Climbing coolant temps
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Climbing coolant temps
Flushed the coolant today. Old coolant read a little high on stock gauges, around the M to the A on the stock gauge. Used some of that prestone flush you drive around on for a bit, and coolant temps were lower with just it and water at around the O and R on the gauge. Drain, flush, and refill and go to town. It slowly climbed higher and higher, maintained at the A at highway speeds or idling, but would rise when the rpm's were between 1k-2k. I think I need a real gauge to show real temps, but any ideas why the difference? what's a decent inexpensive gauge line and where to plumb it?
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When I got home I popped the hood and could spind the fan, just a little resistance. Did a search here and assume it is a bad fan clutch. Explains why the temp would go down a bit at highway speeds, lots of 75 degree air blowing thorugh. Still doesn't explain why the temp gauge only showed it with actual coolant and not the flush mix.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
I'd suggest replacing your clutch fan. Should have good resistance when you try and turn it by hand.
Btw, don't hold your breath on the factory gauges..... there garbage.
Get a real one.
You should be able to clearlly hear your fan clutch lock in when it's needed. Sounds like an air plane taking off infront of you.
Dash gauge in my 1990 F250 never gets over N normal driving. C\ NORMAL /H
1987 Econoline 350 Motorhome, normal driving sits right in the middle RM C\ \ NORMAL / /H and has a 180* t-stat, real gauge reads directlly on 180, and highest is been was 210* in the desert and/or hill climbing.
Fan clutch locks in @ ~200*
Btw, don't hold your breath on the factory gauges..... there garbage.
Get a real one.
You should be able to clearlly hear your fan clutch lock in when it's needed. Sounds like an air plane taking off infront of you.
Dash gauge in my 1990 F250 never gets over N normal driving. C\ NORMAL /H
1987 Econoline 350 Motorhome, normal driving sits right in the middle RM C\ \ NORMAL / /H and has a 180* t-stat, real gauge reads directlly on 180, and highest is been was 210* in the desert and/or hill climbing.
Fan clutch locks in @ ~200*
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 5,638
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From: Manitoba
Give us a hint as to what your driving.... put up a signature.
Diesel engine coolant temperature at the top of the radiator where hose attaches after high rpm or under load condition for 20 minutes should be (195-237*F) 91-114*C nice time to have a temperature reading point and shoot tool.
Diesel engine coolant temperature at the top of the radiator where hose attaches after high rpm or under load condition for 20 minutes should be (195-237*F) 91-114*C nice time to have a temperature reading point and shoot tool.
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Tough to do that when the forum doesn't activate that feature until 25 posts. It is a 1989 F-250 2wd SC with a 7.3, ZF5, and no mods that I know of.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,585
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From: Duluth, Mn.
Cover the rad with cardboard, the run the engine. IF the fan clutch is working You'll KNOW when it kicks in! It's a pretty simple device. Not much to go wrong with it.
Turning it by hand when the truck is warm doesn't tell You much.
Turning it by hand when the truck is warm doesn't tell You much.
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I did the cardboard test, kind of hard with the cool morning but it heated up eventually. No change in the sound or apparent speed of the fan. No extra noise like a giant fan whirring. My temp gauge will not be here until next week, purchased a 3 gauge pod with temp, oil pres, and volts. I got it approximatley to the temp level I saw yesterday, and it was hot enough to boil a little into the overflow after shut down (no bubbles before, so please no HG mentions, I have enough to worry about as it is). Sounds like a bad clutch to me, but this is my first vehicle without electric fans.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
When the engine is cold, start driving it's lock in. It's only after driving for a few min at a steady speed that it unlocks.
After hours non stop on highway, get off highway, it'll take a while of stop and go before it'll lock in again.
I guess it locks in whenever the engine idles alot to prevent idle overheat?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
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Thanks for the video, I don't think mine ever cut in during the 2 weeks I have owned it. It started working when I was coming back from the parts store with the new one today after a good highway warm up to town and a bit of city traffic and lights to the Autozone that had one in stock. One light to light run it did not cut in and the truck got a lot hotter than the ones I heard it on, but it started working after the next light. The parts run pretty much showed it was intermitent, but funny how you buy a part and the old one starts working. I might just wait to put it on after I get my gauges in next week to check before and after temps.
