[Hungash]

So... been a while since I've spoken in the forum... but here's an update on my...lovely... Nitro:

Coolant level rapidly disappearing but there are no leaks.. I'm assuming a head gasket has blown or at least partially blown as this has been happening for probably 2 - 2 1/2 months now as I can not afford to repair that.

I can't go through a car wash or else I start to overheat, and then my engine temperature gauge goes 50/50 on working and not working. Also my heat stops working.

My heater will only blow hot(warm) air if I am actually moving above around 20 MPH, and only out of the center console.

I had some pretty bad misfiring going on for a while, but it appears to have gone away for the time being... occasionally pops back up :/

I recently had my valve covers and valve cover gaskets replaced because my valve covers were warped... pulled a spark plug and smelled burned oil, hoping a new leak didn't appear....

Someone backed into me a few months ago, but I let them go because they were in a beat up van and I didn't want to sky rocket their insurance over a bumper. The bumpers cracked and for some reason has started chipping and cracking paint all over it despite only being hit in one spot. I'll replace it at some point.

My Catalytic Converters are on the verge of going out, that code is always popping up.

The Passenger-side front door, and Driver-side passenger door locks do not respond to being locked by either the key fob or lock switch on the driver door.

I hope the rest of you are fairing better luck than I am!

Any help with the engine misfires, loss of coolant, and loss of heat would be of great help!

Sorry for the rant, its been building up for a while 😅

 

[Scar0]

Blown head gasket can cause the overheating and loss of coolant. Heater never works well if it is low on coolant.
With you loosing coolant like that, there is also not the correct pressure in the system. Pressure is needed for engine cooling and heating the cab to work correctly.

 

[genseric]

Check if heater core is leaking. That would be the best scenario. Hopefully the engine misfire is from an oily spark plug.

 

[Tara Arrington]

My truck hesitates to start some times. The guy at Auto Zone check it with the machine he said it’s not the starter or the alternator, but it was surely the battery. I bought a brand new battery and it still hesitate to start play help me

 

[JPthekid]

Change those spark plugs as well. Could be as simple as needing correct gaps and clean fresh plugs on the misfire. Cheap easy job. Should take 30 min. Head gasket isn’t expensive to do if u do it yourself. If u do, do not reuse the head bolts

 

[Scar0]

My truck hesitates to start some times. The guy at Auto Zone check it with the machine he said it’s not the starter or the alternator, but it was surely the battery. I bought a brand new battery and it still hesitate to start play help me

Welcome to the forum @Tara Arrington. When you have a chance, head over to the Newbie Section (<click this) and say "Hi".
Tell us a little about yourself and your ride.
That way we can welcome you all proper like.

There are a bunch of threads on hard to start when warm, and other starting issues. Perhaps one of those has the solution you need.
Also search "key dance".

 

[Hungash]

Check if heater core is leaking. That would be the best scenario. Hopefully the engine misfire is from an oily spark plug.

May I ask how to go about checking this?

I know getting to the heater core is one hell of a job, and if you're going to go that far, might as well replace it.

 

[Hungash]

Change those spark plugs as well. Could be as simple as needing correct gaps and clean fresh plugs on the misfire. Cheap easy job. Should take 30 min. Head gasket isn’t expensive to do if u do it yourself. If u do, do not reuse the head bolts

I'm going to have my own garage starting next month, and tearing this engine apart and getting the head gasket replaced is going to be my first task.

I've already got a whole new set of spark plugs ready, and had all of the coil-packs and plugs replaced about this time last year.

I already have a new Thermostat at the ready, and may do a new water-pump because I've heard that's something probably worth doing after dealing with an issue like this.

I'm also going to do a full-vehicle fluid flush, I'd like to erase any potential problems for a while to come!

I'm thinking of maybe also putting in new fuel-line, fuel injectors, and maybe even a new fuel pump because I've averaged like 13.5-16 MPG since I bought the vehicle. Any suggestions here?

I've also debated putting in a turbo (because me and my friends are car-nutjobs), anything else I should debate doing while the engine is torn down to avoid blowing it up with a turbo?

 

[JPthekid]

Unfortunately that MPG is just part of having the nitro...... mines around 14mpg. As far as the turbo situation that’s out of my realm of knowledge, sorry

 

[Hungash]

Unfortunately that MPG is just part of having the nitro...... mines around 14mpg. As far as the turbo situation that’s out of my realm of knowledge, sorry

I've seen some people in this group talk about averaging 20+ MPH so I figured it'd be worth striving for!

 

[JPthekid]

Only time I saw that was bone stock on long highway runs. Never on daily driving though. And def not after alterations. I could gain up to 1 mpg if I removed my cargo basket tho

 

[Scar0]

Can't turbo the 3.7. The split crank can't handle the extra boost.
Best mileage I got was after I put a 4.7 throttle body in my 3.7. Of course the CAI and free flowing muffler helped a lot.
Bone stock I was lucky to get 14MPG.