weird overheat issue.
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Lead Driver
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weird overheat issue.
My mother has a 2000 expedition, Yesterday she called me while I was at work and said her car had over heated less than a mile from there house. she was able to limp it to mine and drive one of my trucks to work, that night i drove it around for along time with no issue's. She drove it to work today with no problems. Well she called me a little bit ago and said it had overheated again with in 2-3 miles from her work, but that she had 0 heat (also mentioned then that she didnt have any yesterday morning when it over heated) so she let it cool down a bit cranked it up and had heat again and drove it all the way home approx 30 miles with out issue. Now im somewhat suspecting a sticky thermostat that is not opening like it should right away.
Anyone else think that is what it is? or think of something else it could be? its got a brand new radiator in it that is less than 6 months old.
Thanks for any help
Anyone else think that is what it is? or think of something else it could be? its got a brand new radiator in it that is less than 6 months old.
Thanks for any help
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: 0,0,1
With a sticking t-stat she should've still had heat. You didn't say if you checked the coolant level, and if it was okay. Based on your description, it sounds more like an intermittent clogging to me. When the radiator was changed, any chance someone left a rag stuffed in one of the hoses that was put there to stop coolant from dripping? (Don't laugh, I've seen it happen.)
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Lead Driver
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Coolant level was fine.
I changed the radiator while me an my wife were on vacation with my folks in Myrtle beach in a autozone parking lot. No rags were used. Complete system was drained an refilled with antifreeze and water.
My theory with the stuck thermostat was it was not allowing the water to circulate heating the engine up by not allowing hot water from thermostat outta the engine which would prevent any from coming into the engine aswell which would also stop warm water from circulating threw the heatercore.
I changed the radiator while me an my wife were on vacation with my folks in Myrtle beach in a autozone parking lot. No rags were used. Complete system was drained an refilled with antifreeze and water.
My theory with the stuck thermostat was it was not allowing the water to circulate heating the engine up by not allowing hot water from thermostat outta the engine which would prevent any from coming into the engine aswell which would also stop warm water from circulating threw the heatercore.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: 0,0,1
Coolant flows through the heater core regardless if the t-stat is open or not. The t-stat only controls the flow to the radiator. Two things that prevent the heat from working is a loss of coolant flow (blockage) or air in the system. The latter is usually the result of a blown head gasket.
Problems with the heating system, like a broken blend door, or bad vacuum actuators can also cause no heat issues, but they will not cause overheating. That's why I'm focusing on a coolant flow issue.
Problems with the heating system, like a broken blend door, or bad vacuum actuators can also cause no heat issues, but they will not cause overheating. That's why I'm focusing on a coolant flow issue.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Central NYS
I'm trying to follow along here, but was wondering if this 2000 Xpy is an EB with the EATC (Electronic Auotmatic Temperture Contorl) or and XLT with the manual controls? And does it have the rear heater unit?
Wow! She only drove it a MILE and it overheated? (With a rear heater unit it takes nearly 9 minutes this time of year before the temp on my Navi even gets to the normal range!)
How did your mother determine that it was overheating? And how did you confirm the coolant temp? (Scan tool reported temp, or infared heat gun, or ?)
Just curious, and why did you change out the radiator in Myrtle Beach?
How did your mother determine that it was overheating? And how did you confirm the coolant temp? (Scan tool reported temp, or infared heat gun, or ?)
Just curious, and why did you change out the radiator in Myrtle Beach?
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Lead Driver
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Its a EB.
The gauge was reading hot an eventually pushed coolant out of the over flow. The vehicle had ran a few minutes before the mile were it over heated. No conformation on its heat other than a little over flow (from what she told me) i drove it a couple times an it never did over heat with me.
Radiator was changed because it had a hole in it.
The gauge was reading hot an eventually pushed coolant out of the over flow. The vehicle had ran a few minutes before the mile were it over heated. No conformation on its heat other than a little over flow (from what she told me) i drove it a couple times an it never did over heat with me.
Radiator was changed because it had a hole in it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Central NYS
Okay, Thanks for clearing that up for me.
If its the EB with the EATC, on start up that unit will swing the blend door to each extream so it can figure out where the door is. If it sticks or strips the gear, it could get stuck in one extream or the other. So the heat/noheat may be a separte issue from the overheating issue.
It may be a failing head gasket pushing an air lock into the heater core, but I'm gonna just follow along here as alloro is the guy that typically zeros in on the cause.
If its the EB with the EATC, on start up that unit will swing the blend door to each extream so it can figure out where the door is. If it sticks or strips the gear, it could get stuck in one extream or the other. So the heat/noheat may be a separte issue from the overheating issue.
It may be a failing head gasket pushing an air lock into the heater core, but I'm gonna just follow along here as alloro is the guy that typically zeros in on the cause.
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Lead Driver
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I think the issue is related somewhat because for some reason its all ways at the same time. but It could be just a freak deal that it is happening at the same time
Either way Ill drive it more tomorrow afternoon and see if I can figure some more out on it rather than speaking with her over the phone about it.
Either way Ill drive it more tomorrow afternoon and see if I can figure some more out on it rather than speaking with her over the phone about it.
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Lead Driver
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Drove the car today an when the temp gauge started climbing over normal i poped the hood and grabbed the top hose an it was cold so i squeazed it a few times an tapped the tstat housing an the hose started heating up an dad watched the temp gauge drop back to normal
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Lead Driver
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alright pulled the T stat and attempted to open it using a screw driver and it was defiantly very sticky and had some nasty build up around it. So they decided they wanted to replace it while it was out. Drove it around with out issue for a while guess well see were that goes
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Lead Driver
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Ran fine all day yesterday with no over heat issues. This morning i get a call that it over heated again within a mile of my house so i dropped her off my truck an been driving it around since with no issue. They also said no heat until it started warming up. Heat is fine now. I also noticed the top hose was extremely tight which leads me ti believe the water pump is fine but maybe radiator or something has a clog like yall mentioned before. But its kinda strange with radiatir being replaced in April.
I guess I'm gonna pickup something to flush it an see. Any other suggestions?
I guess I'm gonna pickup something to flush it an see. Any other suggestions?
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Lead Driver
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Okay, if it was a blown head gasket, wouldn't i see some oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil? or possibly loosing water out the tail pipe?
when it runs hot its normally low RPM's. like Idling or going under 35 down the road. When it started to over heat I stepped on it tell approx 2-2500 RPM and it cooled right back off.
when it runs hot its normally low RPM's. like Idling or going under 35 down the road. When it started to over heat I stepped on it tell approx 2-2500 RPM and it cooled right back off.