2000 V10 getting hot while towing.
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Elder User
Joined: May 2011
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2000 V10 getting hot while towing.
I hope someone can point me in the right direction. I have a 2000 V10 that sat for about a year before I got it back to running last fall. Shortly afterwards I had to replace the radiator due to it stopped up. Everything was fine till about March. Then I lost heat due to my heater core stopped up. I flushed some pretty nasty stuff out of it and it was fine till June. Then the heater core started leaking. After I replaced the heater core the truck started overheating while towing, but only while towing. I could drive it for an hour without a load and it would never overheat. I have replaced all four hoses, the water pump, the thermostat, the fan clutch, and the overflow tank cap. It is still getting hot while towing. It does not have a cat on it, so that can't be stopped up. Any ideas? Head gasket? Stopped up coolant circuit in block?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
Likes: 1,656
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Whatever clogged the heater core might also be restricting flow through the radiator. I would have the entire cooling system professionally flushed to see if that helps. You could DIY with any of the better quality radiator flushing solutions which is also an option.
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Elder User
Joined: May 2011
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I did a flush. There was some pretty nasty brown junk came out of it. I kept flushing it with water till it was clear. It took four fill ups to get clear water to run out. It is still overheating while towing after the flush. Anyone have any suggestions?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Perform a leak-down test to assess the head gasket condition.
5th Wheeling
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 46
Likes: 4
From: Reno
I replaced my engine all the hoses, new radiator, Thermostat, A/C condenser, Tranny cooler, on and on. Test drove it a week no real load babied it no problems. Put a super heavy load, 21000lbs total on it and same thing overheated first hill almost immediately. Was so bummed that I overheated new engine. No coolant loss just overheating. After replacing the thermostat again, replaced the fan clutch, No change. tried a lower thermostat but it would still overheat just took longer. After a reinstalled the 195 I pulled it out and had it idling and noticed a vey small leak on the pressure tank seam. I knew then i had over looked the basics, Replaced the pressure tank and cap, Bam fixed no more overheating. It was high enough above the coolant level that it never lost any coolant but a large enough leak that it couldn't build pressure so the coolant was probably boiling under the heavy load. So when I backed off and came back home it had cooled down enough that everything seemed fine. Put doorman tank on it as well as a oem cap the quality was suspect I would probably get a ford one if i had a do over
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 269
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Your new radiator could have gotten clogged up from all the gunk in the engine. Dirty radiator is often the problem with overheating.
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Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2011
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We have a winner. I tried to flush it myself and got a pile of nasty brown sludge out of it. It still got hot after I did that. I took it to a shop and they flushed it professionally. It tows without overheating now.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 7,460
Likes: 85
From: Kent Station, WA
Glad the shop was able to figure it out.
For cooling systems it is important to maintain them with the appropriate coolant; just as important to not mix coolant types; also use distilled water over tap/hose as distilled is pure of minerals.
For cooling systems it is important to maintain them with the appropriate coolant; just as important to not mix coolant types; also use distilled water over tap/hose as distilled is pure of minerals.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Mar 2019
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Your only option is to at a minimum replace the connector but more than likely also need to replace the sensor as well.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,253
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From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Google search "motorcraft wiring pigtail kits"and find your chassis side connector there. You can try rockauto.com but eBay can be less expensive.