It still overheats, not sure what else to do...

afast93stang

afast93stang

Founding Member
Jan 6, 2002
1,407
4
39
North Texas
#1
My car keeps overheating, here is what I’ve done within the past 2 months:

Autometer Temp gauge
3 Core aluminum radiator
Edlebrock high flow water pump
2 new 180* T-stats
new stock fan & fan clutch
new head gaskets (finished this yesterday) with new ARP bolts
new harmonic balancer - timing is set to 10*
oil change (yesterday)
coolant change & system flush (yesterday)

and the car still overheats past 220* wile sitting in traffic without the A/C on... I’m out of ideas :damnit: :bang:

Anyone have any suggestions or is it time to get a new engine?
 
#2
Crimped bypass hose maybe..blockage in the system. Could be it's not burped properly, or air is getting in the system. Timing maybe off..pull the codes, see if you get anything there.
 
#3
Possibly a radiator hose collasping. The water pump creates a vacumm effect and sucks the hose together, thats why some hoses have metal springs inside. The springs help the hose maintain shape. If it's the lower hose it can be hard to see when it happens. This is usually a rare problem but does happen.

Good Luck
 
#4
Throw away that stock fan and shroud. Get a 3.8 Taurus fan and put it on. It fixed ALL my overheating problems. Sitting at idle with the stock fan and HD Fan clutch, it would literally overheat, bury the gauge at 250 degrees. 3.8 Taurus fan? 180 degrees in 95 degree heat, 100% humidity... at idle... with the a/c on MAX high. I love it!
 
#5
the fan is the first thing i did, linc. fan, 140 amp alt., dcc controler, cobra water pump, 3 core rad., new hoses, i can sit in bumper to bumper, a/c on, in 100+ temp. and the needle wont budge over 25%. sounds like you have done your homework, you have a good combo, i do think the fan will make a big dif. itll blow twice as much air as the stock fan good luck!
 
#6
Sorry guys but I have to disagree. I run the stock rad with HD clutch and fan, the T-stat is 180 and an edelbrock water pump. With the above parts strapped to my motor I have not seen anything over 190 in even 90deg high humidity days in traffic. You can't blame the fan for a car that has JUST started to overheat...changing the fan now would just be a bandaid. You need to find out why the car has started to overheat...solve that, then go to an electric and enjoy the benefits.
 
#9
The car overheats when its above 85* outside, I might have had this problem this entire year but it didnt show up until the end of April when it started getting warmer.

I have a G3 alt from PA Performance, already tried a 16in mr gasket electric fan, it heated up faster.

The new stock fan and fan clutch helped a little. I also did a new radiator cap, the hoses are the FMS blue silicon and they are less than year old.

I havnt been able to pull codes with my handheld code reader, nor has my mechanic when he plugs his computer up to my car. Maybe some kind of ground issue but thats a problem for a different thread.
 
#10
I just posted in someone else's thread thinking it was yours, but it's the same issue. It's a post right below yours, titled "bad gauge or sender" or something like that. Check out my response, it will tell you how to use a meat thermometer to determine if it's a bad gauge or not...
 
#11
I dont think my autometer is bad, just installed it back in may. With the radiator cap off I can see when the fluid level drops when my T-stat opens up at 180* (according to the gauge).

Also when I open up my hood after it has been running at temp, it feels like a blast furnace, you can tell its hotter than normal.
 
#14
This morning I showed the pictures I took when my heads were off to Lone Star Performance, they said my engine was running too lean and that was casing my overheating problem. Considering the engine is from a 1989 5.0 and it has 180k miles on the ticker, I dont want to keep putting money into it if its not going to last much longer. I didnt want to admit it but I think its time to look for a new engine.
 
#15
If you are running lean, that can increase temps. Pull the plugs and see what they look like. White=lean. BTW, my plugs are white when I check them but I have no pinging or overheating. Is it pinging under load? Try flooring it in 5th at 45 mph, that should make it ping if its going to.

If you are leaning out, thats not the engines fault and it doesnt mean you need a new one. You will need a new one if you keep running it lean though, that is if it is actually running lean. :shrug:
 
#17
Sounds almost similar to an issue I had, but running so lean at idle it's causing the car to heat up? Sounds whacky to me. It could be a bad ground or defective gauge. MAYBE. I had similar issues, went through 3 new autometer gauges before the problem stopped. It would just keep climbing. But the engine did SEEM hot, coulda been my imagination (it was summer and hot out). Personally, I'm a fan of the electric fan solution, I have an S/N95 fan installed on mine with a DCC, totally awesome. I would check some grounds though and do the meat thermometer test. Just to be sure. SOmething about the notion of throwing out the engine because it might be the problem is a tad extreme in my opinion.
 
#18
How do I get it to run richer?

The car heats up at idle and at speed even with my 3 core aluminum radiator, my high flow edlebrock water pump, again, i have already tried an electric fan...

I was told by LSP that i am running lean by the way my valves are looking...

attachment.php


attachment.php
 
#19
i had a problem with over heating on long rips and beating my car, check the voltage at the fuel pump. for me i just hard wired the fuel pump and away went my heating problem, there might be a problem with the fuel pump relay, i got a code for that and like i said hard wired the pump and i cruise for hours at speed and the needle don't go past 1/4.

might work for you if your running lean, and i blew a motor cause i was running lean, didn't know it was the cause till i started to think about it.

good luck.
 
#20
Just replaced the fuel pump relay in May, did the fuel pump last year.

Also checked the temp with a infared temp gun, the autometer gauge read 210*, the infared temp gun read 200-ish at the t-stat neck.

The temp gauge doesnt jump up quickly, it takes 15 min or so of driving to go past 200*, it doesnt matter if its streets or interstate...

Anoter friend of mine suggested a fuel pressure regulator, would this really help the lean condition?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Engine 1988 Foxbody - Overheating Summer
Replies
10
Views
513
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Mustang5L5
Mustang5L5
O
2001 mustang gt overheating
Replies
1
Views
286
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
Noobz347
Noobz347
6
Hey all,I’m putting together a 302 for my 1968 Mustang and wanted to post the combo + some questions to make sure I’m not missing crucial
Replies
4
Views
763
1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
gray owl
G
S
Progress Thread severe97's Project Thread!
Replies
47
Views
2K
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
severe97
S
M
Progress Thread mnky99 2001 V6 evap core, ac compressor, heater core replacement
Replies
1
Views
464
1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-
mnky99
M
Top Bottom
Back
Forums
Menu