Almost Overheating

[Chew_12]

My 93 X was almost overheating on about a 2 hour drive up hills. There is a lot of colant and the radiator cap was replaced about 2 months ago and the thermostat was replaced like 2 months ago.

This sounds like a thermostat problem...Do they not last very long?? What do u guys think.

 

[Alto]

Could have been a bad one.

Could have been installed in reverse.

Maybe the Radiator is clogged.

 

[Chew_12]

i know it was installed right..
Its possible about the radiator, but how would it suddenly get clogged?

 

[Alto]

Before I had my fluid & thermostat changed it was fine. Then after it started overheating. I had to replace mine with a new one, but that was because I couldn't find a place to clean it out properly. I installed a 4 Core Radiator. More Cooling, More Fluid.

I guess when I had the fluid changed it must have loosened something up, then gotten stuck somewhere, my best guess is that since the stock radiator is a 3 core one of the cores got clogged.

Maybe my overheating problem isn't fixed, maybe the more fluid is enough to keep the temp down. I kind of curious now.

 

[woodychitwn]

How's the truck been driving since then? And did the temperature gauge leave the "Normal" range? If not, maybe it was just getting really hot because it was driving uphill for two hours? I know I've had my temperature go to the very top of normal while driving at over 70mph in 100 degree plus temperatures with the AC on full. There wasn't anything wrong, it was just hot.

 

[Chew_12]

Before it was driving really good. It would say before it was between "r" and "m" on normal. And now It did go over "L" but it didnt get to the red mark...wow kinda confusing. If i drive slow on the trip....It does get hot, but not overheating. And i do have a small leak in the radiator somewhere. Still open to suggestions.

 

[BradE.]

Did you bleed the system after you refilled the system? You could have some air trapped in there.

 

[Chew_12]

Ummm....I dont think i did bleed...What is bleeding and how do u do it??

 

[andypinto]

Chew_12, maybe nothing is wrong with your X coolant system.
Maybe the day that you climb hills for two hours the wind was strong and blows in your same direction, I mean, blows from the rear to the front of your truck.
In that situation the radiator capacity to cool the engine coolant decreases because the air flow in it is much lower that when the winds blows against the vehicle.
If you think about it, in that case the truck's speed generated wind is partially neutralized by the real wind speed.
I noted in my X that the overall temp is higher in a trip from the city of Iquique, located south of Arica where I live, to my city, because the winds in this area usually blows in a SW heading.
But when I drive to Iquique from Arica, the overall temp is lower, because in this case I drive almost all the time against the predominant wind direction. By the way, here in the desert the wind blows strong!

Anyway, good luck and happy trails

 

[Chew_12]

Yea that would make sense....But i have made 3 trips and it has almost overheated. So i am thinking it is a coolant problem

 

[BradE.]

X must be totally cool when you start this.

Take off raditor cap off or back it off one notch to where it's on, but loose.

Start your X and set heat to highest setting and run at high Idle (2000 RPM) for 5 minutes.

Shut truck off.

Check level of coolant in radiator. If air was in the system the level probably dropped. Refill the system and bring the coolant level to just below the filler neck.

With cap off (or on backed off to first notch) restart the X with heat on full setting and run at high idle (2000 RPM) until thermostat opens. You will know when the thermostat opens because your upper radiator hose will get hot. This can take up to 15-20 minutes. Can be longer depending on how cold it is out.

After thermostat opens let run for 2-3 more minutes at same idle with heat on.

After they time is up leave the truck running and refill the radiator to just below the filler neck and close radiator cap at idle.

Fill recovery to Full Cold. You can go about and inch above if you want.

That's pretty much it. It's normal for some coolant to come out of the radiator when doing this. The next morning recheck the level of the radiator and recovery and top off as needed.

Good Luck!!

 

[Chew_12]

Thanks a lot....Will do.

 

[Msupertek]

Ford Certified Technician

Hey here at work we see a lot of explorers overheating due to lots of debris (leaves grass paper) lodged in between the radiator and condensor core. Remove the rubber air dam on top of the engine compartment between the radiator and the core support and shine a light behind the radiator see if there is lots of trash suffocating your core. Blow it out with a high pressure water or blow it out with compressed air. Oh and by the way we do seem to have problems with thermostat sticking a lot even new ones on 4.0L sohc motors and ohv. You can tell by when your vehicle is starting to overheat open the hood and lightly touch the upper radiator hose if it is cold the t-stat is stuck shut, if it is hot it is open and your concern is most likely your radiator. Be sure that you have no air in your cooling system before condeming your radiator or t-stat though. I usually just let the vehicle idle with the radiator cap off while I am working on another car, every once in a while I grab the upper radiator hose to see if it is hot and look in the radiator to see a drop in coolant level. When the coolant level drops and the upper hose is hot the t-stat is open, top off fluid and drive the vehicle. If you do not follow this procedure you probably still have air in the system and a air pocket by the thermostat will not allow it to open under pressure hense it sticks and your car still overheats.

 

[MrShorty]

This last summer I had to replace a fan clutch on my '92 to keep it from overheating. Test by disconnecting the "spring" on the front of the fan clutch. This makes the fan clutch act like a traditional fan in that it doesn't "release". If this fixes your overheating problem, then the fan clutch is bad.