Engine heating up waayy too fast!!

[hornz2000]

Help, something is really wrong with my 98 Sport. Recently, I will just be driving along and all of a sudden the temp will shoot up to H and the check guage light will turn on, stay on for about 5 minutes, then go back down. This has happened several times in the past few days when it never ever happened before. I checked the radiator coolant and it is at the correct level. Is something wrong with the thermostat or something. Help. Thanks.

 

[dbarale]

Replace the thermostat and check the water pump quickly. You're gonna blow a head gasket if you keep driving it like that.
When it happens, turns the A/C off and the heating to the hottest w/ the fan at full blast. That's gonna help.

 

[RTStork]

I would change the thermostat snd check the fan clutch. Get a real temp guage to see if its really running hot. Ford guages are notorious for going screwy.

 

[Robert]

If it happens when you are stepping on the gas to take off from a light, then it is probably your thermostat. My '97 SOHC thermostat went out last March. The probelms started a week earlier with a higher than usual idle. After a week I noticed my temperature gauge went up to H every time I took off. When I got in open traffic and was light on the gas, my gauge would drop down to a little above the middle of the range which was still higher than normal for mine.

 

[KEbert]

It sounds like a sticky thermostat.
Talking about screwy gauges. My speedometer "wanders" after about 65 and goes all the way to the stop and back to 65.

 

[TPLYNCH]

The temp sensor/sending unit might be on the fritz. Check the contacts to make sure they're clean/not loose.

 

[hornz2000]

Thanks for the input guys. I brought it into the dealership this morning and they said that my radiator was clogged and I needed a new thermostat. All of you guys were right. Lol, in addition they found a bad power steering pump, a bad rear wiper motor, and a pinched wiper fluid connection. Thanks.

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by hornz2000
Thanks for the input guys. I brought it into the dealership this morning and they said that my radiator was clogged and I needed a new thermostat. All of you guys were right. Lol, in addition they found a bad power steering pump, a bad rear wiper motor, and a pinched wiper fluid connection. Thanks.

A clogged radiator?? That's alot to go wrong with a 3-year old truck. That's not gonna be cheap. Maybe you should get a second opinion.

 

[hornz2000]

I don't really mind. I have a 100,000 mile extended warranty that basically covers everything. Ya, I was surprised too, and I'm gettin a 45,000 mile checkup early so nothing should go wrong w/ my X for awhile.

 

[dbarale]

Originally posted by hornz2000
...my radiator was clogged and I needed a new thermostat...they found a bad power steering pump, a bad rear wiper motor, and a pinched wiper fluid connection. Thanks.

It's a '98 with less than 45000 miles...

Built ford tough??

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by dbarale

It's a '98 with less than 45000 miles...

Built ford tough??

I don't think so. The quality is getting worse and worse. The difference between my '88 BII and my explorer is unreal. The 'bronc is truly built Ford tough. The explorer however......is marginal.

 

[hornz2000]

no s#@$. I was pretty pissed but if I keep on top of maintenance and oil/filter etc. I plan to keep my X forever.

 

[Jason_25]

I also plan to keep mine indefinitely.

 

[espnfreak]

yeah... my x is hopefully gonna take the college battle wounds