overheating ***PROBLEM SOLVED***

Topic: overheating ***PROBLEM SOLVED*** (Read 4081 times) previous topic - next topic

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

February 11, 2009, 11:34:47 PM

Started last week car was running 20 mins to warm up while I got ready for work... Went to leave and needle didnt really move and no heat. Got maybe a mile from my house needle goes from cold to overheating still no heat... Kept driving it it went down too just under the overheating line. Fast forward to work, antifreeze all down the pasener side of the car from boiling out the overflow tank. After work i went and got some antifreeze filled her back up and started it up to see what happens runs for like 5 mins and needle goes right uo to overheating again (still no heat). So I take the thermostat out in the parking lot to get it home, drive home needle never gets off of cold now this was last thursday. Today I went out to put a new thermostat in and get it going all goes well and start it up maybe 10 mins in and goes right up to overheating again??? Cant figure it out. Still no heat, radiator hoses are getting hot, hoses to heater core the hose on the right is hot the one on the left is warm. Cant figure it out look in the radiator and can see the fluid flowing so im imagining the water pump is working. Could it just be a bad new thermostat or am I missing something? Also dont know if this has anything to do with it but car seems to be spitting out more white smoke than usual doesnt appear to be anything unusual in the oil (head gasket?). not really cold here so im at a loss... Any suggestions would be appreciated sorry this is so long......

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #1 – February 11, 2009, 11:41:34 PM

if you can, have the radiator pressure tested, and flushed. you could also have a collapsing hose.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #2 – February 11, 2009, 11:47:51 PM

i've seen new thermostats that were bad a couple of times. whered you buy it from? possible it could be a head gasket. white smoke come out the back all the time, or only when its hot /cold? it can also push exhaust into the coolant causing an air pocket in the thermostat causing the tempature to go up and down eradicly. you notice air bubbles in the coolant looking in the radiator?

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #3 – February 12, 2009, 12:31:23 AM

Too late now ill check on those things tomorrow and check back...

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #4 – February 12, 2009, 10:38:07 AM

I have a sort of similiar problem on my 87 5.0. It doesn't overheat, but the needle tethers the red line. I'm thinking maybe a collasped hose, they are old. Please post what you find, I'm interested. :)

Can one tell if a hose is collapsed by visually looking at it?

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #5 – February 12, 2009, 05:00:41 PM

Quit a few years ago my 85 3.8 Cougar would overheat (indicated) all the time. Never boiled over. It turned out to be the dash voltage regulator.

Your's is actually overheating. If in fact you have a blown head gasket you could be pumping cylinder pressure in to the water jacket.

Also check by running the car with the radiator cap off. Of course do this with a cold engine. If you get a lot of bubbles/air in the radiator you may have a bad head gasket. You may also see steam/water out the tail pipe as well.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #6 – February 12, 2009, 09:10:55 PM

Yes mine is overheating but did not overheat when I pulled the thermostat out and drove it for 2 days w/o one.. The white smoke I just noticed once two days ago havent started it since.. No real bubbles in the radiator while car is running.. If it is a collapsed hose how would I know which it is? Like jpc said is it visibly noticable?

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #7 – February 12, 2009, 10:18:31 PM

if it's cold out you'll always get a little white smoke from the tailpipe, atleast every ford I've had does.
since I have to ask, was the thermostat you bought a "stant" brand one? did you test it before you put it in, or installed it backwards?
im notsaying your dumb but I've seen it happen, more than I want to believe it does.
you mentioned your heater core hose was cold also, you might want to check that out for being clogged.
have you checked the other parts of your cooling system(fan clutch,clogged rad,ect.) out yet?

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #8 – February 12, 2009, 10:33:11 PM

If the car is overheating and boiling out water then you should be getting heat through the heater vents. If it's not blowing hot air then your heater core isn't getting hot which means there is a circulation problem. It's either the thermostat, hoses, waterpump, or the heater core is just plain clogged and everything else is good.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #9 – February 12, 2009, 11:17:43 PM

Quote from: blu84302;256551

If the car is overheating and boiling out water then you should be getting heat through the heater vents. If it's not blowing hot air then your heater core isn't getting hot which means there is a circulation problem. It's either the thermostat, hoses, waterpump, or the heater core is just plain clogged and everything else is good.

+2

If you replaced the thermostat and you see fluid flowing than it sounds like the heater core is leaking or clogged. I would pressure test the system to check for a leak. You could make a piece that would bypass the heater core using tubing and/or another hose. If that fixes the overheating its your heater core.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #10 – February 16, 2009, 08:49:05 PM

I'm interested to see what you find...sounds like a similar problem I had with my old Cougar...ended up warping the heads...every spark plug was green. Replaced heads, intake, t-stat, radiator, water pump and every hose on the thing...let it idle all day, no problem...drive it for 3-4 mins, puke antifreeze out of the overflow...shut it off, pull off the "pressure release" radiator cap(known good), start it back up, top it off and cap it and it was good to go for awhile...

I ended up gutting that poor car because of all the problems I had with it.

Good luck,
Don

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #11 – February 18, 2009, 11:21:13 PM

Havent checked anything yet have been too busy and driving the expedition to work... It dont overheat with thermostat out. thermostat in it overheats I tested thermostat and apears to be working.. my next move is to flush the system if that dont work imma bypass the heater core put the thermostat back in and see where that leads me.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #12 – February 19, 2009, 12:41:33 AM

Take a pot of water and put it on the stove. Boil it. Stick thermostat in.

Does it open?

FWIW -- I check every thermostat like this. In fact I use a thermometer I clip on the pot so I can see exactly what temp it opens at and what temp it's open FULLY. I check them new. That way I'm not changing it twice.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #13 – February 19, 2009, 06:57:54 AM

I hope for your sake that the heater core is good because those are a complete pain in the rear to change.

overheating PROBLEM SOLVED

Reply #14 – February 21, 2009, 06:29:18 PM

Still no change I havent gotten into it yet... I cant see how its not the heater core. Did the pot test and it opens didnt have a thermometer to see what tepmerature but it opens... It overheats with the thermostat in does not with it out and I have no heat at anytime. Also sounds like some gurgling under the dash with the car running. ill figure it out when the weather gets nicer. Just think its saving the car from driving thru all the snow and salt...