1999 Expedition Overheating
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1999 Expedition Overheating
Hi fellow Ford fans. I have a 1999 Ford Expedition with a 4.6 in it. Awhile back, I replaced the thermostat in it as it was overheating. It started overheating again, so I decided to to make sure that I just didn't buy a junk thermostat and replaced it and drained the coolant to make sure I had the proper amount of antifreeze/water solution.
I also changed, the oil, oil filter, plugs, wires, air filter, belt and what not.
Now today I noticed that the radiator hose was collapsed/soft so I went and bought a new one.
So I let it warm up and took it for a spin. The air blew pretty warm at first but like every other time right before it starts to overheat, it starts blowing out really cold air. I don't hear the water pump squeeling nor do I see any coolant/water leaking around it.
I can let it sit and warm up and never overheat. Only when I am going down the road. I can't check if the water is flowing as it has a tank on the side and no radiator cap. I tried squeezing the top radiator hose for awhile to make sure there were no air in it, although not sure if I got it all or any?
Any ideas what I can do? Just really hoping it isn't a head or head gasket
Thanks in advance.
I also changed, the oil, oil filter, plugs, wires, air filter, belt and what not.
Now today I noticed that the radiator hose was collapsed/soft so I went and bought a new one.
So I let it warm up and took it for a spin. The air blew pretty warm at first but like every other time right before it starts to overheat, it starts blowing out really cold air. I don't hear the water pump squeeling nor do I see any coolant/water leaking around it.
I can let it sit and warm up and never overheat. Only when I am going down the road. I can't check if the water is flowing as it has a tank on the side and no radiator cap. I tried squeezing the top radiator hose for awhile to make sure there were no air in it, although not sure if I got it all or any?
Any ideas what I can do? Just really hoping it isn't a head or head gasket
Thanks in advance.
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The radiator could be partially plugged, or maybe a bad fan clutch? The upper radiator hose probably collapsed due to air in the system. I have heard of water pump blades failing due to corrosion. So, the water pump is spinning, but not really pumping fluid. Make sure you have the right concentration of coolant/anti-freeze to water as well. Hope this helps...
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Is there a way to tell if the radiator is plugged? Any way to test if the fan clutch is bad? The radiator hose was bad even before the over heating begun, I just went ahead and replaced it as I was hoping it may have been the problem.
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As far as the radiator goes, the only way to check it is to take it out and drop it off at a radiator repair shop. If the radiator has plastic tanks it may be difficult, if not impossible, to take them off to check the core. When I wrenched on cars, they had metal tanks and radiator shops could replace cores. Is the cooling system appear in good shape (i.e. no rust or corrosion)? Check the fan clutch for any fluid leaks. It should offer some resistance with the engine off, when spun by hand. If it is very loose or excessively tight, replace it. Does the truck have high miles? The fan clutch and radiator would be my first choices to check and/or replace. Hope this helps...
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BTW, when I drained the radiator before, the fluid looked pretty green and came out rather smoothly at the drain valve. I just went out and turned the fan and it turned ok. How can I test the thermostat without taking it out and putting it in some water? I am going to start the truck up and let it warm up and see if I feel any water running through the top radiator hose to see if the pump is pumping. Just would like to know a quick/easy way to test the thermostat.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Tennessee
You can get a general idea of temp and flow with an IR thermometer , A NEW TOOL TO BUY , You can ck for thermostat operation . Do you actually overheat , or just show warm on the gauge ? Bad temp sender ?If you only overheat driving at highway speed , sounds like a radiator or clutch .If you are in cold climate , clutch is less likely .Also ck for radiator obstruction , bugs , leaves , grass , ect . If you never overheat at extended idle ck rad .
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While the truck is idle, it never overheats. However, every once in awhile while driving, just like today, it overheated and coolant overflowed out of the tank where the coolant goes. I read that the swooshing/water sound I am hearing in the dash is because of air being in the coolant system which could cause overheating? I checked for debris on both sides of the radiator and didn't see anything that I would think to cause it to stop air flow. Some bugs but nothing major. I am in a very cold climate, Indiana which the wind chill today was about -1 degree.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Tennessee
If you can go a long period between overheats , you may have a slow leak . That would cause air in the system . Are you checking coolant on a regular basis ? These systems are not that hard to bleed the air out of .
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From: Foothills, CA
Which hose was it that was collapsed? And that was during an O/H event correct? If it's the hose to the pump (lower) then I'd wager on a plugged radiator. Pump is sucking, but it isn't getting fluid. At idle on warm up the system has a pretty low demand, so that makes sense.
So my vote is radiator....
So my vote is radiator....
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The bottom hose is solid. It was the top hose. My step dad is telling me to check the thermostat again because it isn't overheating all the time, just every once in awhile. He told me to make sure, to just take out the thermostat and run it. That way I can rule that out and also be able to easily tell if the water pump is working.
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From: Tennessee
Smell can be a good place to start with leaks . Do you smell any running ,in cab , outside ? After hot soak ? heater cores , hoses , gaskets . Rear heat ? Look at rear and along frame where pipes run to rear . Radiator seaping ? Could be a t stat . Pressure test , flow test , temp test . You can spend a lot of money guessing . Maybe time to take it to a shop to have them test it for you . Just a thought . Good Luck !
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I do not know if this is possible on a 5.4L, but I have seen thermostats installed backward and they only open partially. That could also be the reason for a lack of flow when driving it at speed. The thermostat should come out easy. If it was stuck, it may have been in backwards. It happens. The reason the upper hose collapsed is because it was full of hot air from an overheat. These engines do not like over-heating. It does sound like you have some sort of leak possibly? If it were my truck, I would pull the radiator out and drop it off at a radiator shop. The fan clutch is easy to see then. If any fluid has leaked out, replace it. Make sure the thermostat is in the right direction. It usually has a "FLOW" arrow on it. I am not a big fan of just changing parts and chasing a problem, but you may have to do a bit of that. Hope this helps...