97 Exploder water temp gauge trouble
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97 Exploder water temp gauge trouble
My wife's 97 Exploder Sport flashed a check gauge light at her tonight when she was driving home. She looked and saw the water temp gauge at High for just a second and then the light went off and the gauge dropped to between middle and high for the rest of the trip.
When she got home, I looked under the hood and found plenty of coolant, no leaky hoses, etc. I started it and found the water temp to be below mid-way. I let the engine idle for a while with the AC on and no change...then the heater...no change. It seemed to be running fine. I looked at everything...hoses, etc. while it was idling and all looked fine.
Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks
When she got home, I looked under the hood and found plenty of coolant, no leaky hoses, etc. I started it and found the water temp to be below mid-way. I let the engine idle for a while with the AC on and no change...then the heater...no change. It seemed to be running fine. I looked at everything...hoses, etc. while it was idling and all looked fine.
Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks
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Joined: Sep 2004
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Check for coolant leakage around the actuator arm in the plastic heater control valve.
(This has the two small coolant hoses from the block, and the two small coolant hoses to the heater core going to it, plus a vacuum hose).
Try it with the heater control in the defrost position and the off position.
My Explorer was doing the same thing with the temp guage. I found it slightly low on coolant, so I drained and flushed the cooling system. The problem went away, but came back a couple of days later. Finally, I noticed the hoses around the heater valve were wet with coolant. I spotted the leakage around the actuating arm, replaced the plastic valve, and the pegged guage and slow coolant loss have stopped.
The valve is near the high point in the cooling system, so you don't lose that much coolant. I suspect that in my case the "pegged guage" effect was due to air getting into the otherwise sealed system.
The valves are noted for a high failure rate, although mine went 9 years and 106K miles. Replacement valves are readily available at auto parts stores for $18.00 or so.
(This has the two small coolant hoses from the block, and the two small coolant hoses to the heater core going to it, plus a vacuum hose).
Try it with the heater control in the defrost position and the off position.
My Explorer was doing the same thing with the temp guage. I found it slightly low on coolant, so I drained and flushed the cooling system. The problem went away, but came back a couple of days later. Finally, I noticed the hoses around the heater valve were wet with coolant. I spotted the leakage around the actuating arm, replaced the plastic valve, and the pegged guage and slow coolant loss have stopped.
The valve is near the high point in the cooling system, so you don't lose that much coolant. I suspect that in my case the "pegged guage" effect was due to air getting into the otherwise sealed system.
The valves are noted for a high failure rate, although mine went 9 years and 106K miles. Replacement valves are readily available at auto parts stores for $18.00 or so.
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Well...she drove it this morning to work at 5am. She called me from work this morning and told me that it was over heating if she didn't blast the heater. We will just drop it off at the dealer tonight when I pick her up. She's 60 miles from home...so I'll just go and get her and have the dealership fix it. Thanks for the help.
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From: New York
Running Hot
A neat way to confirm if thermostat is bad is to see if your idle increases once the truck has reached operating temperature. I found out the hard way, that Ford put some code in the EEC V system, that if the engine temperature gets too hot, that the EEC V will increase the engine rpm at idle (from 600 to 1500) and also prevent your AC from comming on to keep the engine running cooler. It does work. I just wish they had it in the manual.
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The truck is back...it was the thermostat, like I though...but it also burned out another part in there which is related...I forgot what he called it, but it was $80 bucks. They did the 90,000 mile service and it was a bundle!! My wife figured it was three car payments worth...and since she hasn't made a payment on the truck since 1997...she figures it into costs.
I'm to the point where I'm doing all the maint. on my f-350 diesel because the costs on that is huge! Got some fuel filters coming that I'm doing myself that would otherwise cost giant money at the dealer.
I'm to the point where I'm doing all the maint. on my f-350 diesel because the costs on that is huge! Got some fuel filters coming that I'm doing myself that would otherwise cost giant money at the dealer.
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From: New York
Maintenance
I agree. I do all my own tuneups and repairs on my 97 Explorer, my Dads 97 Explorer, and brothers Dodge Dakota. Dealers out here are charging $85/hr labor. I even bought my own diagnostic tool. I already used it 4 times, which paid for it. Going to dealer except when you are over your head is a rip off. I can do a tuneup on the Explorer faster and cheaper than the dealer, also I know for a fact the work is done right. As I have had problems with the dealers not gaping plugs or replacing hard to get to plugs in the past.
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Just for interest what was the "other thing" and how much was the total bill?
I agree with Viking 2005... do your own work if you can, it's fun (usually) and a great hobby. My experiences with auto shops... wrong size oil filter, didn't change cylinder #1 spark plug, bad gaps, inferior replacement parts, over-torqued lugs, replaced stripped steel/chrome lugs with rusted steel bolts. This is not to say all shops are bad you just have to know who to trust and stick with them.
I'm a sales guy, (a sales guy!), which means I sit around all day on the phone getting fat and I have turned into a pretty decent DIYer in the past couple years. I don't attempt A/C or front glass but most everything else is within the scope of most DIYers especially tune-ups, brakes and minor maintenance such as thermostats etc.
I had an issue with temperature last month similar to you. Parts - $7.00. Time required - 1/2 hour.
I agree with Viking 2005... do your own work if you can, it's fun (usually) and a great hobby. My experiences with auto shops... wrong size oil filter, didn't change cylinder #1 spark plug, bad gaps, inferior replacement parts, over-torqued lugs, replaced stripped steel/chrome lugs with rusted steel bolts. This is not to say all shops are bad you just have to know who to trust and stick with them.
I'm a sales guy, (a sales guy!), which means I sit around all day on the phone getting fat and I have turned into a pretty decent DIYer in the past couple years. I don't attempt A/C or front glass but most everything else is within the scope of most DIYers especially tune-ups, brakes and minor maintenance such as thermostats etc.
I had an issue with temperature last month similar to you. Parts - $7.00. Time required - 1/2 hour.
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I'll look at the receipt for the "other part". I had them do the "90,000 mile service". Total was $1300. Parts were about $300 and labor was $900 aprox. It was there for two days. Basically, a rip off. But we don't have time to service the truck other than oil changes...we work opposite shifts and two babies to take care of. No time. Thermostats are easy...learned about them in auto shop in high school way back...but it was a ton of stuff and time is not there.
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I hear you. I am in EXACTLY the same boat as you. I made vehicle maintenance my "official hobby" so I can devote time without upsetting the family balance. I had to drop a couple of other hobbies with child #2's arrival(but I managed to keep golf too!).
$1300.00!!!! Ouch! $900.00 Labour? Wow!! Are you kidding me?
$1300.00!!!! Ouch! $900.00 Labour? Wow!! Are you kidding me?
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From: New York
Diy
I agree with Gill. I have managed to set myself up in that most all work I do on the truck never takes longer than 4 hrs. Brakes take the longest (4hrs) only because I take the rotors to the auto store to get them cut. I can do a oil change start to finish in 20 min, including clean up. Like Gil this is a hobby, that was passed to me from my Pop. It makes a great father - son/daughter project. When I have kids it is somethin I intend to pass on too.
Also rule of thumb, NEVER LET A DEALER DO WORK ON YOUR CAR WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHYIT IS TO BE DONE AND WHAT IT IS!!!! this way you can at least prevent or reduce the rip off.
Also rule of thumb, NEVER LET A DEALER DO WORK ON YOUR CAR WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHYIT IS TO BE DONE AND WHAT IT IS!!!! this way you can at least prevent or reduce the rip off.
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From: Alvin, Texas.
Originally Posted by Gil Chesterton
$1300.00!!!! Ouch! $900.00 Labour? Wow!! Are you kidding me?
If the stealership "saw him coming" AND he left the truck with them (AKA writing out a blank check to them), I'd say he's not kidding.
Being out of warranty, I would have found a good independent shop anyway. They are out there...or I am the only fortunate sould who "knows people".
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Since neither one of us has time to shop around for the the best shop rate or to do the repairs and service ourselves...we gave the dealer the OK. Again...like I stated in an earlier post...we have NO TIME to drive 2 hours to town (we live in rural America)...shop for parts...drive home with two screaming kids...and begin a two day service and problem exploration in 32 degree weather and in the snow in my driveway..when the next morning at 4am...it's time to commute again.
So...take your "they saw him coming" opinion and shove it.
So...take your "they saw him coming" opinion and shove it.