Ok guys Ive got the idi 6.9 running pretty good since the headgasket job as some of you know. It leaks a lil tiny tiny small drip of coolant after you park and let it sit at just the right angle. The reason it leaks is cause I snagged the headgasket with a bolt. Any way it is running pretty good. Ive hauled a couple loads with it and it does great.

The thing that bothers me is that the temp gauge, and I know that these gauges suck for accuracy but, when jus normal daily driving stop and go the gauge will stay in the m to a area on normal. Where does your guys temp gauge read when driving? When im towing it will get close to L if it im working the engine. When I sit still for a while it will cool down to m again but it sometimes takes a few minutes. The water pump is new thermostat is new, and the radiator is flushed clean but the does have some fins that are messed up.

One more for the experts. Does the fan clutch when it engages, I was told that it should sound like a small airplane under the hood. But I dont hear anything but it is spinning with the motor. When i shut the engine off the fan you can turn it but it is really stiff to turn. I know that is good meaning that the spring has engaged to lock up the clutch but I dont know if it is doin its job cooling the radiator off. Also when you squeeze the upper radiator hose it has got a lot of pressure in it. Like it is super stiff to squeeze, like I dont want to squeeze it cause it is that hard to. When the motor is cool you can squeeze it all you want like normal.

Collaborate time im getting the popcorn lol!!!

 

the only time I've had the top hose get hard like that is when i'm getting the air out of the system. where did you get the thermostat from.

 

oriely auto parts

 

Is that a motocraft thermostat?

 

Motorhomes fac. gauge reads directlly in the middle cruising the highway. RM NORMAL

Real gauge reads 180* (180* t-stat)

F250 gauge barelly got to N, NORMAL when regular driving. NO while towing (4000lbs trailer)


And heres what a fully locked in Fan Clutch sounds like:
YouTube - What a Fully Locked in Fan Clutch Should Sound Like

 

LOL John all i hear is a diesel purring

Pulling 8700 pounds up a 3 mile 7% grade on a day it was in the low 90's I could barely hear my fan lock in over the roar of the straight pipes. I just watch the gauge hit 210 then drop back down lol

 

my truck was reading on the N most of time when i had the stock gauge.
i didn't know it was running warm until i installed a real gauge,and saw 230 degree temps.
so with my truck N = 230 degrees.
a total flush,new hoses,motorcraft thermostat,and cap and i went down to 210/215 i think it was.cooler now as the temps dropped.so my fan should have kicked in.but it didn't.so i'll need my electric fan conversion before next summer(or soon if i do decide to get a plow.)
my fan turns stiff too,but its shot evidently.
the stock gauge simply can't be trusted.not sure why ford even bothered putting them in there lol.-iv always heard how poor they are,but it takes finding out for yourself first hand to really know it.they really are worthless junk like everyone says.

John,at what time in the clip does the fan engage?
motorcraft doesn't make a 180 degree thermostat.does international? or is it just aftermarket?

 

I was having hot temp running problems even with normal driving; pulling a trailer made it worse. I would run on the L for daily driving and higher if I was towing. I am lucky I didn't blow the heads on it. I flushed the radiator, changed fluid, thermostat pretty much everything I could think of except the radiator. Nothing helped. Finally I bit the bullet and bought a new OMC radiator for $500 and put it on. It was a chunk of change but spending the money to keep my engine cool was the best investment I have made in this truck BY FAR. Now my gauge reads on the line below the N for daily driving and I am pretty sure I could tow a house off of its foundation and never get above N. Change your radiator. You'll be glad you did.

 

Oh yeah, I also changed the water pump and fan pully and clutch. That didn't help either.

 

Very first clip, the fan is locked, 2nd where I say 0-60, it is unlocked. 3rd Locked, 4th unlocked.

180* T-stat comes from an International Dealer.

 

I might have to get a new radiator then cause my gauges does about what yours is doin michbol. The engine in the morning and it is in the high to mid 30s here in the morning now, Ill let it warm up for a bout 5 min or so and it will be at half way between the c and n on normal. Drive the 5 min to the shop and it will be at about o or r in normal.

Thx ididieseljohn for the vid. Ive been lookin for something like that and If I did that It will be probly close to L in normal if I get on it hard.

 

what coolant did you use after the head gasket change and whats your ph levels read ford 6.9?
why would spend the $ to buy a radiator before fixing the fan clutch that you know already is broke and needs to be replaced even if you did buy a new radiator?
not saying it couldn't use a good boiling,or replacement too.but i kinda think a real coolant temp gauge,an accurate reading of coolant mix,and then a fixed fan clutch would be priority.

also,you need to replace that thermostat with a international or motorcraft only.-there are VERY sound reasons for this that a good search here in the idi section will show you.

i always test and replace whats broken first.this saves me a crap load of $.
from there,i weigh cost with my affordability and the history of the past,for preventative maintenance while im into the project.


thanks John!
im gunna see about finding that one next summer.(the motorcraft 192 is great for super warm heat in the cab in the winter.)

 

My truck runs on the A after the engine is warm It doesn't matter if It is 20 below zero and it is idling after being warmed up or during the 100 degree day pulling a steel stock trailer with 12,000# of cows up and down hills. Always on A.

 

Buy a $30 mechanical gauge set from autozone and know what your temp really is.

 

This is what the temp reads after it is warmed up and i am just sitting idling in a parking lot.

<a href="http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/lude1990/?action=view&current=10242010-001.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/lude1990/10242010-001.jpg" border="0" alt="temp"></a>

It will read on the other side of M and some on A when in stop and go traffic.


And this is what I hauled today

<a href="http://s209.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/lude1990/?action=view&current=10242010-002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb141/lude1990/10242010-002.jpg" border="0" alt="firewood haul"></a>

FORD250 I used prestone antifreeze and my coolant tester thing says it is good down to -25 degrees Fahrenheit. 4 ***** are floating.

I have ordered a new fan clutch and should be here some time middle of the week im guessing. If the new fan clutch doesnt help out alot then I will change the thermostat but Im not to worried about it.

I will be getting gauges as soon as I get more money. Need to sell jobs so I can afford to beef up the front end and put a plow on for the winter.