Running cool? maybe its just me?

[sparky2263]

It finally started sealing good. Only thing it could be. Had to have been leaking slightly.

 

[Creager]

It finally started sealing good. Only thing it could be. Had to have been leaking slightly.

ha, that makes sense. Sparky man, good info.

 

[Rhett]

Rhett, try the carboard trick, see if that brings the temp up a little bit.

Well I could. I used a Motorcraft stat. Next time I might use a Stant or something like that, since a few people here seemed to like them better.
I will probably wait and see...keep it in there until it warms up.

I get strong heat within 2-3 minutes of starting on a cold morning. I think what I'm seeing is just a typical winter decrease in mpg. I hope so anyway.

 

[nascar_intimid]

it is still possible that you unblocked some air somewhere, because there is always an explanation and that is the most likeliest. I replaced my stat and now reads around the "r" before it never went over the "n". Enjoy the heat and happy new year!!
mark

 

[Creager]

Yep, my issue is all outside tempature related. Last week when my gauge went up to the O and the R, it was 60 degrees outside! This week its getting back down to the 40s, and my temp guage went back down to below the N.

I dont even think another thermo will fix this issue, unless the past two ive gone through a duds. Should a 195 degree thermo open up at the O-R in <40 degree temps?

I got 18.1 miles per gallon last tank... up from 14.4, the tank before last when i originally noticed the temp being low. My truck is FICKLE! haha

 

[sparky2263]

Try a NAPA Super-stat. Whaddya' got to lose? (Besides 9 bucks....... )

 

[Rhett]

I got 18.1 miles per gallon last tank... up from 14.4, the tank before last when i originally noticed the temp being low. My truck is FICKLE! haha

Mine is fickle too, it went from 12.6 mpg on last tank to 14.3 mpg on this tank. Same gas, same pump, too.

And yes it has been a lot warmer here, it was 65 degrees yesterday and hasn't been below 40-45 at night for a while. That seems to make a big difference with my truck's mileage.

 

[fordrocker]

my truck barely ever goes past the c and i don't know why...i drove four hours from the beach and most of the time the needle would go beloew the c i have yet to figure out the problem

 

[Creager]

I just replaced my thermostat with a NAPA brand stat. According to NAPA, they dont make their SuperStat in the size (52mm) that fits the explorer! So i got their generic 195 degree stat.

I tested it out at the house. We have a spikit that flows ~180 degree water. I poured the boiling water into a bowl with the new (and later the the old) thermostat. Both Stats didnt open until ~200 degrees (more around 195 like what the thing says its supposed to....

So my thermostat is NOT the problem. I'm thinking its this 13lb radiator cap... but i dont see how thats going to make a difference as of yet. My gas mileage is in the TUBES, haha.

So, whats next? I'm not sure where to go from here... i cant burp anymore fluid in, its full. Thermostat is OK... sheesh.. haha i guess this is NORMAL. But its only like 35*F here...

What do you guys do up north when it gets like -10*F?!?

 

[sparky2263]

NAPA PN for the SuperStat on a 4.0 is 533090. Computer doesn't show it, book does.

The advantages of being a Napa AutoCare Center.

It's not the opening temp that's hurting you. If you look through the t-stat where it closes and can see light, that's where the flow is. To give an example, I have a t-stat I run in a hot-rod 4.3 Blazer. It has a .080" hole drilled in it. When the outside temp drops, I'll be lucky to hit 180 in 15 miles of highway driving. It'll hit 140 real quick, but with the blower on and that small hole, it just takes forever to warm up. A V6 just doesn't produce heat like a V8 and the heater core is a heckuva effective radiator when it's cold out.

 

[Creager]

I practically blocked the entire bottom part of the radiator with carboard. Now the gauge reads on the N sometimes haha... so it made it a TAD hotter... It is 68 degrees today! WTF is making it run cold! haha, i dont get it!

How can i test if my fan clutch is frozen or something, would that make it run cool all the time?

 

[savagefan]

You'd hear it roar, but with the engine off, your fan should free-wheel. When it's cold up here the deal is to block off all the rad with a piece of cardboard to fit with about a 6 inch diameter hole cut out of the middle to keep the fan and fan clutch from freakin.

 

[Creager]

Yeah, it free-wheels when the engine is off. I forgot to mention that i stopped running around with the heater on (shoot, these past couple week i haven't needed it snowboarding season has been ). It didnt seem to make a difference

Its only 60*F (15.5*C) degrees out right now, i shouldnt need a peice of cardboard infront of the rad should I?

But the cardboard thing seems to make a little difference

If the waterpump was going out it would just die, right? But i guess, if it were gradually dying the engine would heat up, not cool down.

...weird, something isnt adding up.

Would the PCM have anything to do with this? Maybe i need to reset it or something? I mean, the truck is used to 90+ degree temps, and 80%+ humidity. haha I dunn,o i think im confusing myself...

 

[Rhett]

I think these Ford temp senders are set to show where they show on the gauge, it doesn't necessarily mean you're running cold. The best way I know of to tell if you're running cool is in the mileage and power you're getting.

I say that, and my old stat ran right straight up and down the middle of the gauge.
The new stat has been staying a little on the cool side, around "O". So God knows man.

One thing about it this time of year in most of the U.S. you have these wide temperature swings, 60 degF one day and 40 degF the next, and so it's hard to get a good read on stats right now. That's why I am content to sit on mine and wait for more consistent weather.

 

[Creager]

Rhett, check out what damage i did tonight...

I've learned to trust my gauge, to the FULLEST extent.. heheh, Ill tell ya why.

I went back to the cardboard idea... using savagefan idea, i covered the entire radiator with a peice of cardboard, and cut a 6"x6" hole in the middle.

Before i tried to cover like the bottom half, or the left... which didnt make a difference.

Covering from edge to edge seemed to make an enormous difference... i had to pull over and let some coolant boil out, the gauge reached went all the way to the L!!! So it works; the gauge works! I cut a ~14"x14" hole in the middle and now the gauge reads in the middle between the O and the R once its warmed up.

I also noticed that if the temp gets above the middle-ground between the R and the M, the truck spark knocks like MAD. Around the Between the O and the R is where performance seems optimal.

---

Ok i have an ASSUMPTION on whats going on here, its long shot, but tell me what you think.

This WHOLE ordeal started when I used Valvolines 'Radiator Super Cleaner.' I used this because my heater went out, my heater went out because the cooling system was clogged with rust. The cleaner penetrated the rust so well, i found myself having to flush the system repeativly well into the next day to get all the fine rust particals out.

My guess is, that the radiator has rusted out enough to where its radiating too efficently. My logic is, the radiator is 'thinner' as a byproduct from all that meterial (rust) removed from the radiator. Now that its 'thinning,' my radiator will become a pile of dust in a few x,x.. miles... as the outside tempatures seem to transfer through the metal easier. Meraculously its not leaking.

Does that make sense? Or really what i mean to ask, is that probable? Wild idea i know... because 60 degrees never phased my truck in the past... I guess i can use the new radiator to test my theory.

 

[Foggman]

On my 94, I have an electric fan and it never used to run above the N, then I replaced my heads and while I did that I replaced the water pump, and t-stat. Now it goes up and down between the N and the R....my fan is supposed to kick on at 180*, and I believe I have a 180* t-stat. Oh yeah, and when I got the heads on and everything put back together I did that Valvoline flush thing and got a bunch of crud coming out as well so I flushed it like 5 times during the course of one day......Ever since I did all that work it has run a little bit warmer...but never goes above the M. So I am ok with it for now but right now I am in 40 - 60* weather and I am concerned what will happen in the 100* summer days we get here. I guess I will just keep and eye on it and change the t-stat before it gets really warm just in case I have a 195* t-stat instead of a 180* like I think I have.

 

[sparky2263]

Creager, you just re-inforced what I've been saying. If covering up the radiator brought the temp up, then the radiator is getting water flow when it shouldn't. In other words, if the t-stat was effectively keeping the water flow confined to the heater core and block, covering the radiator should have no effect.

If covering the radiator is the only way to get the temp up, then you have just diagnosed the problem, coolant flow through the radiator. That is what needs to be addressed.

 

[savagefan]

Creager, careful with the cardboard, we don't usually do this until well below zero f. Still sounds like a t-stat issue to me. Have someone shoot the water neck with an infra-red thermometer or even tape a meat thermometer to it and get a real reading at operating temperature. For what it's worth my 91 reads on the N and my heater is great regardless of outside temp, and yeah I flushed with a similar product from Prestone. Good luck.

 

[Creager]

Sparky, you confused me a little bit. So you are saying its gotta be the T-Stat? I got a motorcraft in the garage (i was gonna use for the rebuild, think its a 180 degree though) , also the other Stant i just took out, ill boil it again and make sure of the temp. I remeber it getting to ~190 without opening.

I got another radiator too, i might just go ahead and replace EVERYTHING, and just get it over with. haha

 

[sparky2263]

If the only thing causing a rise in temp is covering the radiator, then water must be flowing through the radiator somehow.

Either through or around the thermostat. Why not give the SuperStat a try?