Heat goes hot and cold, mechanic doesn't know what's wrong
#16
#17
Ok, common problems can sometime show up as an uncommon issue. The first thing I would suspect is that you have the wrong thermostat. I have through personal experience learned that an genuine Motorcraft thermostat is the only way to go. The aftermarket ones are NOT designed specifically for your truck. They do not bleed the air properly, which can lead to strange thing as trapped air can prevent the coolant from flowing correctly. A Motorcraft thermostat does not cost significantly more than any other brand, but they work properly, and they are made for your specific truck.
Same situation with radiator caps. I see a lot of radiator caps that can test good, but do not hold the proper pressure in the real world. If it won't hold pressure, that coolant will force its way into your reservoir and push it all out.
But the last thing, is that sometimes when the water pump fails, it can cause lots of erratic behavior. On some vehicles, Ford actually designed a new water pump to address coolant flow problems involving sudden pressure surges.
I suspect that trapped air is a large part of the problem. You can build pressure, which then escapes through a leak or a bad radiator cap, then as the coolant cools down, the pressure drops, causing air to enter through a leak. Next time more coolant is pushed out and more air gets in.
Same situation with radiator caps. I see a lot of radiator caps that can test good, but do not hold the proper pressure in the real world. If it won't hold pressure, that coolant will force its way into your reservoir and push it all out.
But the last thing, is that sometimes when the water pump fails, it can cause lots of erratic behavior. On some vehicles, Ford actually designed a new water pump to address coolant flow problems involving sudden pressure surges.
I suspect that trapped air is a large part of the problem. You can build pressure, which then escapes through a leak or a bad radiator cap, then as the coolant cools down, the pressure drops, causing air to enter through a leak. Next time more coolant is pushed out and more air gets in.
Now i am thinking i will try and replace it myself. What do i do first? I think i know where it is, on top of the motor under the big hose, right?
#19
I am assuming i have to drain some anti-freeze from the bottom of the radiator til it drops below the top hose, right? Sorry for the noob questions but i never did this before. Also, today is freakin frigid here in SE Pa., gonna be numb when i am done this.
#20
Hi Mayhem69,
Why don't you wait a day or two until it warms up outside. Your in the same cold weather pattern as I am. Its supposed to hit 25 degrees here today and even warmer tomorrow. I agree, it is still a miserable, cold job. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long.
According to the Ranger factory service manual modified:
1. Drain the coolant to below the thermostat opening. Use the drain at the bottom of the radiator. Catch as much of the coolant as you can in a pan and reuse it.
2. Disconnect the heater hose (the small one) from the thermostat housing. You can also disconnect the bigger hose that goes to the radiator, but it isn't necessary.
3. Remove the two bolts that retain the thermostat housing. Pull the housing away from the engine block.
4. Remove the thermostat, noting which end of it goes into the block.
5. Remove the gasket. Make sure both surfaces are clean.
Installation is the reverse of the removal.
Let's hope that solves the burping problem. If you need more help or directions, just ask. That's why we're here.
Why don't you wait a day or two until it warms up outside. Your in the same cold weather pattern as I am. Its supposed to hit 25 degrees here today and even warmer tomorrow. I agree, it is still a miserable, cold job. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long.
According to the Ranger factory service manual modified:
1. Drain the coolant to below the thermostat opening. Use the drain at the bottom of the radiator. Catch as much of the coolant as you can in a pan and reuse it.
2. Disconnect the heater hose (the small one) from the thermostat housing. You can also disconnect the bigger hose that goes to the radiator, but it isn't necessary.
3. Remove the two bolts that retain the thermostat housing. Pull the housing away from the engine block.
4. Remove the thermostat, noting which end of it goes into the block.
5. Remove the gasket. Make sure both surfaces are clean.
Installation is the reverse of the removal.
Let's hope that solves the burping problem. If you need more help or directions, just ask. That's why we're here.
#21
Hi Mayhem69,
Why don't you wait a day or two until it warms up outside. Your in the same cold weather pattern as I am. Its supposed to hit 25 degrees here today and even warmer tomorrow. I agree, it is still a miserable, cold job. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long.
According to the Ranger factory service manual modified:
1. Drain the coolant to below the thermostat opening. Use the drain at the bottom of the radiator. Catch as much of the coolant as you can in a pan and reuse it.
2. Disconnect the heater hose (the small one) from the thermostat housing. You can also disconnect the bigger hose that goes to the radiator, but it isn't necessary.
3. Remove the two bolts that retain the thermostat housing. Pull the housing away from the engine block.
4. Remove the thermostat, noting which end of it goes into the block.
5. Remove the gasket. Make sure both surfaces are clean.
Installation is the reverse of the removal.
Let's hope that solves the burping problem. If you need more help or directions, just ask. That's why we're here.
Why don't you wait a day or two until it warms up outside. Your in the same cold weather pattern as I am. Its supposed to hit 25 degrees here today and even warmer tomorrow. I agree, it is still a miserable, cold job. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long.
According to the Ranger factory service manual modified:
1. Drain the coolant to below the thermostat opening. Use the drain at the bottom of the radiator. Catch as much of the coolant as you can in a pan and reuse it.
2. Disconnect the heater hose (the small one) from the thermostat housing. You can also disconnect the bigger hose that goes to the radiator, but it isn't necessary.
3. Remove the two bolts that retain the thermostat housing. Pull the housing away from the engine block.
4. Remove the thermostat, noting which end of it goes into the block.
5. Remove the gasket. Make sure both surfaces are clean.
Installation is the reverse of the removal.
Let's hope that solves the burping problem. If you need more help or directions, just ask. That's why we're here.
Same symptoms so far, fluctuating temp. needle, i did have some nice heat for a few minutes. Pulled up to my garage and popped the hood to have a look. I opened the resevoir tank and noticed a few bubbles in there. Went back inside the truck and it was blowing cold air again.
I parked her and went inside, this time the fluid did not push out the resevoir, so that is good.
May take some time to get the air out yet i guess?
#22
#23
Your first sign that your mech was inept was the silicone on the thermostat. It is not needed, and can impede the stat from operating. Wonder if any got loose and wandered into the cooling system.
If you run the engine with the radiator cap removed, you may be surprised to see how much expansion can occur in just a few minutes. A possibly better way to 'burp' the system is to manipulate the large upper hose so as to force any bubbles of air into the radiator top tank. Do this by pushing the hose, near the thermostat, down, so the bubbles will want to go 'up' into the tank. Work your way forward towards the tank, each time making sure the bubbles will stay 'trapped' by keeping a depression on the hose. When you can squeeze the top hose, and see the coolant level in the tank go up and down as you squeeze and release, WITHOUT any gurgling of bubbles, you know you have pretty well gotten the air out of that part. To get the air out of the heater core hoses is more difficult. I used a Prestone flushing tee, using the garden hose adapter cap as a release point for any trapped air. Again, I worked the hoses so that any bubbles of air would want to go to the highest point, which I made the adapter become by raising it as much as I could. Then open the cap, and let the bubble out. If you can't do this, you can do similar by loosening one end of a heater core hose, and make it the high point for air to escape, then, when it is full of coolant, re-install it.
tom
If you run the engine with the radiator cap removed, you may be surprised to see how much expansion can occur in just a few minutes. A possibly better way to 'burp' the system is to manipulate the large upper hose so as to force any bubbles of air into the radiator top tank. Do this by pushing the hose, near the thermostat, down, so the bubbles will want to go 'up' into the tank. Work your way forward towards the tank, each time making sure the bubbles will stay 'trapped' by keeping a depression on the hose. When you can squeeze the top hose, and see the coolant level in the tank go up and down as you squeeze and release, WITHOUT any gurgling of bubbles, you know you have pretty well gotten the air out of that part. To get the air out of the heater core hoses is more difficult. I used a Prestone flushing tee, using the garden hose adapter cap as a release point for any trapped air. Again, I worked the hoses so that any bubbles of air would want to go to the highest point, which I made the adapter become by raising it as much as I could. Then open the cap, and let the bubble out. If you can't do this, you can do similar by loosening one end of a heater core hose, and make it the high point for air to escape, then, when it is full of coolant, re-install it.
tom
#24
Your first sign that your mech was inept was the silicone on the thermostat. It is not needed, and can impede the stat from operating. Wonder if any got loose and wandered into the cooling system.
If you run the engine with the radiator cap removed, you may be surprised to see how much expansion can occur in just a few minutes. A possibly better way to 'burp' the system is to manipulate the large upper hose so as to force any bubbles of air into the radiator top tank. Do this by pushing the hose, near the thermostat, down, so the bubbles will want to go 'up' into the tank. Work your way forward towards the tank, each time making sure the bubbles will stay 'trapped' by keeping a depression on the hose. When you can squeeze the top hose, and see the coolant level in the tank go up and down as you squeeze and release, WITHOUT any gurgling of bubbles, you know you have pretty well gotten the air out of that part. To get the air out of the heater core hoses is more difficult. I used a Prestone flushing tee, using the garden hose adapter cap as a release point for any trapped air. Again, I worked the hoses so that any bubbles of air would want to go to the highest point, which I made the adapter become by raising it as much as I could. Then open the cap, and let the bubble out. If you can't do this, you can do similar by loosening one end of a heater core hose, and make it the high point for air to escape, then, when it is full of coolant, re-install it.
tom
If you run the engine with the radiator cap removed, you may be surprised to see how much expansion can occur in just a few minutes. A possibly better way to 'burp' the system is to manipulate the large upper hose so as to force any bubbles of air into the radiator top tank. Do this by pushing the hose, near the thermostat, down, so the bubbles will want to go 'up' into the tank. Work your way forward towards the tank, each time making sure the bubbles will stay 'trapped' by keeping a depression on the hose. When you can squeeze the top hose, and see the coolant level in the tank go up and down as you squeeze and release, WITHOUT any gurgling of bubbles, you know you have pretty well gotten the air out of that part. To get the air out of the heater core hoses is more difficult. I used a Prestone flushing tee, using the garden hose adapter cap as a release point for any trapped air. Again, I worked the hoses so that any bubbles of air would want to go to the highest point, which I made the adapter become by raising it as much as I could. Then open the cap, and let the bubble out. If you can't do this, you can do similar by loosening one end of a heater core hose, and make it the high point for air to escape, then, when it is full of coolant, re-install it.
tom
#26
I learn something everyday.....I obviously knew it had 2 potions but did not know that the loose one would help with burping
#27
#28
I didn't know this, thanks i will try to get the air out in that position. This morning i was running around. It did the usual temp. fluctuation just a little bit, and then i had heat without losing it. We'll see i guess, hope it isn't the intake gasket like described abov. Thanks for everyone's help!
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