Hello,

I have a 92 Ford F250 with a 460. It is running hot when I hit stop and go traffic or want to grab a burger in a drive thru. When I am on freeway or keep moving with only a few stops it runs great meaning it is not getting to hot. With or with a/C on still samething..

I replaced the clutch fan, thermastat, and rad. cap in the last week tring to fix it.
Last year just for good maintance I replaced all radaitor 3 hoses, and had the shop flush the system, replaced thermastat.

I did have my A/C worked on last month, and that seems to be the same time this problem started. The shop replaced the compresser and condenser, i think. But the A/C was only out for 1 day...

Please help I can find no leaks, should i replace water pump or heater core is there a way to check them?

Thanks

 

it has a fan clutch right? if so check that.

 

Look and see if the shop that worked on your A/C smashed all the fins on the front of the rat while doing the work. If they look good and not bent up try blowing some compressed air through the back of the rat to see if you can blow out some crud blocking air flow. ( be sure to turn down the air pressure so you do not do damage! )

 

You can check your water pump by removing the belt, then turning the pulley by hand. This would best be done when the engine is cold- not just to save yourself burning your hand, but pressure in the system can make it feel like it's moving tougher than it actually is.

Look for a wobbling pulley, feel and listen for grinding in the bearings.

 

I replaced the fan cluch 2 times I first bought one a napa and thought maybe is was no good so I went to the dealer and bought one for 3 times more money and thats not the issue. The rad. fins look fine. The water pump seems to be fine.
Thanks guys

any more advise??

 

Is the fan shroud still in place and not damaged? Did the shop remove the baffle/seals between the radiator support and grill? Those seals are vital for directing airflow through the radiator and not around it.

It could just be a matter of coincidence you had the A/C work done and now a case of a plugged radiator rearing it's ugly head.

Start with the easy items first.

 

The fan shroud is in place and not damaged.
I am not sure about seals being removed. Everything looks the same as far as I can tell.

 

All applicable.

Thermostats also become more problematic w/ repetitious higher temp events. It should be able to deal w/ a stock 195F. However you can also treat the symptom by going to a 180F &/or adding a bottle of "Water Wetter".

If your mix ratio is off (more than 50% anti-freeze), it may cause your problem. Also, running retarded from 10BTDC or significantly more advance. I run at 16BTDC, so I run a 180F thermostat.

A full bottle of "Water Wetter" (assuming you are running at least 50% water), will noticeably reduce symptoms, but not the cause. Anti-freeze allows for higher temps before boiling point is reached, adds lubricity, anti corrosive properties & inhibits freezing. But regarding thermal transfer & dispersion abilities, it stinks on ice!

Water Wetter properties make up for the shortcomings of antifreeze. (as long as it has some water to work with). It also has excellent anti corrosion & lubricant properties itself, & a 60/40 (water/ AF mix) w/ Water Wetter in the summer kicks @ss! You will notice that your temp gauge doesn't wander around as much, & A/C operation & idling will have much less effect on temp. This is because thermal transfer properties are maximized.

Also, if you use Tap or especially well water rather than distilled water, you're guarantying eventual coolant system problems. Ask "any" radiator shop! Even worse than premature pooching of the radiator, You are baking scale onto the coolant passages inside your block. Radiator replacement won't help that at all.

To deal w/ that, There are two types of flushes. The 10 minute shock treatment which is very hard on metal & tends to cause the scale to fragment into large clogging particles/chips/flakes.

Then there is a flush, less abusive to metal, that you add, then drive around with for a time. This reduces the scale to fine particles & holds them in suspension. This product is very similar to treatments designed for boiler scale removal. It allows particulate to pass through the steam traps, down line. Boilers are isolated during descaling, but eventually they are put back on line, & large particulates would raise hell. A much less potentially problematic product.

It is promoted as for use when a heavy duty cleaning is required. Not because it's stronger, because it's actually easier on metal. but because it reduces the scale particle size for better extrication when a lot of scale is present. Prestone makes both types.

 

wow thanks I will try it

 

What has your outside ambient temp been lately? What is the temp of the thermostat you replaced? I take it that this happens with the A/C on, not off, right?

 

How many miles on truck & how long have you had it. I think all the advise & things you've done are the normal, but I also think if the truck has high miles on it & water pump, the impeller is probably worn out even if the bearing is still good. I've seen the impeller blades disolved due to age of pump & lack of maint. At idle when truck is warmed up the impeller is not moving enough water through the engine, but at higher RPM (crusing speed) the impeller moves enough water and the moving air through the rad keeps it cool. IMO.

 

yes it happens with the a/c off or on.
It has been in the high 90's +
Today it is 105. HOT HOT HOT
I don't know on the termostat ? It is just what the napa part store gave me, the radiator cap was 13 pounds I think.
I have had the truck over a year and it has almost 150,000 miles. Good strong motor and transmission.

 

I really need this truck as most of us do.
It pulls my 23 ft Travel trailer. Which I will not pull until I am able to get this running hot crap fixed because I don't want to make it wrose or fry a good motor.

 

Awhile ago i had a problem with my truck a 1996 f250- 460- E4OD running hot or at least i think it was. the stock temp gauge was getting up to the 3/4 mark and it never did that before. Anyways i got a new radiator, changed the pump, hoses, thermostat, and the fan clutch. Then i installed a aftermarket gauge because i was paranoid about overheating. Now the gauge shows my truck running at 210 deg. all the time except when i tow my trailer through palm springs, i think it went up to 220 deg. but as far as i can tell i think thats just where my truck runs temperature wise. i was gonna go down to a 180 deg. thermo but decided to leave the 195 in. i figured it just runs hotter than other cars ive owned. I probably spent all that money for nothing.

Try putting a aftermarket temp gauge in youself and see what happens?

 

Amazing what only 20 degree's more will do to shorten the life of an engine or tranny.
Athough coolant temp & oil pan temp does not identically correlate, there is a direct correlation.