Hello everyone, I'm new here.

I have a 2000 F150 with a 4.2 v6, 5spd that has 128000 miles. For a while, I've been getting the red oil temp light in the left side of the gauge cluster shortly after start up. That has progressed to getting the red oil temp light and a temp guage that pegs HOT after about 15 minutes of driving. These indications come and go randomly, and the truck is NOT overheating.

On two occasions, I got the red oil temp light, temp gauge pegged hot, and the truck dropped cylinders and gave me the Check Engine Light. When I put the code reader on it it was P1299 (Cylinder Head Overtemp Protection, etc). Through this forum, I found that my Cylinder Head Temp Sensor was on the aft end of the driver side head, so I changed that. It didn't fix the problem.

When I turn the truck off, then re-start it, the red oil temp light goes away, and the temp gauge goes back to normal. If it drops cylinders, the CEL stays on until I clear it with the code reader, but sometimes it just gives the oil temp light + H temp guage, so when I turn off/re-start, everything is fine again until the stray electrons start acting up.

I don't know where to hop. Is there another sensor that could be at fault? Thermostat? New Radiator? Thanks in advance for your help, guys.

 

Hey scooter
Welcome to FTE. I hope we can help get your problem resolved.

The red Oil light....... You sure that is an oil TEMP light? I think it is indicating low oil pressure, not high oil temp. I would check the oil level just to be sure.

I can't remember when, but Ford did go from two temp sensors to one, and I am thinking that was prior to 2000 model. I think the 2000 has just one. You may have already determined for certain if you have searched back though other threads here. Just something to note and be aware of.

Just to clarify: Has any service or maintenance been done recently?

Now to ask: How do you know for CERTAIN it is not overheating? With the closed system and the external de-gas tank for the coolant, you would not see coolant and steam spewing unless it was a major/catastrophic failure.

I'll hazard a guess here: your radiator is clogged and the truck is really running over-temp.
A post of mine from years ago when I had my 2000 F150 with the 4.2 and about the same mileage as your truck, I experienced very similar symptoms....
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - View Single Post - Was my truck running hotter than "normal" ?

ETA: I wanted to check to make sure you know about the fail-safe Limp Home Mode. (dropping cylinders to minimize heat / maximize cooling via air pump action)

 

hi and welcome, not sure about the gauge issues but i would check that the engine earth is in good order and the connections are clean and free from fur. bad earth can kick up all sorts of issues.
i used a code reader but just wondered if removing the battery terminal connection would clear the codes and make a better job of it ?
hope some one can make a more positive diagnosis.
please keep us up to date, bokker.

 

Hi Brian,
Thank you for your thoughts on my situation. The reason I believe that my truck is not really overheating is because when I turn it off and then immediately start it again, all indications are normal. The temp gauge is in the normal range, and the red oil light goes away. (I thought it was oil temp, because it looks like an oil can with a thermometer next to it) It has an oil pressure gauge, and the water temp gauge, so I was guessing on that.

Anyway, after a shut down and re-start, it's like nothing ever happened. All parameters are normal immediately. Also, this doesn't happen everytime I drive it. It's totally random when it comes and goes. That makes me suspect an electrical/computer/sensor issue. If it was truly overheating, it would still show hot when I re-started it.

Also, I've had the red light and the temp gauge pegged hot and kept driving and saw that they both went away on their own. Red light just disappears, and temp gauge goes down to normal (in an immediate manner, not a slow decent).

It's got me puzzled, for sure. Thanks for your input.

 

well then maybe it is electrical.
As bokker mentioned, a bad ground can cause goofy things to happen, so check that.
I do not know if it would help in any way, but you might try this and see how data compares to what the gauges show.
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - View Single Post - 3.8 and 4.2 V6: Please read

and I found this old thread....interesting.....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...ode-p1299.html

 

Thank you Bokker and Brian. I think I will try a thermostat and burping the radiator. Going out of town tomorrow, so will attempt it Friday and let all know how it goes! Thanks again for the suggestions and the older threads. They were very helpful.

 

Wasnt sure if you have found the answer to this problem yet.. My 2000 F150 with 250,000 miles just started doing the same thing this weekend and it is also not over heating and "cools down" in the time it takes to shut it off and restart it.. I was going to change the temp sensor but looks like you already have with no luck... Just looking for more advise before I start throwing parts at it but glad I am not going nuts and sombody else is having the same problems lol

 

Hi Chunkee,
I have not come up with anything. I did change the cylinder head temp sensor to no avail. I also burped the radiator--no help. I was going to change the thermostat, but since this is a false indication, I didn't bother. I need to check the wiring harness from the cylinder head temp sensor to wherever it terminates. Maybe there is some heat damage or something that might cause this intermittent fault.

Also, the engine doesn't drop cylinders every time (go into limp mode). In fact, it's only done that twice. It pegs hot and gives the red oil light often. Those also sometimes correct themselves without me turning the truck off and restarting. Go figure.....

I think I'll just drive it to catastrophic failure. LOL! If you come up with anything, PLEASE let me know. I'm stumped and I'm not willing to get raped by the dealer.....

 

I am going to try to take a look at it tomorrow after work and see if anything jumps out at me... I have had the truck go into limp mode once before but I was blaming that on a belt that was in ruf shape thought it wasnt turning the water pump as fast as it should.. since then the belt has been changed but problem still exsists... You may want to check your power sterring pump pulley just for grins cause I had mine chuck off the pump a few weeks ago due to the pulley being plastic and craking around the hub... some were plastic and some were metal i guess.... I will report back if I find somthing....

 

I'm still waiting and watching, hoping one of you finds the cause.

And OBTW - nice to see two fairly new guys join in and participate - trying to help themselves and another guy they have never met.
Good on both of you.

 

Hi everyone.New here

I have a 2001 f 150 with about 120,000 miles on it I'm having the same problem truck temperature gauge at hot oil temperature light comes on ac stops working I change the thermostat still doing it but there's 1 more thing I noticed about my truck the left hand blinker won't work unless the steering wheel is all the way up this start happening before I noticed temperature gauge going high just wondering if anybody is having the same problems with the blinker wondering if it's all connected in the steering column

 

found my problem.... I noticed this only hapened while pulling my enclosed trailer and turns out bad ground in trailer plug... problem is solved and have pulled it over 500 miles now with no problem... I would say start tracking down grounding problems


Roger

 

I'm having the same problem. While driving my temp gauge will redline, oil temp light will light up and then temp will drop and it settles back to normal. Sometimes it stays "hot" for only a second or two before dropping back down to normal, sometimes it stays for longer and thats when the oil temp light pops up. I pulled over once while the gauge was still reading hot and was able to hold my hand on the radiator, it was not overheating...

What could be causing this?

 

I've been trying to fix the same problem in my 2000 F150 4.6L (95,000km). First time it happened I drove for 5 km and shut off engine for 15 seconds. On restart temp gauge pegged, oil light was on but oil gauge was reading normal and service engine soon light was on (no overheating occured and engine ran smooth at idle. The engine went to 4cyl safe mode. I limped 5km home and engine didn't overheat. On visual check everything was fine, no leaks and all fluids good. My OBD2 gave me a P1299 (overheat protection active) and 1285 (cylinder head overheat). The Freezeframe showed ETC temp. at 258F, but didn't overheat. I'm Canadian and it's below zero here so left it to settle overnight. On restart nothing changed. I charged my 12 yr old battery (negative cable disconnected) and restarted...all was normal. Road tested with no issues. I also checked the ETC thermistor for resistance and seems ok. A few days later I gave it a good run with no problems until I shut it off when I got gas. Everything went screwy again. I rechecked codes and P1299 & P1285 came back.I think it might have to do with the battery being old and specific gravity is between fair and recharge after I've charged it. The only problem is it still has lots of cranking power so I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place as to replace it or not. I'm going to check the main engine ground connection and will let you guys know. If any of you found a fix yet please post.

Thanks, Guage

 

This sounds like exactly my issue. The only other thing I notices is that when the problem begins I have no heat at all until the truck warms up. Then all of a sudden the heat kicks on, the oil pressure light comes on and it goes into limp home mode.

I leak no fluids, I have replaced the thermostat, and replaced the antifreeze. What I can't figure out is why the heat would blow ice cold then all of a sudden ....bang ... and it blows hot.