High coolant temps
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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High coolant temps
17 3.5 Eco with 39k, cooling fans often running on high, temp gauge starts showing numbers at 226 degrees and has hit 232. This condition can be replicated by accelerating and then coming off the throttle rapidly, like on the highway, and the temp gauge will start showing the temp and its generally over 226. Took it to Ford and they said all checks out fine. However, they do not know why the gauge starts showing numbers lol. They contacted the Ford engineers and were told the trucks normal operating temps are 220-250 with an overheating condition over 270. So the 232 I was seeing was in spec lol.
Anyone with similar temp/gauge issues? Hard to believe 230 is a normal temp.
Anyone with similar temp/gauge issues? Hard to believe 230 is a normal temp.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
My 17 3.5 Eco started doing that a while back. I was b.a.r.e.l.y low on antifreeze.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
Hopefully it works for you too.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
Hopefully it works for you too.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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How low was your coolant? Did you find there was air in the system? Id think it would be hard to get air into the system if its never been serviced or opened up. My 16 3.5 had none of these issues so Im not sure if this is a 17+ issue?
My 17 3.5 Eco started doing that a while back. I was b.a.r.e.l.y low on antifreeze.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
https://youtu.be/4gk4xb9aOgE
Hopefully it works for you too.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
https://youtu.be/4gk4xb9aOgE
Hopefully it works for you too.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
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Basically what Ford said. Can those parameters be changed? With a tune or programming?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,914
Likes: 136
From: Burleson, Tx
Put in a 180 thermostat and it'll run cooler. When not towing mine will almost always only hits 200 as the thermostat opens the first time in the morning. After that it sits pretty much on 199.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
I can only suspect there was air in there.
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Senior User
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72 degrees today, driving with the windows open, no AC, around town and 230 pops up, fans running high, louvers wide open. Cant believe this is a normal condition like Ford is telling me.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
It'll cost you, at most, the price of the single container of coolant to try it.
Mine must have had some air in it because I filled it to the top of Max and it is right at the line between Max and Min now. I just checked.
I hadn't checked it before now, since it fixed the issue.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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looks like I’ll be doing that ASAP!
LoL...that is exactly what mine was doing before I did what they said in the video.
It'll cost you, at most, the price of the single container of coolant to try it.
Mine must have had some air in it because I filled it to the top of Max and it is right at the line between Max and Min now. I just checked.
I hadn't checked it before now, since it fixed the issue.
It'll cost you, at most, the price of the single container of coolant to try it.
Mine must have had some air in it because I filled it to the top of Max and it is right at the line between Max and Min now. I just checked.
I hadn't checked it before now, since it fixed the issue.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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absolutely, I’ll see if I can get it done this weekend and post back. Thanks again.
These trucks run the gold coolant?
These trucks run the gold coolant?
Thread Starter
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Senior User
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Did you have a no heat situation prior to doing this ?
[Q
UOTE=Kingofwylietx;19345360]My 17 3.5 Eco started doing that a while back. I was b.a.r.e.l.y low on antifreeze.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
Did you have no heat prior to doing this?
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
Hopefully it works for you too.[/QUOTE]
[Q
UOTE=Kingofwylietx;19345360]My 17 3.5 Eco started doing that a while back. I was b.a.r.e.l.y low on antifreeze.
just running down the freeway at 75 would cause the temp numbers to pop up, though it would cool itself down.
Did you have no heat prior to doing this?
I also experienced the fans running on high, when they should not have really been running.
I found a thread about how to fix and it worked. Let me go see if I can find it.
Edit:
I found it, here is the video without needing to read the thread.
It is not engine specific. This worked for me.
Hopefully it works for you too.[/QUOTE]
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,634
Likes: 72
No, I don't recall having any issue with the heater working. It was only for overheating and the fans running like crazy when they should not have been running like crazy. An example is on a cool day just driving a steady 45 mph down the road. I could come up to a red light and the radiator fans were literally at full blast.
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Senior User
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Exactly! And this procedure fixed the problem for you? How many times did you have to do it?
No, I don't recall having any issue with the heater working. It was only for overheating and the fans running like crazy when they should not have been running like crazy. An example is on a cool day just driving a steady 45 mph down the road. I could come up to a red light and the radiator fans were literally at full blast.