Car Running Hot
- Thread starter plantmeister
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- foxbody overheating
Are you running underdrive pulleys? Is it possible that your gauge is reading incorrectly?
Slightly different issue, but mine ran hot for years. I do have underdrive pulleys although I would probably swap them out for stock if my stock pulleys weren't rusted and useless. At idle the temp would continue to rise and if the AC was on, it would rise even faster. As I drove the temp would slowly decrease to normal, then heat back up immediately when I came to a stop (engine running). I tried a lower temp thermostat, high-flow water pump, installed a large two-row Summit aluminum radiator, new blue hoses, and tried different water/coolant mixtures, all to no avail. I ended up removing the stock fan/shroud and installed the Flex-A-Lite Black Magic fan with controller. Not cheap, but the car has never had issues since. I live in south Mississippi and can let the car idle with the AC on full blast in August and it never gets above where I set the temperature controller at. Driving, idling, full throttle, etc., no issues whatsoever.
I don't know if this will help in your situation but wanted to pass this along in case it does. It has made a huge difference for me.
Slightly different issue, but mine ran hot for years. I do have underdrive pulleys although I would probably swap them out for stock if my stock pulleys weren't rusted and useless. At idle the temp would continue to rise and if the AC was on, it would rise even faster. As I drove the temp would slowly decrease to normal, then heat back up immediately when I came to a stop (engine running). I tried a lower temp thermostat, high-flow water pump, installed a large two-row Summit aluminum radiator, new blue hoses, and tried different water/coolant mixtures, all to no avail. I ended up removing the stock fan/shroud and installed the Flex-A-Lite Black Magic fan with controller. Not cheap, but the car has never had issues since. I live in south Mississippi and can let the car idle with the AC on full blast in August and it never gets above where I set the temperature controller at. Driving, idling, full throttle, etc., no issues whatsoever.
I don't know if this will help in your situation but wanted to pass this along in case it does. It has made a huge difference for me.
Nah, my pulleys are stock.
I guess the fan was your issue. I'm starting to wonder that too, if maybe since my radiator is bigger, but I'm still using the stock fan, if it can't pull enough air through there.
I'm having the thermostat and radiator checked this weekend and if that's not the issue, maybe I'll have to try the fan you mentioned and see if that cures my problem. Thanks for sharing.
Those are known to be quite inaccurate. Not saying it is..but if it's off 10 degrees, then your temps are actually ok.
Do you have an aftermarket temp guage handy? Or even a cheapo parts store gauge?
Really? Okay dang. No, I don't have any other temp gauges, but they sound easy to get ahold of. I'll swing by the parts store and see if I can't get one to check the actual temperature.
The sender for the dash guage is the small sensor on the very front of the driver's side of the lower intake.
Make sure it's clean and there's a tight connection here. If you get an aftermarket guage, install it here. You can just pull the wire off and let it hang. Dash guage will read nothing, but you are using the other guage anyway
The sender for the dash guage is the small sensor on the very front of the driver's side of the lower intake.
Make sure it's clean and there's a tight connection here. If you get an aftermarket guage, install it here. You can just pull the wire off and let it hang. Dash guage will read nothing, but you are using the other guage anyway
Oh! I looked at that yesterday because I noticed the black connector part had a split up the side where it fits onto the sensor. I wiggled it and it didn't seem loose, but it could still be causing an issue, I'm not sure.
But okay, thanks for the tip. I'm really interested to see if it's just been the dash all along
wgreenlee4
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- Jun 12, 2011
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Also, with the gauge sensor (not the EEC temp sensor), it is grounded through the block. I noticed last week my oil pressure and temperature gauges both were hovering higher than usual with no other side effects. I verified my fan was working properly and coolant level was good. I noticed one of my engine ground wires was not in good shape so I cleaned it up real nice and re fastened it and boom no more "overheating". Gauge reads right in the middle now. So yes check the wiring to the sensor AND engine grounds.
If you want to verify the real temperature you can also use T pins and a volt meter to measure the EEC's temperature gauge (mounted on the black heater core pipes above manifold). The service manual has the voltage/resistance chart to read the temperature.
If you want to verify the real temperature you can also use T pins and a volt meter to measure the EEC's temperature gauge (mounted on the black heater core pipes above manifold). The service manual has the voltage/resistance chart to read the temperature.
Dear all,
After checking all the major stuff on this car, the thermostat was pulled to check it,and lo and behold...my 'helper' had put it on backwards.
I'm both aggravated and face palming right now.
Thanks everyone for the help on this one.
After checking all the major stuff on this car, the thermostat was pulled to check it,and lo and behold...my 'helper' had put it on backwards.
I'm both aggravated and face palming right now.
Thanks everyone for the help on this one.
Aahhh, it's the simple things in life that trip us up.
So, all's well now?
Sit your helper down on his roll around mechanic's seat and say
YOUR FIRED!
In your helpers defence, it's an easy thing to do.
So, all's well now?
Sit your helper down on his roll around mechanic's seat and say
YOUR FIRED!
In your helpers defence, it's an easy thing to do.
mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
I can guarantee I won't be asking him for help anymore. He messed up my timing too at one point, but I've since had it timed.
I'm assuming and hoping this fixes it! I bought a 160F thermostat to replace the 190 and it's going to be put in correctly this time. When the gasket maker cures, we'll fire it up and see how it does. I was advised by another mechanic that in everlasting summer of Florida, a lower thermostat was wise.
You could be ok with a 160 stat but these cars are designed to run 190-200 degrees.
The 160 thermostat theory was good back in the 60's not anymore.
The 160 thermostat theory was good back in the 60's not anymore.
The thermostat temp seems to be a big debate, from what I've seen. Some say cooler is better, some day hotter is better.
So this particular car is better hovering around the 200 mark?
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