Help diagnose cooling problem

[Hawkeye_306]

When I built my engine I had trouble getting initial air pockets out of the cooling system (I was also paranoid about overheating and ruining my investment).

I drilled a 1/8 inch hole in the thermostat. The reason was to relieve any air pocket that was keeping hot coolant from “touching” the thermostat to open it up when it was supposed to. This was my theory anyway. I believe that it helped. But I was doing so much at once (pressurizing different parts of the system, jumping up and down on the bumper, etc.) that I can`t say for sure. It has not hurt anything.

Don`t read too much into fluctuating coolant levels. They will rise and fall depending on operating conditions. You will get different behavior depending on whether the radiator cap is on or off. In general, if your system is overfilled you will get overflow after you turn the engine off. The fluid level will then go down after the engine cools. This is normal

 

[mob]

Thanks hawkeye, but temp rising to 270 within one minute of driving and staying there, and coolant boiling and pouring out of the overflow tank after 5 minutes of driving isnt normal.

 

[Hawkeye_306]

I agree that the 270 is high. Sorry I could not be of more help. For what it is worth, I will describe how my car performed once I got rid of the air pockets. That might shed some light on your problem or show what to look for.

After my cooling system was free of air pockets, my temperature would rise quickly at first (while thermostat was closed) then hit around 190-200 before my 180 degree thermostat would open. During this time, I could feel that the upper radiator hose was cool/empty – the thermostat was closed. This would take around 1-2 minutes.

Then my thermostat would open. I could feel that the upper radiator hose had fluid passing through it & was warm – the thermostat was fully open. Then the temperature would drop to a nice 180 degrees.

I installed an aftermarket temp gauge because I do not trust the stock one.

 

[hotcobra03]

overheating

couple of questions? does your fan come on?was your dizzy was pulled to do this?high timing will cause overheating and low vacuum at idle?

 

[mob]

I am using stock fan. My dizzy was pulled when doing the lower intake. I also changed the harmonic balancer because my stock one was slipping. The timing is set at 14*. Are you asking or saying high timing will cause overheating and low vacuum at idle? I could see the timing maybe effecting the vacuum, (someone correct me if I am wrong) but I dont see how it would effect temperature.

Thanks hawkeye ill keep that in mind when trying to get more air out tomorrow.

 

[hotcobra03]

hey i have this from ford service books

engine overheasts,,,,,LOW COOLANT LEVEL,EXCESSIVE RUST IN COOLANT,LOOSE FAN BELT,PRESSURE CAP,RADIATOR OR AC CONDENSER OBSTRUCTIONS,CLOSED THERMOSTAT,FAN CLUTCH DRIVE,IGNITION TIMING,WATER PUMP BLOCKAGE,EXHAUST SYSTEMS......all the obove are causes...so yes im saying timing can cause overheating

 

[mob]

I still dont see how but ok.

 

[hotcobra03]

timing

its all in the timing,,most likely your off...your base timing must be set first and idle set with spout pulled... if the cylinders are firing befofe its time it generates heat that cant be exhausted which in return will make you run hot....we always set ours till the car pings than back off till pinging stops...trying to get good responce to go fast but causes problems like a lazy starter when restarting when hot.. and with changing the balancer also it makes sense that maybe you just missed something...have you rechecked that your on tdc of the compression stroke and start from thier...your not the first to have messed up with this if if is your problem,,thats how we learned,,the hardway

 

[mob]

I seriously do not see this being a timing issue. What can I miss when changing the harmonic balancer. You take off the crank pulley, balancer, then replace. I am sure I was at TDC, and I have checked my timing serveral times to make sure it is still in the same spot and it is. Again my overheating is not a timing issue...


I am guessing it was my tstat because when I took off my water outlet there was no coolant in my intake. I put the new tstat in but didnt want to mess with the water pump hoses at 11pm so Ill see if that was it tomorrow. I am going to do the compression test anyways since I am changing the spark plugs.

 

[hotcobra03]

timing

Hey guys, a couple weeks ago my car was missing around 2500 rpm and I had coolant on top of my timing cover, but it wasn't overheating, unless of course I lost enough coolant. But anyways I changed my intake gaskets. Then I changed the fuel pump, but that's another story. So I got my car running yesterday and when I'm driving it starts over heating reallll bad, it'll go all the way up and stop about one bar before the red, and come down when I come to a stop or slow down, but still stays high. Well I was hoping that after the intake more coolant had to flow through the engine and I just needed more. So I took the cap off let the engine run and added coolant. When it got to the top I noticed it was bubbling a little. So after work I got home and it overheated again so I looked at my engine in the driveway and there was coolant dripping down my water outlet neck from my top rad hose. I thought this was weird because I changed the radiator hose and clamp when I did the gasket. So today I tightened up the hose, and went to check the coolant and it was low again. So I turned the car on and filled it up. When the coolant was at the top, a nice size bubble would come up every two seconds, this is when the engine is completely cold. And when I started it up, it wouldn't stay started I had to hold the gas for 5 minutes or else it turned off, finally got it to run with a little bit of a surge, then evened out. Also when I'm driving and push in the clutch or go in neutral the rpms go down but stop at 1200 and stay there till I stop then go down to about 800.

I did a vacuum check and its at 12 inches on the dot at idle from the fpr vacuum. Because of the fact the car wasn't giving me head gasket problems before the intake install, I think I can rule that out. But if it was the intake gasket wouldn't the car running rough be vacuum related? Is it possible my vacuum is fine at idle but im losing it at higher rpms? Anyone know how many inches I should look for when revving a little? Got a bcam

I have a new water pump and t-stat I could install but I dont think thats my problem, I think my over heating problem is due to the air in the system and I think it was coming out of my top rad hose because it had so much pressure and was trying to escape, correct?

these are your words ,sounds like your car has a problem..its missing..than you say you had left parts loose,,,and than a bad time with fuel pump,,,than you dive in on intake gaskets,,,yea i think you missed something,,you asked for help and i think you should start back with your basics,,,your car is just getting old ..i was just in your shoes 6 months ago,and running it hot over and over it will blow and than you will know what was wrong,,your answer is in your thread,,if idle is set wrong say its low and you up the timing to raise idle to run smooth,,well your vacuum will be low and you will run hot..not saying its your problem but something to think about

 

[mob]

Im not sure you know what your talking about. I did the intake gasket because my old ones were blown. After that I did my fuel pump because my sending unit was out and thought id change the pump while I had the tank down. Problem I had with the pump was that it wasent priming. It was working, and pumping fuel, just not priming.

I didnt leave any parts loose. Coolant was just escaping out the upper radiator because the system had so much pressure, once I tightened that up more than it was, only other place it had to escape was out the overflow tank.

My car is getting old? My car is very old, but its not like all the parts on it are from 1993, I've had the top end off many times and replaced most of the gaskets a couple times. I dont know what your talking about running your car hot over and over again will make it blow. Who said anything about running it hot over and over again? Maybe thats what you did 6 months ago. But than again im not the one adjusting my timing when my cars overheating. And where did I ever say my idle was low and I bumped up the timing to smooth out the idle? To me it doesnt sound like you know how to set your timing.

your base timing must be set first and idle set with spout pulled...

Your supposed to take the spout out FIRST, then turn your car on and set the base timing. The idle can be adjusted by the screw underneath the throttle body. Why would you adjust your idle by changing your timing. You are nuts dude.

I did ask for help, but frankly not one of your posts has helped me.

 

[hotcobra03]

overheating

Im not sure you know what your talking about. I did the intake gasket because my old ones were blown. After that I did my fuel pump because my sending unit was out and thought id change the pump while I had the tank down. Problem I had with the pump was that it wasent priming. It was working, and pumping fuel, just not priming.

I didnt leave any parts loose. Coolant was just escaping out the upper radiator because the system had so much pressure, once I tightened that up more than it was, only other place it had to escape was out the overflow tank.

My car is getting old? My car is very old, but its not like all the parts on it are from 1993, I've had the top end off many times and replaced most of the gaskets a couple times. I dont know what your talking about running your car hot over and over again will make it blow. Who said anything about running it hot over and over again? Maybe thats what you did 6 months ago. But than again im not the one adjusting my timing when my cars overheating. And where did I ever say my idle was low and I bumped up the timing to smooth out the idle? To me it doesnt sound like you know how to set your timing.




Your supposed to take the spout out FIRST, then turn your car on and set the base timing. The idle can be adjusted by the screw underneath the throttle body. Why would you adjust your idle by changing your timing. You are nuts dude.

I did ask for help, but frankly not one of your posts has helped me.

dude read what i said again,,i never said you did that i said we did things like that..if i told you i have been a ford service tech for 30yrs ,what would you say than,,lol Dude what information i gave you was straight from ford,not chiltons,,,back to your car..you said you did a vacuum test,,,on the vacuum gauge itself it says 0-10 inch of vac with a steady needle in late valve timing or leak at intake manifold,,,14-17 inch of vac and steady needle is late ignition timing,,,17-22 is normal...now a clogged exhaust will trick you on the vacuum test ,,iirc engine has to be hot and than vacuum drops.... im not a ford tech but have been a mechanic for 35yrs,,

 

[mob]

It was the tstat incase anyone searches having this problem. Car still runs a little rough at cold start but thatll be another problem to take care of. Overheating problem was just the tstat.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[rd]

I would set up the timing from scratch again, fill and burp the cooling system, pull and replace the t stat, and go from their.

I have had the experience of a 15 year old radiator just not cooling, on my Capri and again on my Bronco, but the sympton was continuous higher temps.

My Capri has had the run hot and then cool issue, and a couple of 70 mph blasts apparently burped it. Now, I had a Windstar and it was a mother to refill the cooling system.

If the above does not help out, it sounds like head gasket time.

 

[Lawbreaker5.0]

i knew it was the t stat, glad you got it fixed.