common problem that causes your overheating is garbage collects between the heat exchangers that are mount in front of the engine radiator. It requires moving the exchangers back to access the area between the exchangers and the radiator.
This is a common problem that can mask the reason why the temps are running high.

[rgatijnet1]

Drifterpilot,
When the lower shroud is installed there is a screw that must be installed near the middle to keep the shroud from making contact with the fan clutch fan blades. This might be why you have a hole at the bottom. There was a service bulletin that went out to Workhorse dealers to correct this issue on the RV's with the 8.1L engine. The black plastic shroud comes in two pieces and it is important to make sure that it is fastened and sealed so that there is no movement and so that the fan can draw the most amount of air through the radiator.

[drifterpilot]

Tenn.vol
I am home after my 2400 mile trip with the 8.1 running with high temps most of the time. My travels are completed for this year.
I have purchased through a Workhorse distributor a Workhorse water pump and fan clutch and I expect in the next 2 - 3 weeks to have both items installed. I intend to have the engine flushed, new coolant added and the radiator pressure washed (carefully). I am also replacing my lower shroud as I noticed a 7" X 3" hole in the bottom of it. Yep, that's a Workhorse number also.
I probably won't have a status report till April/May 2020 when the weather is warmer and I make my annual trip to Florida.
Again, I thank everyone for their comments and suggestions.
I hope to be able to post some positive news in the spring.

[tenn_vol_]

Drifterpilot, I tried to read all the answers that you got, as
I have a very similar problem with my 8.1. What I think I know
about the water pump is their are several pumps that fit the 8.1.
I have been lead to believe that the correct pump has 7 vanes or
blades while a lesser pump has fewer.
I carry a Delco pump with me at all times, that I paid less than
$100 dollars for. I need to take the back off of the back and
check that it has the 7/8 blades.

Do you think that you have fixed your problem? If so give us
what you think fixed the problem!

Thank you for your time and anyput.....Tenn.Vol.

Also had a friend that had a fan clutch replaced yrs. ago
in a 454 MH, the fan was for a light duty car/truck.
ANd of course he had to have it replaced again !!!

[rwgeiser]

Somewhere in threads a couple years ago part numbers for the 8.1 workhorse rv water pump were listed. I checked at the time and Rock Auto Had the correct number pump available. Much cheaper than Workhorse Prices.

[crawford]

Wondering if radiator is at a 100% yes I know it happen after other repairs were made. I heard many say I had a carburetor replacement and remain seal went bad. Just saying to make a point.

[rgatijnet1]

drifterpilot wrote:
rgatijnet1
I should have stated that I have put on almost 2,000 miles since all this started.

My comment about the fan clutch break in period was meant for after your new one is installed.

[drifterpilot]

rgatijnet1
I should have stated that I have put on almost 2,000 miles since all this started.

[drifterpilot]

Great comments since my recently posted update.
Very interesting info regarding the water pump. My cooling issue certainly could be related to the wrong water pump being installed. Before this discussion, I was not aware of a clockwise or counterclockwise rotating water pump and how it could affect the fan clutch.
I have a Workhorse OEM water pump and a Workhorse OEM fan clutch onboard. They won't be installed until two weeks after I get home. I will closely compare the presently installed water pump with the new one that will be installed to see if their is an obvious difference. I will also install the new fan clutch regardless of the condition of the existing one.
I depart Charleston for Gloucester Virginia Sunday morning.
I will post an update when this work is completed.
Thank you for all the comments.

[time2roll]

Jennifer Koper wrote:
I just replaced the rear main sealand few days ago now my check engine light is flaking and I am hearing a strange tapping sound any ideas?

You want to start a new thread and post your equipment.

[4x4van]

PaulJ2 wrote:
I believe the problem here is the water pump. Wrong one is installed. There are at least two--one designed with fins designed to run clockwise the other to run counterclockwise. if the wrong one is there the water will still circulate but not efficiently. Then---if the heated water in the block can't get into radiator quickly enough,the fan clutch doesn't feel the needed heat/temperature and does not engage.
If i remember correctly this all started with a water pump replacement.
My thoughts.

This is not the first time I have heard of that "clockwise vs counter-clockwise" issue on this engine. Question is, are there 2 different part numbers? How do you tell which is which? How do you tell which you need (clockwise looking forward? or?).

[rgatijnet1]

Keep in mind that many of us with the same engine have had to drive for a number of miles BEFORE the fan clutch settled in. For me it was almost 100 miles. Some of the others were less and a few were more. On my fan clutch there was a note "in the box" about how it had to be stored on the shelf. I guess they expected the warehouse to open the box before they put it on the shelf. In any case, after the necessary break in period my fan clutch would start to roar at 207 degrees, as verified by my OBDII monitor of the actual coolant temperature. Right now if your temperature is moving up and down on level roads, I would say that your thermostat is working but you might not be getting sufficient water flow or sufficient air through the radiator. Make sure that the radiator is properly cleaned and flushed from the rear to force debris out the front. My normal cruise temp on a level road, while loaded and towing was a steady 196 degrees by my OBDII gauge.

[PaulJ2]

I believe the problem here is the water pump. Wrong one is installed. There are at least two--one designed with fins designed to run clockwise the other to run counterclockwise. if the wrong one is there the water will still circulate but not efficiently. Then---if the heated water in the block can't get into radiator quickly enough,the fan clutch doesn't feel the needed heat/temperature and does not engage.
If i remember correctly this all started with a water pump replacement.
My thoughts.

[Jennifer_Koper]

I just replaced the rear main sealand few days ago now my check engine light is flaking and I am hearing a strange tapping sound any ideas?