Last resort, overheating demons
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Last resort, overheating demons
OK, 05 v8 4.6l
I am having very random overheating for last few weeks. Started randomly one day in stop n go traffic. Thought maybe struck tstat so replaced it. Same thing...replaced water pump, fan clutch, serpentine belt, coolant reservoir cap since then. During all those replacement I flushed system with garden hose. Burped system to best of my knowledge. Still overheats randomly. Seems to happen every day now at hot times (100*). I drive around all day for work so been watching it closely. Temp gun runs 190* on tstat housing at operating temp. When it was rising up in temp I pulled over and temp gun read 200 ish.... it is in fact getting hot. Any freaking clues? Oh and have pressure tested good....combustion test good...
I am having very random overheating for last few weeks. Started randomly one day in stop n go traffic. Thought maybe struck tstat so replaced it. Same thing...replaced water pump, fan clutch, serpentine belt, coolant reservoir cap since then. During all those replacement I flushed system with garden hose. Burped system to best of my knowledge. Still overheats randomly. Seems to happen every day now at hot times (100*). I drive around all day for work so been watching it closely. Temp gun runs 190* on tstat housing at operating temp. When it was rising up in temp I pulled over and temp gun read 200 ish.... it is in fact getting hot. Any freaking clues? Oh and have pressure tested good....combustion test good...
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 304
Likes: 12
From: WA
Might be worth taking it to a radiator shop and having your flow checked and/or rodded out.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 18
200 at the T-stat is not 'hot'. I don't know what they have in them but it might be a 195. Anyway, testing the radiator would be preferable to just buying a new one without knowing, so I hope the new one takes care of it. One thing you did is bad, using non-distilled water in the cooling system. You can get away with it if you are willing to flush the system every 24 months. If this has been done to your truck over the years, your radiator probably is corroded.
Also, strange things have happened to cause overheating; foreign objects in the cooling system, hoses that come apart on the inside and block flow, water pump impellers eaten away by bad coolant, etc.
Also, strange things have happened to cause overheating; foreign objects in the cooling system, hoses that come apart on the inside and block flow, water pump impellers eaten away by bad coolant, etc.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
I flushed with distilled water months ago when first happened along with the Prestone flush stuff... At this point I was desperate and saw a lot of videos online with guys using the garden hose and just flushing it the whole time its running. Just desperation, I figured it's already screwed up how bad could it be... hopefully now not too bad lol... thanks for the tip
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 18
One more thing; after opening the system as you have done numerous times, you have to monitor the surge tank and keep coolant in it. Every time it cools off, for maybe 5 or 6 cycles, it is going to suck coolant from the tank into the engine to replace lost air. It's also important to see the changing levels from hot to cold and back to hot to verify that the system is sealed. If the level in the tank does not drop from hot to cold (stone cold, like overnight), your cooling system will not hold pressure or vacuum, so it can't get rid of air pockets that cause hot spots.
Have you been looking for brown sludge in the coolant (oil) and white/tan sludge in the oil (coolant)? That would indicate a head gasket or cracked head.
Have you been looking for brown sludge in the coolant (oil) and white/tan sludge in the oil (coolant)? That would indicate a head gasket or cracked head.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
One more thing; after opening the system as you have done numerous times, you have to monitor the surge tank and keep coolant in it. Every time it cools off, for maybe 5 or 6 cycles, it is going to suck coolant from the tank into the engine to replace lost air. It's also important to see the changing levels from hot to cold and back to hot to verify that the system is sealed. If the level in the tank does not drop from hot to cold (stone cold, like overnight), your cooling system will not hold pressure or vacuum, so it can't get rid of air pockets that cause hot spots.
Have you been looking for brown sludge in the coolant (oil) and white/tan sludge in the oil (coolant)? That would indicate a head gasket or cracked head.
Have you been looking for brown sludge in the coolant (oil) and white/tan sludge in the oil (coolant)? That would indicate a head gasket or cracked head.
Yes sir... after all the replacement parts I topped her off a couple times the following days... it does go up when hot, then down to "cold fill range" when cold. I ran 2 separate combustion gas tests with 2 different testers and both showed no combustion gas... before water pump and fan clutch also ran pressure test held fine. Hopefully I can slap in the new radiator tonight, and pray 😄
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,293
Likes: 18
Well good luck and let us know what happened. I had an old Mustang once that got hot on the highway but fine around town. I checked everything and found no problem. One day I took the thermostat out and was just standing there trying to think of something else to try. I just idly stuck my finger down into the coolant under where the thermostat would be, and I felt something. I fished it out, and it was a rubber washer with a small hole in the center like a 'fender washer'. Evidently as long as water flow was low, it didn't cause any trouble, but at highway speed the washer was forced against the thermostat, partially blocking it. I have no idea how that thing got into the cooling system.
I mean with cooling systems you just never know what kind of freak thing might happen.
I mean with cooling systems you just never know what kind of freak thing might happen.
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
just installed new radiator. Everything went well I'd say, except the black plastic clips that go onto the transmission coolant lines into radiator didn't fit well. look like a safety clip. anyone ever had this issue? The radiator male hookup was a tad different looking than the OEM. Ran truck at operating temp with resevoir open and heater on high (even though I believe heater core clogged again... haven't had heat for a while) wasn't getting heat from vents, but tstat opened everything was good looking. Will check coolant levels in the a. m. and top off... anything else?
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 304
Likes: 12
From: WA
just installed new radiator. Everything went well I'd say, except the black plastic clips that go onto the transmission coolant lines into radiator didn't fit well. look like a safety clip. anyone ever had this issue? The radiator male hookup was a tad different looking than the OEM. Ran truck at operating temp with resevoir open and heater on high (even though I believe heater core clogged again... haven't had heat for a while) wasn't getting heat from vents, but tstat opened everything was good looking. Will check coolant levels in the a. m. and top off... anything else?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
There was quite a bit of rust lining both hoses so im betting that radiator was pretty yuck! I bought truck with 65k miles on it so "probably" not anything added to radiator hopefully they last that long without issues lol... It now has 160k miles on it, so it was probably about time for overhaul anyways, and paying someone to test radiator wasn't worth it when I can just get a new one for $165 locally and just know it's brand spankin new. ☺... ill try to remember to report back with how she does because I know people can benefit from finding the fix!
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 304
Likes: 12
From: WA
There was quite a bit of rust lining both hoses so im betting that radiator was pretty yuck! I bought truck with 65k miles on it so "probably" not anything added to radiator hopefully they last that long without issues lol... It now has 160k miles on it, so it was probably about time for overhaul anyways, and paying someone to test radiator wasn't worth it when I can just get a new one for $165 locally and just know it's brand spankin new. ☺... ill try to remember to report back with how she does because I know people can benefit from finding the fix!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ollirrap
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
22
Dec 22, 2014 10:11 AM
03NF155
1997 - 2003 F150
6
Jun 30, 2011 02:33 AM
88-F250
Pre-Power Stroke Diesel (7.3L IDI & 6.9L)
6
May 14, 2005 02:31 PM
nudgey
1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
21
May 14, 2004 08:12 PM