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Overheating

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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 02:57 PM
  #16  
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Double post
 

Last edited by lemonshindig; Dec 12, 2013 at 03:00 PM. Reason: Double post
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 02:59 PM
  #17  
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From: Port Orchard, WA
Infrared readings:

Cold engine:

Top hose: 44
Lower hose: 38

Center of temp gauge engine:

Top hose: 44
Thermostat housing, just above thermostat: 60-70
Block, just below thermostat: 150-160

At this point, it's certainly not circulating coolant. See the next post for "Good 'n hot" readings.

Also, the surface temperature of my dog's fur coat is 73 degrees, and my steak is 125. Gotta love new tools.

Thanks
-Matt
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 03:17 PM
  #18  
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I let it run a little hotter, until the gauge was welcomed to the danger zone by Kenny Loggins, and now I believe the thermostat is working just fine.

Upper hose: 100
Upper tank: 160-170
Just below thermostat on block: 160-170
Just above thermostat on housing: 130
Lower tank: 65
Block, at the temp sender: 150-160

These were the values at the absolute hottest I could get the truck. It would appear to me that nothing's wrong...
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 03:37 PM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by tjc transport
the truck running hot without a t-stat and full of water is normal because the water will not cool as good as coolant, and with no thermostat the water will just fly rite through the radiator without properly shedding it's heat.
Your second point, I agree with but I run pure distilled water in my race car.
Definitely sucks out more BTUs then 50:50 antifreeze.

To OP;
I'm sure you've come to this conclusion already, but gauges lie.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 03:46 PM
  #20  
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lemonshindig
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Originally Posted by tjc transport
the truck running hot without a t-stat and full of water is normal because the water will not cool as good as coolant, and with no thermostat the water will just fly rite through the radiator without properly shedding it's heat.
You might have a point about flow control, BUT...

Water is a better coolant than ethylene glycol, because it has a higher specific heat capacity.

Ethylene Glycol: 2.36 KJ/kgK
Fresh Water: 4.19 KJ/kgK

It takes more energy to heat one kg of water by 1 degree than it does to heat one kg of ethylene glycol by the same 1 degree. We use ethylene glycol because of it's corrosion resistance and low freeze/high boiling points.

But yeah, you could be onto something with the flow rate.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 03:55 PM
  #21  
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I'm sure you've come to this conclusion already, but gauges lie.
You're telling me I can't trust women OR my truck?

It's a dog eat dog world!
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 03:57 PM
  #22  
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let me rephrase that then. water is not as good as coolant because water has a lower boiling point than coolant.

so a vehicle will overheat with water faster than it will with coolant.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 04:29 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by lemonshindig
You're telling me I can't trust women OR my truck?

It's a dog eat dog world!

LOL!
Sorry man!

Seriously tho, my parts truck (F-Super Duty roll back) had a mechanical coolant temp gauge, probably because the owner got sick of his drivers telling him that the truck was running hot.

Ford gauges cost me a day on a flat rate job once. Can't trust em.
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 07:27 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by lemonshindig
I let it run a little hotter, until the gauge was welcomed to the danger zone by Kenny Loggins, and now I believe the thermostat is working just fine.

Upper hose: 100
Upper tank: 160-170
Just below thermostat on block: 160-170
Just above thermostat on housing: 130
Lower tank: 65
Block, at the temp sender: 150-160

These were the values at the absolute hottest I could get the truck. It would appear to me that nothing's wrong...
there ya go.so now ya know she's not running hot.she's running cold! the t-stat doesn't even start to open until 192F and isn't fully open until 212F.she can handle towing @ 235F all day long (some say 240,but this is the safe max limit.)
so if you started by tossing parts at it,you would of just thrown good money after bad trying to cool an already too cool of a running idi.

i got a good deal on a point and shoot tool from amazon.i suspected the gauges i first installed in my truck were just as bad as the oem gauges and i was right lol:
HDE® Temperature Gun Infrared Thermometer w/ Laser Sight - Amazon.com HDE® Temperature Gun Infrared Thermometer w/ Laser Sight - Amazon.com

(i threw away the cyberdyne digital gauges and installed auto meter.major upgrade.now i know my temps.)
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 11:00 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by lemonshindig

Also, the surface temperature of my dog's fur coat is 73 degrees, and my steak is 125. Gotta love new tools.

Thanks
-Matt
lol


Apparently its not the cool thing to do, but i replaced my factory sending unit when it started acting up. Works 100% A-O-good. Cold bar is 100* O/R is 210 end of normal is 235*
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 11:22 PM
  #26  
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I would just replace the sender, if I was confident that was the problem.

But the gauge and the idiot light appear to agree with each other, and I'm currently under the assumption that they are fed by different sensors: a variable resistance sender for the gauge, and a switch for the idiot light.

So... the engineer in me needs to figure this out. I'm too stubborn to just write "Electron Magic" in a cloud shape, call it my troubleshooting, and install aftermarket gauges.

No sir. I'll be sitting down with a magnifying glass, a case of my best thinking-man's juice (Busch light), and some wiring diagrams I got off of Google that I will blindly accept as accurate. This system is... elementary.

-Matt
 
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Old Dec 12, 2013 | 11:35 PM
  #27  
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The stock gauge's are only a bit smarter than a slug on a hot stove....He knows its dam hot...But can't move any faster....The only way to know any engine info for sure is to put real gauge's in it.....
 
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Old Dec 13, 2013 | 12:23 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by racer30
The stock gauge's are only a bit smarter than a slug on a hot stove....He knows its dam hot...But can't move any faster....The only way to know any engine info for sure is to put real gauge's in it.....
Listen, I know the gauge isn't accurate.

But it was designed to be centered when the thermostat opens. It isn't. I'm going to find out what has changed, and fix it.

Leaving the stock gauge all catty-whompus and mounting an autometer electric gauge under the dash doesn't fix the stock gauge.
 
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Old Dec 13, 2013 | 12:42 AM
  #29  
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replace the sender, my rig has never been past half way, most of the time its on the o of normal. the tech of electric sensors has improved a ton, but ford stayed with what they liked, cheaper for them.
 
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Old Dec 13, 2013 | 07:05 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by lemonshindig
I don't know about the fan, but seeing as it gets hot at highway speeds, I'm pretty certain the fan is not the issue.

Earlier today I noted that once the engine got hot, the upper hose was warm (not hot) and very, very stiff. Trying to squeeze it was like squeezing a rock. The lower hose was cold to the touch.

Given that the upper hose wasn't hot, but it was pressurized, I'm guessing that the radiator isn't flowing adequately. Which is odd, because it flowed the garden hose just fine.

It may have clogged back up once i put it back in the truck.
Typically, thermally operated mechanical fans will ROAR when they lock up. If your radiator temps out alright I would seriously look at the belts and the fan clutch, if equipped. Clutch fans are technically bad when you see oil residue at the shaft or the thermal spring seal-BUT, I have known them to go many years after the seepage. If the fan isn't roaring at cruising or acceleration speed (between gears), when hot, I would check the fan clutch.
 
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