Overheating in cold climates
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Overheating in cold climates
I took a 400 mile trip today and my truck overheated 4 times. The outside temp is 19 degrees. My truck should not overheat. I was not pulling a trailer or anything. Just me and the wife in the cab. The EGR is gone. I had studs installed this summer by River City Diesel. Pretty sure the heads are ok. The truck runs fine for 50 or 60 miles (ECT 192 -196) then all the sudden the temp will shoot up to 235. I pull over and let the truck sit and it will eventually cool down. The third time it overheated it was sitting in the parking lot just idling, went from 194 ECT to 235 and then back down. I do have a banks tecni cooler and noticed at highway speeds around 70mph the egt's where around 500, which I thought where low but blame that on the cold outside temps. I have nothing covering the grill.
I am thinking the temp spikes are from a bad thermostat or a bad water pump. Right before the temp spikes the heat in the cab will start blowing cold air and then shortly after the temps will spike. Can the cooling system get air pockets in it?? It's a 2007 with only 40k on it hard to believe the water pump or thermostat would be out already???
I am thinking the temp spikes are from a bad thermostat or a bad water pump. Right before the temp spikes the heat in the cab will start blowing cold air and then shortly after the temps will spike. Can the cooling system get air pockets in it?? It's a 2007 with only 40k on it hard to believe the water pump or thermostat would be out already???
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2005
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Something is seriously plugged.
Even a bad water pump should still pump something.
Thermostat open or close should not greatly influence heater temp... if I recall (have to check), thermostat only regulates flow to rad...
I would say... start checking for plugged things... from Rad to heater.
If you are doing that big a job, the thermostat is $50 at same time, as with all new hoses.
If rad is plugged.. pump might as well be done at some time..not that expensive.
This time, add a coolant filter.
These blocks are notorious to have casting crud left in them that doesn't come out for a long time, ....
Even a bad water pump should still pump something.
Thermostat open or close should not greatly influence heater temp... if I recall (have to check), thermostat only regulates flow to rad...
I would say... start checking for plugged things... from Rad to heater.
If you are doing that big a job, the thermostat is $50 at same time, as with all new hoses.
If rad is plugged.. pump might as well be done at some time..not that expensive.
This time, add a coolant filter.
These blocks are notorious to have casting crud left in them that doesn't come out for a long time, ....
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I just completely flushed the cooling system this summer, maybe 6000 miles ago. When I did it, all the coolant looked to be in good condition. No sand or sludge or anything. I used the ford gold coolant. Tomorrow I am taking it in to have the cooling sytem checked/flushed. I have a new thermostat and may have them install a new water pump as well. I'd prefer to do it myself but like I said 400 miles from home so my options are limited until I can get it home.
Post Fiend
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What you need to do is not just flush / back flush, but check for actual flow rates... and function.
There is a simpler answer now that you say you just flushed it.
The 6.0 is loaded with nooks and crannies, very hard to drain even if you got all the drain plugs open (did you????).
So it is conceivable that you actually have a lot of air left in the engine, which would exactly explain your symptoms.
I would start there before I take things apart....
Purge air out of it.
On mine, a year after the coolant change (professionally done), I had to add nearly 3/4 gallon of coolant to it.
The bad news we are trying to avoid is things like EGR cooler leaking... is it blowing coolant out of tank?
There is a simpler answer now that you say you just flushed it.
The 6.0 is loaded with nooks and crannies, very hard to drain even if you got all the drain plugs open (did you????).
So it is conceivable that you actually have a lot of air left in the engine, which would exactly explain your symptoms.
I would start there before I take things apart....
Purge air out of it.
On mine, a year after the coolant change (professionally done), I had to add nearly 3/4 gallon of coolant to it.
The bad news we are trying to avoid is things like EGR cooler leaking... is it blowing coolant out of tank?
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What is the best way to purge the air out of the system? Is there a procedure??
When I flushed it I just removed the lower radiator hose to drain it. I would reinstall the lower hose and fill with distilled water. I also removed the thermostat. After I filled it back up I would take a 20 minute drive to get everything circulated. While driving around I also ran the heater on high so it would flush the heater core. I repeated this procedure probably six or seven times until the water coming out the lower hose was clear. Then reinstalled the thermostat and filled the system back up with the ford gold coolant.
I thought I had all the air out but maybe not??
When I flushed it I just removed the lower radiator hose to drain it. I would reinstall the lower hose and fill with distilled water. I also removed the thermostat. After I filled it back up I would take a 20 minute drive to get everything circulated. While driving around I also ran the heater on high so it would flush the heater core. I repeated this procedure probably six or seven times until the water coming out the lower hose was clear. Then reinstalled the thermostat and filled the system back up with the ford gold coolant.
I thought I had all the air out but maybe not??
Post Fiend
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I highly doubt you got all the air out...
Talk to someone else to get the exact procedure... but even if the procedure is followed.. there is still a bit of air that takes time to get out.
Doesn't you case sound just like air in the engine?
And a lot of it too.
Talk to someone else to get the exact procedure... but even if the procedure is followed.. there is still a bit of air that takes time to get out.
Doesn't you case sound just like air in the engine?
And a lot of it too.
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I am hoping it is just air pockets. I fear somthing is plugged like the raidator or oil cooler, which would be my luck!! Find out more tomorrow.
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Post Fiend
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is it possible to try to apply a vacuum (negative pressure) to the rad cap, run the motor, and see if big gulps of air come out?
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From: Mattawa Washington.
I have read on here of water pump impellers spining on the shaft and causing problems such as yours. Hope they find your problem, it sucks being away from home and having mechanical problems..Where you stuck at?
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Carstairs Alberta
is it possibly a combination of coolant gelling in the rad and vapor locking the water pump when it starts to overheat. have you checked the actual coolant strength because there would have been a significant amount of str5aight water left in the system after flushing, so it might be a bit weak
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Well Saturday they flushed the radiator. The mechanic told me mixture was too strong and the coolant may have been restricting the flow through the radiator. So today (Sunday) I drove home and overheated over a dozen times. Not Fun!! I could not figure out a pattern to the overheating. Sometimes I could go 100 miles no problems. Other times I could only go 20 miles. I guess this week since I am home I may put in a new water pump and new thermostat but I really don’t think these things are the issue? I could tell right away when things where gonna go wrong the heater would start blowing out cold air, the water temp would drop from 194 to 180 sometimes 170 and then the engine oil temp would spike usually around 214 to 220 then the engine coolant temp would shoot up to 230 to 235. I would pull over shut the engine off or sometimes let it run either way did not seem to make any difference just needed maybe 5 or 6 minutes and the engine would come back to normal coolant and engine oil temps. To me this seems like I am getting air pockets in the cooling system? So this week I am gonna put a gauge on the cooling system and see if the head gaskets are leaking. If it is not the head gaskets All I can think of is the thermostat or water pump. I am pretty <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
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