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Cooling system problem. Vehicle info.
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Guest
Anonymous Poster
bfox3303@suddenlink.net
Feb 6, 2007, 7:04 PM
Post #1 of 2
(2565 views)
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Cooling system problem. Vehicle info.
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Hi all,
I have a 2001 F-250 super crew pickup with the 5.4 engine.
Here’s the problem
About every three or four days this pickup pegs the temperature gauge.
After that happens, I pull over, turn the truck off. Restart and drive on.
The gauge has returned to normal. The service engine soon light has come on but that is for engine overheat. Just before this occurs, the temperature gauge drops all the way down to cold, then a minute later it pegs out at hot. If the heater is on the air at the vent gets cold just before this happens. However, the problem will occur regardless of whether the heater is being used or not.
This has been regular as a clock. I get the pickup home and coolant is dripping off the frame below the coolant tank.
I have watched the coolant action while the truck is warming up in the driveway. As the engine starts to get warm the coolant rises in the tank. It pushes all the way to the top and pushes coolant out from under the cap. Then the thermostat opens and the level pulls down in the tank.
Since this has been happening, the pickup is on the third pressure cap and also the third thermostat. I also replaced the standard single core radiator with the heavy duty 2 core. No help.
It seems as if the engine has no coolant bypass.
This is a sealed system and has no actual over flow set-up.
Thanks for your time,
Best Wishes
Bob
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tut2261
User
Feb 7, 2007, 12:46 AM
Post #2 of 2
(2558 views)
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Re: Cooling system problem. Vehicle info.
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With the symtoms, I'd say you have an air pocket in the system. You loose heat because the heater is the highest part of the system. It is overheating because there is no coolant in the engine to cool it. Mostly air.
With the engine cold make sure the system is full, remove the degas bottle cap, start the engine and allow to run, turn the heater to the highest vent setting, it may overflow, after it overflows and or the fluid level goes down when the t-stat opens top off the fluid level and install the cap. Your heater should be blowing hot. Roadtest and moniter the gauge if at any time it goes up or you loose heat leave it running and wait for the level to drop and topp it off again. You may have to top it off a couple of times to burp the system. If after you perform this it continues to overheat there may be something more serious wrong.
I have seen a 2000 F250 where the temp gauge would peg but the engine was at normal temp. This was caused by a short in the Instrument cluster.
1998- 2003 5.4 liters are known for leaking oil from the head gaskets externaly but I've never seen one internaly leak coolant.
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