NEW MEMBER FIRST POST
This has been my issue for months now.
2005 E250 5.4L
temp guage spikes with in first two miles. first times it stuck me on the road & ineeded towing.
Mechanic has replace t-stat collant
then suggested replacing sensors, and swore that had to be it.
the free king sensor is under the manifold!!!
$500ish later replaced sensor.
Day one no issues
Day two, I cant get two miles with out having to shut down, place in neutral to reset. then after noon have no problems
This is redicoulous!
I searched all forums and the only answer anyone has had that worked is some guy took his truck to the dealership. spent a week there and conference calls with FORD HQ and the cop out Ford gave which does solve it was... ready for this? Hairline crack in the block and to replace the engine. Sure replace the engine will solve it. but I don't buy into the crack.

So my frustration has me getting rid of the 2005 and buyin a used 2013
I can't deal with this anymore.

I can't get the check engine light off so i can't renew my inspection sticker.

Still no one has a fix around this???

 

So sorry to hear, Sir.

So, I purchased all the " Service Bulletin: False Overheat" parts and have not had it happen since.....................

I have no idea what the hell the problem is but here is some aspects of the situation.

The temperature gauge indication on my truck is a computer fed signal that is not purely analog throughout the temperature range. By this I mean, as a proper running Ford engine heats up the computer senses the "normal" temperature condition and locks the needle in the center of the dial. Only a "high temperature" from sensor condition will drive the needle into the high postion.

This happens one of 2 ways: Either the temperature is actually high or there is a sensor malfunction.
FYI: I believe sensor shorting is low pegged needle and open is high pegged needle.

Now that I know this it makes sense, the gauge(s) never normallyfluctuate! Notice Ford gauges dont have degree indications...............
Well it doesn't move from dead center "normal" for a reason. Before the "normal condition center dial lock" Ford was getting calls from customers that the temperature gauge would vary quite a bit. At times showing 3/4 hot gauge conditiion. Well yeah! Vehicle load, thermostat position and ambient temp normally affects any engine temperature.
Anyway, what you need to know is if the engine is actually overheating and which actual sensor is looking at that condition.

There are 2 temperature sensors: One is coolant and the other is cylinder head. Coolant will give you a warning chime and message but not normally shut down cylinders. Cylinder head high-temp will put engine into limp mode.

To find out what is actually happening you will either need to hook up an OBD II with analog reading capabilities (recommended) to get real-time activities or attach a temperature reading device to the area near the sensor or laser shoot the block can be effective in determining if a high temperature condition exists.

In my case this occured once every 4-6 months about 5X in every type of weather. the temperature gauge would spike and not return to normal until I would shut off the ignition and restart.........then it would be fine...?! As I stated above, hasn't happened since.

Good luck hope this helps.

 

You need to fully diagnose whether the sensor is really sending a signal that says the coolant temp is too high, or whether the computer is READING that signal as too high.

It could be the computer itself.

Matter of fact, how good is your battery and alternator?

 

I had the same thing on my wife's Excursion. Changed radiator cap, radiator and thermostate. Never happened until a day or two after each item was changed. Ended up being a blown head gasket. Check the top radiator hose, if it's really stiff and hard to squeeze by hand then it could be exhaust gases in the cooling system. An air pocket causes the sensor to read the high temp (no coolant). You can also hook up a compression tester with a compressor hose fitting on it to check cylinder leaks as well. You'll need to rotate the motor by hand to close the intake and exhaust valves on each cylinder you are checking. If it's bad you can hear air hissing. The blown I replaced had cracks between the cylinders.

 

SEE! this is the first time I've heard of a solution. Difficult to believe with out other issues, but I'll go with it.

So here are some more symptoms as I continue doing my own troubleshooting,(mechanic is worthless)
So Friday, I let the van warm up for 10 minutes till I left home, got 10 minutes away then everything happened again, pegged high twice. I arrive at my first job and the van sits for 4 hours, start it up and with in 5 minutes same symptoms. In the afternoon once this has been in use for hours I have no issues.
Now Saturday morning, no preheat, just drive 3.5 miles and get this, its pegs down to low or frozen, no limp mode. This happens twice!
I can live with cold with no limp mode.

So, I have 104K miles, its 10 years old, and I now have a replacement van in the driveway. 2013 E250. Hopefully in a week I can get all my shelves transferred and put this dying dog down.

 

So, in reply to this being a blown head gasket or even a cracked block, I went to the store and bought Bars leak for the radiator and oil. Going to get this a try, all I need is for the to stop long enough to get rid of the check engine light so I can get an inspection sticker and sell this fast.

If this doesn't work there is a Bars leak liquid head gasket repair I'll try next.

 

Were you losing antifreeze? Did you get white smoke from the exhaust?

Bret.

 

I have a very similar problem on a 2001 5.4 excursion. I replaced the coolant sensor in the crossover tube and the cht in the driver's side head but is there one in the passenger side head too?

 

There is only one CHT sensor as far as I know.

 

 

Why NOT? Similar issue, the person has seemingly been chasing everything they can and are at their wit's end. When replying to an old thread, anyone subscribed to it (basically everyone who posted on this thread) will get a notification, and it's just possible they can help.

There is no rule against it. The only thing frowned upon is replying to an old thread about something that doesn't pertain.

 

I have been searching this issue for weeks and this thread is about the closest to my issue as I've found. I started my own post but no response yet from it, so I thought I'd bring this one back. I'm considering bringing back another thread I found cause it mentions the possibility that there is another cht sensor on the passenger side. Meaning there could be a total of 3 sensors?

 

There is only ONE CHT sensor. There is also, on your particular engine, also an ECT sensor that only drives the gauge in the cluster.

 

Any idea how the temp gauge in the dash still works with both sensors unhooked? I'm wondering now if that's telling me I have some sort of short in the harness somewhere and how in the world am I going to find it, if that is the case?

 

I have a 06 e250 5.4 I know most of you have figured it out or given up by now but maybe this will help someone in the future. I had a similar issue. The temp guage would peg out for no apparent reason. It wasn't overheating and I could reset it by turning it off and back on. I changed the CHT sensor and I didn't remove the crossover pipes to do this I simply heated my wrench and bent it to an angle (maybe about 30 degrees) on the boxed end. That let me get it on the sensor for removal. But this didnt fix my problem. I continued driving it and just cycling on and off when it spiked. Until one day it dropped straight to COLD! After further investigation I determined I must have had a short to ground somewhere to cause the spike and now it could be completely open (broken/disconnected) wire. After further inspection of the wiring I FOUND MY PROBLEM!

The wire harness crosses over the EGR pipe right before it plugs into the PVP. The bottom of the harness was melted and 2 wires were burnt in half. One of them was CHT sensor 5v supply wire. I spliced the wiring back together and installed my own makeshift sheiks to hold the wire off the pipe.