Engine Cooling Fan Frustration

joetrainer31

15 Year Member
Mar 31, 2013
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Ok brainiacs, can you all help me solve a problem?

I just completed a cooling system repair because my car was running way to hot. It hit the "A" in "NORMAL." Yes, I know the factory gauge is not as good as an aftermarket gauge, but this is way hotter than it used to run.

Here is what I replaced: all hoses with motorcraft hoses, the radiator was replaced cause I found a small leak and the previous owner had rusty water in it (yes I flushed the system), cleaned the overflow tank inside/out, replaced the faulty rad cap with a motorcraft cap, and installed a new 195 balanced thermostat.

Upon my initial start up and cooling system refill I had the car parked with the nose on a slight incline, filled rad and overflow to the top, and idled the car with the heater on high waiting for the stat to open (you know the drill). Usually my electric fan comes on at the "R" in "NORMAL," but this time it did not. I waited until the "M" in "NORMAL," but no fan and also no stat opening. At this point the coolant was gushing out like a volcano so I turned the car off. I then scanned the car with a KOEO test because it tests the fan's two speeds; the fan operated fine.

My coolant temp sensor is new, my coolant temp sender is new, and my CCRM is newly rebuilt. I also pull no KOEO codes. What is going on???
 
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UPDATE: The thermostat, the second one from Autozone, which was a balanced 195 stat, was a dud out of the box. I took it out of the car & boiled it until 220 degrees with no opening! So far, this makes 2 bad stats, 1 bad spark plug wire set, and 1 faulty radiator cap from Autozone. I went ahead and bought a Motorcraft 190 thermostat for my car. Bye bye Autozone business. Do yourself a favor guys, don't buy parts from Autozone. Fluids, sure, but parts, never!
 
Ok brainiacs, can you all help me solve a problem?

I just completed a cooling system repair because my car was running way to hot. It hit the "A" in "NORMAL." Yes, I know the factory gauge is not as good as an aftermarket gauge, but this is way hotter than it used to run.

Here is what I replaced: all hoses with motorcraft hoses, the radiator was replaced cause I found a small leak and the previous owner had rusty water in it (yes I flushed the system), cleaned the overflow tank inside/out, replaced the faulty rad cap with a motorcraft cap, and installed a new 195 balanced thermostat.

Upon my initial start up and cooling system refill I had the car parked with the nose on a slight incline, filled rad and overflow to the top, and idled the car with the heater on high waiting for the stat to open (you know the drill). Usually my electric fan comes on at the "R" in "NORMAL," but this time it did not. I waited until the "M" in "NORMAL," but no fan and also no stat opening. At this point the coolant was gushing out like a volcano so I turned the car off. I then scanned the car with a KOEO test because it tests the fan's two speeds; the fan operated fine.

My coolant temp sensor is new, my coolant temp sender is new, and my CCRM is newly rebuilt. I also pull no KOEO codes. What is going on???


did you really fill it to the top? cant do that. you only fill the overflow about halfway up to the cold level line.
 
did you really fill it to the top? cant do that. you only fill the overflow about halfway up to the cold level line.
Yes, I filled it to just about the top sinse this was the initial coolant system refill. This way, whatever the car needed it would suck out. Whatever it did not need it would evacuate. Regardless of the overfill being totally full upon initial refill or not, it would not have caused the issues I was observing.
 
Glad to know that Stant is still selling garbage. All of the autoparts stores sell Stant theremostats, even NAPA, just in a NAPA box. I had 3 Stant's go bad in a week one time. Ever since, I have always either purchased a thermostat from the dealer, or a Mr. Gasket brand.

Kurt
 
Glad to know that Stant is still selling garbage. All of the autoparts stores sell Stant theremostats, even NAPA, just in a NAPA box. I had 3 Stant's go bad in a week one time. Ever since, I have always either purchased a thermostat from the dealer, or a Mr. Gasket brand.

Kurt
Kurt,

I always enjoy your posts. This one gave me a lol for sure. I gotta tell you though, the 2 stats I bought from Autozone were both Mr Gasket balanced stats (180 & 195). I was quite shocked! The 180 took a dump after a week and the 195 was a dud out of the box! I went for Motorcraft. They sell a 190 for my car.

I don't know about you, but when I do repairs my intent is to not go back in until I'm a lot older & much more grey. So, I installed the stat each time with black RTV and let it set up 24 hours before attempting to fill the system. Thought I was going to need a hammer and chisel. Actually I needed a 2 pound rubber mallet to get the housing off. What a pain. Lesson learned -buy OEM.
 
I use gasket tack along with a gasket. I try to avoid over use of RTV, you really don't need it for a thermostat, unless the water outlet is all warped to hell in which case you really need to shell out $12 for a new one.

I have a Mr. Gasket high flow thermostat. Not sure about the balanced ones. If those have gone to crap too, I better hold onto the one I have until it dies.

Kurt
 
I use gasket tack along with a gasket. I try to avoid over use of RTV, you really don't need it for a thermostat, unless the water outlet is all warped to hell in which case you really need to shell out $12 for a new one.

I have a Mr. Gasket high flow thermostat. Not sure about the balanced ones. If those have gone to crap too, I better hold onto the one I have until it dies.


Kurt

Kurt, you are now the second guy I've read that does not use RTV when installing a thermostat. I think i'll try not using it this next install.

Question: My thermostat gasket housing seems not to be warped, and my thermostat gasket is cork that is sticky on one side. Given that my housing seems fine, can I simply use the gasket with its adhesive side and roll with that? I have spray adhesive, but do I really need to make both sides stickey? What do you advise?
 
Yes, I filled it to just about the top sinse this was the initial coolant system refill. This way, whatever the car needed it would suck out. Whatever it did not need it would evacuate. Regardless of the overfill being totally full upon initial refill or not, it would not have caused the issues I was observing.


different then i usually do it. i fill the rad all the way up. fill the overflow to the marked level. start the car with the cap off. top off the rad. wait a few minutes, top off again then close the cap. you were saying the overflow was gushing like a volcano. sounds like a problem to me. it will evacuate too much then you will have air in the system. i know it has nothing to do with the fan not coming on but thought it was worth mentioning.


edit: i do realize now after re reading the original post that it was shooting out because it was running hot but still if too much evacuates you will have air in the system which will cause problems
 
Kurt, you are now the second guy I've read that does not use RTV when installing a thermostat. I think i'll try not using it this next install.

Question: My thermostat gasket housing seems not to be warped, and my thermostat gasket is cork that is sticky on one side. Given that my housing seems fine, can I simply use the gasket with its adhesive side and roll with that? I have spray adhesive, but do I really need to make both sides stickey? What do you advise?

I wouldn't reuse a gasket, especially a cork one. I would chump up the full $1.09 for a new paper Felpro gasket and do it all over. I use the Permetex gasket tack that comes in the little metal can that you brush on. I use this on almost everything. The only place I use RTV is on the corners of the valley gaskets under the intake. I don't put RTV anywhere else in the engine.

Kurt
 
different then i usually do it. i fill the rad all the way up. fill the overflow to the marked level. start the car with the cap off. top off the rad. wait a few minutes, top off again then close the cap. you were saying the overflow was gushing like a volcano. sounds like a problem to me. it will evacuate too much then you will have air in the system. i know it has nothing to do with the fan not coming on but thought it was worth mentioning.



edit: i do realize now after re reading the original post that it was shooting out because it was running hot but still if too much evacuates you will have air in the system which will cause problems

I agree with you 100%. I probably had a typo or was unclear in my original post. The coolant was gushing out of the radiator like a volcano. I refill like you do with the exception of filling the overflow up high so that upon first drive the rad can draw from it if needed. If no need is present it will simply evac the overflow tank. Was that more clear?
 
I wouldn't reuse a gasket, especially a cork one. I would chump up the full $1.09 for a new paper Felpro gasket and do it all over. I use the Permetex gasket tack that comes in the little metal can that you brush on. I use this on almost everything. The only place I use RTV is on the corners of the valley gaskets under the intake. I don't put RTV anywhere else in the engine.

Kurt

Thanks Kurt. I don't plan on reusing the gasket. It was destroyed as I cleaned the gasket surfaces anyways. Thanks for the info on the paper gasket!
 
I agree with you 100%. I probably had a typo or was unclear in my original post. The coolant was gushing out of the radiator like a volcano. I refill like you do with the exception of filling the overflow up high so that upon first drive the rad can draw from it if needed. If no need is present it will simply evac the overflow tank. Was that more clear?


yes but then to me it sounds like the thermostat opened when the system was full and when it closed it had to release the extra pressure. if the cap was on before that it would release into the overflow. i dont know if you saw and you might already know this but there is a cold level line and a hot level line for that exact reason. sounds like if you would have put the cap on earlier you might have been ok. if your fans come on at stock temps your thermostat should open and then close before the fan even comes on. do you have ac? i would try starting the car with the ac on and see if the fan runs. if it does i would just try refilling the cooling system again and just get the cap on a little bit earlier and you might be good to go.
 
UPDATE: Got the Motorcraft stat (pt #RT-1139). It is sold as 190 degree, but 192F is stamped onto the body of the stat. Buying Motorcraft is totally worth the small extra cost. I boiled this one BEFORE installing it after having 2 Mr Gasket hi-performance balanced stats fail (after 1 week use/& dud out of the box). The Motorcraft stat operated flawlessly. It started opening at 192F & was fully open by 195-196F. As seen in the pic it also comes with a predrilled hole in the body to aide system burping. Now to install after it cools.
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