engine overheating
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
Likes: 7
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Empty enough of the radiator to see the fins from the top tank, notice if you see any white crap build up and clogging the fins.
Anything blocking the front of the rad? Dirt, leafs, papers etc.
And most important and most overlooked item....the famous power sucking fan clutch
Can you hear it locking in? You should be able to clearly hear it.
I have a video if you wanna hear what it sounds like.
Do you have a real gauge or relying on that borderline useless dash gauge? I highly suggest putting in a real gauge as others will also tell you.
Anything blocking the front of the rad? Dirt, leafs, papers etc.
And most important and most overlooked item....the famous power sucking fan clutch
Can you hear it locking in? You should be able to clearly hear it.
I have a video if you wanna hear what it sounds like.
Do you have a real gauge or relying on that borderline useless dash gauge? I highly suggest putting in a real gauge as others will also tell you.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
Likes: 7
From: Ottawa, Ontario
What kind of temps are you seeing?
And heres the vid. Clearly sounds like an air plane taking off infront of you!
What a Fully Locked in Fan Clutch Should Sound Like - YouTube
And heres the vid. Clearly sounds like an air plane taking off infront of you!
What a Fully Locked in Fan Clutch Should Sound Like - YouTube
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
idk how long u have had the truck or what u have done to it, but mine acted that way for a while. would idle for hours and never break 180, head down the highway hold 190-195. if i tried to pull any sort of load or go up an long hill, she would start to creep up till id shut her down 230+. ended up being the thermostat, PO put a gasser one in must have flowed just enough till she was under load. dont know if it will help but it may be worth a shot, if its old enough it may be starting to act up anyway even if its the right one.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Maybe someone else can chime in here but that sounds a lil on the warm side. I know these motors r really picky with t-stats. Those cheapo ones don't last very long and gave me similar issues.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
Likes: 7
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Heres why you CAN'T use an aftermarket thermostat in these engines!
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10526448
And my motorhome has IH 180* thermostat, and it's never been higher than 210* climbing hills in the 110*F weather in the desert....
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10526448
And my motorhome has IH 180* thermostat, and it's never been higher than 210* climbing hills in the 110*F weather in the desert....
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Easy way to check is once she is nice and warmed up, feel or shoot the lower hose with a non contact thermometer. If its cold or cool and ur @ operating temp ur not using all of the cooling systems capacity. And just an fyi my fan never kicked on until I put the correct, ih, t-stat in. I'm guessing the middle Of my radiatior was not warm enough for the spring to expand and lock the clutch. Correct t-stat and she locks in all the time now
Clueless spectator!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 6
From: Denver, CO
Fan Clutch
IMJ,
I had the same problem in my 93 with a banks. It was O.K. whith no load, but pulling my fifth wheel on long grades, temp would rise slowly. I checked and flushed the radiator and no change, then I replaced the thermostat, F.Y.I., kind of a PITA on this motor! no change. Then I replaced the fan clutch, and presto, cool as the other side of the pillow. If you can't hear it kick in, (and if you don't know if you can or not, then you can't!) replace it. The dealer will tell you almost 400 bucks! U-haul truck parts has a OEM replacement for 188 bucks, you can find them for as low as 45 on line, but you get what you pay for.
Here is a link to where I got mine for about 100 bucks with shipping, and it has a 1 year warranty, (for whatever an online warranty is worth!) it bolted right in, no need to drain fluids or anything, just remove the fan shroud and make sure you have a big enough wrench for the fan clutch nut before you start. Rember it is a reverse thread and blue locktight is recommended, although I had mine off and on without it many times, I used it on the new one.
Race Pages - Ford F250 Fan Clutch - 1993 F-250 Fan Clutch
Good luck,
MAC.
remember to post your results!
I had the same problem in my 93 with a banks. It was O.K. whith no load, but pulling my fifth wheel on long grades, temp would rise slowly. I checked and flushed the radiator and no change, then I replaced the thermostat, F.Y.I., kind of a PITA on this motor! no change. Then I replaced the fan clutch, and presto, cool as the other side of the pillow. If you can't hear it kick in, (and if you don't know if you can or not, then you can't!) replace it. The dealer will tell you almost 400 bucks! U-haul truck parts has a OEM replacement for 188 bucks, you can find them for as low as 45 on line, but you get what you pay for.
Here is a link to where I got mine for about 100 bucks with shipping, and it has a 1 year warranty, (for whatever an online warranty is worth!) it bolted right in, no need to drain fluids or anything, just remove the fan shroud and make sure you have a big enough wrench for the fan clutch nut before you start. Rember it is a reverse thread and blue locktight is recommended, although I had mine off and on without it many times, I used it on the new one.
Race Pages - Ford F250 Fan Clutch - 1993 F-250 Fan Clutch
Good luck,
MAC.
remember to post your results!
Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Malta
still problems
Today I went and put a new napa thermastat and an almost new water pump into my truck but now the water temp will rise to around 200+ and when i drive around empty it will go as high as 220! when i got back from a short run i felt the top hose that goes to the radiator and it was hot the bottom hose was also warm! but later the top hose was cool but the water was still at 200+! Any ideas?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 8,005
Likes: 7
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Did you put a MOTORCRAFT or INTERNATIONAL thermostat? You CANNOT use any other brand in these engines! They will overheat! Read through that link I gave you a couple replys up.
And put a new fan clutch in! That may be your problem!
And put a new fan clutch in! That may be your problem!
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Hate to say it if u bought the $8 Napa that's a big part of the problem. The IH or Ford state gonna run u like 35 bucks. But it will be the right one and will probably go a long way toward fixing ur problem. Those cheap ones simply don't flow enough coolant. These motors require a huge flow of coolant to stay cool. U may need a fan clutch too but get the rest of the system right first before laying out 200 bucks on a clutch, if ur unloaded holding 60 MPH and it like 75 or 80 degrees out u should flow enough air with out the fan to keep from overheating.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,376
Likes: 843
From: Mi'kma'ki
normal operating temp is 195-237 degrees.so your not overheating or anything @ 220.
the t-stat is just fully open @ 212 degrees.
i let mine run at 220 often before i have my e-fans kick on.
if your fan clutch is not working,then depending on what you tow/haul then you may need to replace it.i was able to run with a failed clutch no problem until i decided to put a plow on her.then she needed some help.
but unless that water temp gauge reads 240.......don't fret.
still......you need the correct T-stat:
Amazon.com: Motorcraft RT1049 190F and 88C Thermostat: Automotive
"but later the top hose was cool but the water was still at 200+! Any ideas?"
yup.its a diesel engine.diesels love heat.200 degrees is just up to the low side of normal operating temp.she'll hang there for a bit after shutdown.good for fuel economy if ya need to run out again.
the t-stat is just fully open @ 212 degrees.
i let mine run at 220 often before i have my e-fans kick on.
if your fan clutch is not working,then depending on what you tow/haul then you may need to replace it.i was able to run with a failed clutch no problem until i decided to put a plow on her.then she needed some help.
but unless that water temp gauge reads 240.......don't fret.
still......you need the correct T-stat:
Amazon.com: Motorcraft RT1049 190F and 88C Thermostat: Automotive
"but later the top hose was cool but the water was still at 200+! Any ideas?"
yup.its a diesel engine.diesels love heat.200 degrees is just up to the low side of normal operating temp.she'll hang there for a bit after shutdown.good for fuel economy if ya need to run out again.
New User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
On my 94 idi turbo I spent quite a bit of money for an overheating problem I thought I was having. When pulling a hill my temp gauge would go all the way to m and alost to a of normal before I would let outof it to get the truck cooled back down. I flushed the system several times with chemical, changed the thermostat , replaced the Fan clutch and the radiator. In the end my temperature still goes up when pulling a hill but the fan clutch does engage at around 210 and the truck will start to cool down. This is the first truck I have ever had that the temperatures moved around this much. In my opinion my money was best spent on a fan clutch that was bad. Just my 2 cents