Running without coolant
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Junior User
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Glendale, AZ
Running without coolant
I have a 1997 F150 with a 4.6 liter engine. The manual says that you can run the engine at reduced performance without coolant until you can get home or to a service center for repairs. Fortunately, I have never had any problems in this area (I haven't had any problems, period). Anyone out there ever run without coolant? Are these claims true? I notice the same claims for the 2004 F150.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Lubbock, TX
I had never heard that claim before. I have a 98 4.6 that is pushing 110k miles. I've never had any problems either but it sure would be nice to be able to do instead of walking to get water. Since I live in the Texas Panhandle you maybe miles from water when things go bad.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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There is a feature in the triton engines that if it overheats and you continue driving, it will fire only half the cylinders. I believe it will also change which four cyclinders fire. I thought that this was in the owners manual.
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2002
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I blew out a heater hose on my 1999 4.6 Expedition last July while climbing a long hill on a very busy, fast stretch of interstate. I was in the passing lane at the time (nothing exercises your four-letter vocabulary like seeing that vapor trail in the rear view mirror). Couldn't pull off the road quickly and lost virtually all the antifreeze. Temp needle climbed, warning light and chime came on, and ultimately engine began alternating use of the cylinder banks before I could pull over and shut off. I was parked in such a dangerous area, I had no choice but to restart the engine and limp up the hill to an exit ramp.
Had the truck flatbedded to the dealer and had them replace the hose, coolant, engine oil and trans fluid. After all that ($500, including the 50-mile flatbed trip), the truck ran perfectly, and still does to this day. I'm convinced that I would have cracked a head or block if the limp-home system wasn't present.
Worked for me.
Had the truck flatbedded to the dealer and had them replace the hose, coolant, engine oil and trans fluid. After all that ($500, including the 50-mile flatbed trip), the truck ran perfectly, and still does to this day. I'm convinced that I would have cracked a head or block if the limp-home system wasn't present.
Worked for me.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,881
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From: Wake Forest, NC
The concept is not firing the alternate 4 cylinders 1) creates less heat 2) Uses air to cool the combustion chamber and block. If the ECM determines that its getting too hot it will shut the engine off.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
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From: Louisville,Ky.
But usually if you run low enough that there is no coolant hitting the sensor, it will not realize that it is hot. I had a car do that once, showed 1/2 way up on the gauge. Then once I took off and the rpms hit about 3500, the some coolant hit the sending unit and POW pegged at 270 degrees and #6 cylinder plug quit firing because it was coated with antifreeze.!!!
SO, the moral of the story is, don't let it get too low!!!!
Jimmy
SO, the moral of the story is, don't let it get too low!!!!
Jimmy
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More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 660
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From: Southeast Kansas
The "fail safe" cooling system is what lets your truck run on half of the system, I believe. I assume that it is done through the computer, and sensors.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: BC, Canada
These engines also use a Cylinder Head Temperature sensor besides the coolant sensor. The CHT doesn't actually go into the coolant. It measures the temperature of the cylinder head. If it gets hotter than what it is supposed then it goes into Fail-Safe Cooling strategy. I believe that starting in 2000 they did away with the normal coolant temperature sensor and just use the CHT for the gauge as well.
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Joined: Apr 2021
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I have a 1997 F150 with a 4.6 liter engine. The manual says that you can run the engine at reduced performance without coolant until you can get home or to a service center for repairs. Fortunately, I have never had any problems in this area (I haven't had any problems, period). Anyone out there ever run without coolant? Are these claims true? I notice the same claims for the 2004 F150.
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