Hi all,

Been chasing an overheating issue. Installed a regular gauge ($17 - autozone) to let me know what the actual temp is. Did this in the extra port on the water pump.

Now it has been hot as heck here in Richmond, VA and driving around without AC and she is running 205-210. When it was 102 degrees out, I was driving agressively and had the AC cranked I watched the temp gauge get to 235 before I killed the AC and cranked the heat and idled on the side of the road. She came back down to the 210-215 mark.

So I am wondering what is acceptable temps for this motor? Where is the danger zone?

Right now I am trying to figure out if it is my radiator, water pump or fan clutch - really don't want to start dropping $$$ until I pinpoint it.

Thanks
Joe

 

i think 205 is when the fan is supposed to be on, out t444e's run 195 and the cummins bus does to if i was to guess i would pull the radiator and clean it, if its the pump it could be wobbly or water leaking through the weep hole indicating its no good, a plugged up air filter or restriction or dirty coolant system

 

Doesn't the boiling point go up about 3 deg. per pound of radiator pressure? If so 250 would be the scary point. Jim

 

At those temps you should hear the fan kicking in. Its described as a roaring sound, or one person described it as a airplane prop revved up, but not moving. Do you hear something like that?

The radiators, ic, and other coolers in front of it can hold a lot of dirt. You can try hosing them out, but do it from the back to the front, since you wanna push the dirt out the way it went in. I'm not sure if you can do that while everything still in the truck though.

Since it cools down, the thermostat is probably working. Maybe its opening too late though? Not sure if thats possible though. I know they can open too early when old.

 

your signature says DP tuner, but makes no mention of bigger exhaust or intake. I thought that was a must. Is that just exhaust temp. ?

 

There is a bigger exhaust on it - not sure what brand - previous owner put it on.

 

Water pump is not leaking and not wobbly, air filter is brand new 6637 filter and I flushed the cooling system (per this instructions: Ford Super Duty Coolant Flushing Procedure | Superdutypsd.com) and put in new fleetrite ELC.

 

I also put a new NAPA fan clutch on it and I still don't hear the "roaring" that everyone talks about....wonder if the new one is bad?
I am planning on pulling the radiator and checking it out and flushing the fins out the back.
It was a Sarasota FL truck its whole life and never off-road - was the wife of a trailer sales owner. Towed empty trailers (big enclosed ones) occasionly between stores...... so I am not sure how dirty the radiator is. Only 85K on the truck....

 

Bergerson had an overheating problem at RiffRaff West. He ended up taking it to a good radiator shop and they discovered that it was plugged internally, even though a garden hose backflushed it at full flow. The real test is getting a really high flow of coolant through the radiator.

 

I have a 205 thermostat and on 95 degree days and highway speeds, I have seen 235 degrees.

 

So is that considered normal operating temp for these motors? 205-235 range?

 

To give everyone an update. I replaced the water pump - twice - first time leaked. Brand new one from Napa.
So it is mid 90s temp outside and driving around doing errands with the AC cranked on high (front and rear) I watched the temp get to 225.
The factor gauge stayed in the "normal" range (in the center).
Is this normal? Only thing left is the damn radiator (new fan clutch also) and I am getting annoyed at the $$ I have spent so far.....
On a side note - I have the thermocouple from the cheapie guage from autozone in the side port of the water pump - I did notice that it hit the round part inside the water pump slightly just inside the port -as there was an inidentation in the soft metal at the tip. Here is the back of the water pump so you can figure out where I mean:

any problem with that?
I also looking in the Ford service manual and saw that the 7.3L thermostat:
starts to open at 192 degrees and is fully open at 219 degrees. So is 225-235 acceptable for this engine?
My fear is that I am at these temps going down the road on a hot day with the AC on and I am not even towing anything - what happens when I have my jeep on a trailer on a hot summer day?

Thanks all!
Joe

 

The temps "sound" ok. Not great but okay. Besides the mention of the guy @ RRW, I lost my radiator on the way home from RRE. However, all I had to go by was the dash gauge. So I was getting hotter than you are. My best suggestion is pull the radiator and have it checked out. Its easy to pull.