Temperature reading
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New User
Joined: Dec 2018
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From: North Carolina
Temperature reading
Good evening. On my 83 f150 5.8L truck the temperature gauge reads normal at 30 to 40 mph. Once I reach 50 to 60 mph the gauge soars to Hot. The radiator was replaced a week ago by a repair shop. The sensor is 5 years old as well as the sender. Any suggestions?
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Yes, is the engine actually getting too hot? You should have other indicators such as boiling over and maybe some pinging under load. If it really is getting hot, I would check to make sure you have a metal spring inside the lower radiator hose.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
HT, welcome to FTE
As soon as I saw the name I had to look where you are from, love it LOL
Yes check the lower hose for that spring.
New hoses do not come with that spring and because it is on the suction side of the water pump it gets sucked closed stopping the flow of cooling water.
I will not tell you what I had to do to get a spring for my projects new lower hose....unless you need me to to get a spring.
The others are also right on what they said on needing to know if it is boiling or pinging or anything else.
Dave ----
As soon as I saw the name I had to look where you are from, love it LOL
Yes check the lower hose for that spring.
New hoses do not come with that spring and because it is on the suction side of the water pump it gets sucked closed stopping the flow of cooling water.
I will not tell you what I had to do to get a spring for my projects new lower hose....unless you need me to to get a spring.
The others are also right on what they said on needing to know if it is boiling or pinging or anything else.
Dave ----
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 156
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From: Whispering Pines, NC
Temperature reading
Thank you everyone. The old radiator was rusting through due to being original to the truck. There is a spring in the bottom hose. I can only guess the sensor or sender are bad. There isn't any boiling over or pinging
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,831
Likes: 4,096
From: Angier, NC
Oh man I liked the other screen name 
So I guess this started after the radiator swap?
Was the Tstat changed at the same time and if so did you drill a 1/8" hole to let air pass thru it a little easier?
Are you sure you got all the air out of the system?
Sometimes you need to get the front of the car/truck up high to get the air out.
Dave ----
So I guess this started after the radiator swap?
Was the Tstat changed at the same time and if so did you drill a 1/8" hole to let air pass thru it a little easier?
Are you sure you got all the air out of the system?
Sometimes you need to get the front of the car/truck up high to get the air out.
Dave ----
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Just for grins check too that distributor is advancing ignition timing correctly at cruise RPM and the vacuum advance is also pulling in the extra on top of that. Retarded ignition timing will run very hot.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2013
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+1 on that! Can you please confirm this is a new problem that started only the radiator replacement? Otherwise we will gladly GuessDeplete™ your bank account away.
If this is indeed a new problem, please detail any other work done at the same time, such as new drive belts, thermostat, etc.
So far, we still don't know if this is an indication issue or an actual overheat problem. When the gauge climbs above normal, does it do so rapidly (within 5 seconds or so) or is it a gradual increase?
Also, you had mentioned a temperature sensor AND sender, both being about 5 years old. The sender, is that what drives the temperature gauge? The sensor? Is that an electrical device feeding something other than the gauge? Or is the sensor a mechanical switch controlling a vacuum circuit? Not busting your butt, just trying to get an understanding of the terminology and possible causes.
If this is indeed a new problem, please detail any other work done at the same time, such as new drive belts, thermostat, etc.
So far, we still don't know if this is an indication issue or an actual overheat problem. When the gauge climbs above normal, does it do so rapidly (within 5 seconds or so) or is it a gradual increase?
Also, you had mentioned a temperature sensor AND sender, both being about 5 years old. The sender, is that what drives the temperature gauge? The sensor? Is that an electrical device feeding something other than the gauge? Or is the sensor a mechanical switch controlling a vacuum circuit? Not busting your butt, just trying to get an understanding of the terminology and possible causes.
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FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,831
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From: Angier, NC
He may be digging out from the snow.
We don't get much snow down here, just an 1" closes everything till it melts as we don't have equipment to remove / sand/salt the roads with.
Well I think half the state got slammed with 6"+ of the stuff and the rest got slammed with a lot of rain, read flooding.
Give him time to answer back.
Dave ----
We don't get much snow down here, just an 1" closes everything till it melts as we don't have equipment to remove / sand/salt the roads with.
Well I think half the state got slammed with 6"+ of the stuff and the rest got slammed with a lot of rain, read flooding.
Give him time to answer back.
Dave ----
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2015
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if yours is anything like mine, you will have pounds of rust coming out forever as you try to clean out the block and so forth. All those rust chunks will stop up a radiator and make it run hot like an old radiator.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
The only configurations that had both a gauge sender AND a separate sensor were the computer-controlled engines; unless your truck was built for sale in California, a 1983 engine isn't computer controlled.
Check your wiring in the engine compartment, make sure that red/white wire isn't grounding anyplace.
Check your wiring in the engine compartment, make sure that red/white wire isn't grounding anyplace.
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