Air intake silencer removal - Temp Gauge fluctuating??

[exploration1997]

Hi! I'm not exactly sure where to post this, but I guess after what I just did, it counts as modded. Anyway, I removed my intake silencer, and now the temp gauge fluctuates. it used to just hang out around 3/8, but now it goes between 3/8 and 2/8. Is this bad? I am just worried that it will overheat. Any suggestions? thanks!!!

 

[colintrax]

Where is the intake silencer? Pretty sure the 2nd gens don't have one.

How quickly is it fluctuating? If it's cooling off at red lights and warming back up when you take off then the thermostat is stuck open. It's easy and cheap to replace if you just want to try it.
If it's rapidly jumping around, it could electrical. It could also be a head gasket leak, however that should make the gauge jump up extremely high because the gases are way hotter than the coolant.

 

[exploration1997]

Where is the intake silencer? Pretty sure the 2nd gens don't have one.

How quickly is it fluctuating? If it's cooling off at red lights and warming back up when you take off then the thermostat is stuck open. It's easy and cheap to replace if you just want to try it.
If it's rapidly jumping around, it could electrical. It could also be a head gasket leak, however that should make the gauge jump up extremely high because the gases are way hotter than the coolant.

If you're facing the front of the vehicle, it's attached to the airbox which is behind the headlight to your left. It's not going above 3/8 at all and never fluctuated until I removed the silencer.

 

[colintrax]

The intake isn't going to effect your coolant temp. Can you post a picture of this? I've never seen one on an explorer.

My guess is the thermostat. Can you better explain the temp fluctuations? Does it drop when you turn on the heater? Does it drop at red lights? Does it just randomly drop and rise driving down the freeway?

 

[Juggernaut31]

yes i'm wondering about the "silencer" also

 

[2000StreetRod]

cone in front of intake box

I suspect the intake silencer is the restrictive cone shaped inlet in front of the air filter enclosure.

 

[swshawaii]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2694443&postcount=10

 

[colintrax]

My intake is different, but I'ma guess you should leave that on.
However that's not a silencer.
OP can you better explain what the temp gauge is doing?

 

[OffTrac]

It's one of those mods people do when they can't do anything else but want to feel like they're somehow outsmarting Ford engineers and gaining magical airflow and horsepower. Kind of like the shotgun blast to the air box or weed eater turbos. JMO

 

[colintrax]

^Hahaha oh I know.

 

[OffTrac]

If you think it's related to the mod you did, why not replace it and see if it fixes the issue. I suspect they're not related but that's what I would do if I did something and shortly thereafter encountered an issue.

 

[Flash]

however that should make the gauge jump up extremely high because the gases are way hotter than the coolant.

In a sealed system where the water is under pressure it can get hotter than atmospheric boiling point.
In an open (leaking) system the water will turn to gas at 100 degrees C, lower than water in a sealed system.

Fun fact: They used to measure the height of a mountain by the temperature at which water would boil at its summit.
It was a surprisingly accurate method.

 

[colintrax]

Haha I meant combustion chamber gasses that would leak in through a leaky head gasket. I know coolant stays a liquid in the cooling system..

 

[exploration1997]

It maynjust be my mind playing tricks on me. I mean, is it bad for the engine to be too cold? And I did the mod purely for sound. I did feel like it was a bit more free reving but it coullda beem a placebo effect

 

[colintrax]

Yes. Engines are designed around a certain temp. This is for both performance and wear and tear. You need to fix it.
And it's a placebo effect