Heating problems w/ cone filter (newbie)

[DavidD]

Hello everyone, first post and Im already starting trouble...

I just installed a cone filter in my 92 4x4. While it was being driven at 35 mph it overheated. I can take it on the freeway and do 75-85 with no problems but if I drive it slow it begins to heat. I've had this X for almost a year now. The water temp needle always rides between the "O" and the "R" but since the cone filter install it will start to rise. I figure this is because the exposed filter is sucking in the heat from the engine compartment...Am I right? How can this be fixed? Has anyone else had this problem? My filter is not oiled, could this be a problem?

HELP!!!

 

[88vert]

What kind of filter is it?If it is KKM or K&N you must have oil on them to work right.How is your thermostat?

 

[aldive]

The intake air temp ( as measured with an OBD II scanner on my truck ) is never more than 10 F above ambient if the truck is going at least 10 MPH.

Have you checked your cooling system?

Good luck....

 

[rpenner54]

Sounds like you need to check your coolent level. Once it's cooled down open up your radiator and see where it's filled to. Fill it up, check it once in a while. If it starts to go down you have a leak somewhere. You can get some stuff called bars leak that works wonders on leaks in a radiator.

 

[DavidD]

It is not a KKM or K&N. It is a generic cone filter.

The cooling system is fine, I think. I just put in a new radiator a couple months ago (because the old one had a crack in one of the plastic caps). The coolant and water level are fine. Like I said this only happened after I installed the cone filter. If the cooling system were not fine I doubt that I could drive for an hour on the highway doing 75-80, and do 45-50 on the street. Besides it is pretty hot right now here in L.A.

When I open the hood and touch the cone filter, it is very hot. I feel as if it is sucking all the heat into the engine.

How do I check the thermostat? Could installing the cone filter have caused the thermostat to act up?

I really appreciate the help guys.

 

[Robert]

It doesn't have anything to do with sucking hot air from the engine compartment. Like Al, I have also monitored my intake air temperature (IAT) sensor here in Phoenix in the summer. It is always within 10 degrees of my outside temperature thermometer. When sitting in traffic it will climb as high as 170 but even at 170 it has no affect on my engine temperature. Within a few seconds of moving the IAT drops like a rock. Your symptoms sound more like a cooling issue. Did you have to alter anything to put your generic cone on like the IAT or MAF location?

Here in Phoenix I have seen up to 122F outside and the only time my Explorer has ran hot was when my thermostat failed.

Since yours cools properly when driving, it looks like you have a bad fan clutch. The fan clutch should pull the most air in when idleing. At highway speeds the fan should freewheel since the air will move quicker through the radiator at speed than the fan will pull. If your fan clutch has gone out your fan won't spin nearly as fast as it should which will cause your temperature to run high at idle. A bad thermostat is another possibility though.

 

[DavidD]

Fan clutch is ok. No problems there. I am gonna ask again how do I check my thermostat? where is it?

 

[Robert]

Your thermostat will be at the end of your upper radiator hose on your engine. To test it you need to remove it and put it in a pan of water with a thermometer in the water. Heat up the water on the stove and watch the thermostat. It should open up when the temperature gets to the rated temperature (usually around 190F). If you are going to go through the trouble though, you might as well just get a new one and put it in. They only cost like $10. Eventually they all fail. If you are uncertain about yours and have to pull it out anyway, just replace it with a new one. Go ahead and still test the old one though so you will know if it was indeed the problem or if you have to keep looking.

 

[DavidD]

Hey Robert THANK YOU! I will go ahead and replace it. I will test it like you said to see if it was indeed acting up. For $10 you cant go wrong with a new one, adds some kinda security too.

Is there a way to get more cold air flowing to the cone filter? I was thinking of adding some plumbing in order to direct cold outside air right to the filter. Anybody done this before?

Thanks once again guys...

 

[88vert]

I took some real thin aluminum and made like a heat shield for my filter and it ties into the bottom half of my old air box it works pretty good never done any temperature checks yet.I will soon

 

[DavidD]

Hey Robert, spoke to my buddy (very trusted mechanic and engine builder/racer) a couple of days ago and he said that it sounds like it might be my fan clutch, like you suggested. It seems fine to me but maybe it is the problem. He is gonna check it out on Monday and let me know whats wrong.