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Not to stir up trouble here, but...
The factory coolant color changed sometime between 2000 and 2006. It's possible that your LS originally had green. In any event, the color is not as important as the coolant type. The gold posted above is fine, as is the Prestone pre-mixed extended life green. Just pick one and stick with it. Don't mix them. (Even though they claim it is okay to do so, "they" are not always right.)
 
joegr said:
Not to stir up trouble here, but...
The factory coolant color changed sometime between 2000 and 2006. It's possible that your LS originally had green. In any event, the color is not as important as the coolant type. The gold posted above is fine, as is the Prestone pre-mixed extended life green. Just pick one and stick with it. Don't mix them. (Even though they claim it is okay to do so, "they" are not always right.)
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Noted.
 
Ok. Fixed thermostat fill tower cap leak. Couldn't get that damn o-ring that came with it to work (kinda loose in the cap) so I was able to make my own flat type gasket and it works great.
Put a cooling system pressure tester on it and brought it up to about half the cap pressure (which took forever to get to with the tester hand pump) and no leak from the cap. Didn't see any leaks anywhere else and the pressure seems to hold on the tester. So I took it for a test and although it's better it's still wanting to get too hot for me. At least the heater is able to bring the temp down again. That fact made me wonder something. Someone (I think it was Joe) told me that the heater part is a separate circuit from the main cooling system. Ok. So if for instance the water pump stopped working for some reason, would the heater be able to cool the engine when it gets hot? Or does that auxiliary coolant pump run the heater circuit? Though I guess if the water pump wasn't working it probably wouldn't be able to keep in operating temp when it's idling either because the car does do that. It's getting too hot only when I drive it or I rev the engine too high for extended time.
Anyway I'm gonna get some more coolant and try to bleed the damn thing this weekend. If them not sealing up the thermostat housing cap up properly is any indication I doubt they bled the system thoroughly either.
 
LunaEros said:
Ok. Fixed thermostat fill tower cap leak. Couldn't get that damn o-ring that came with it to work (kinda loose in the cap) so I was able to make my own flat type gasket and it works great.
Put a cooling system pressure tester on it and brought it up to about half the cap pressure (which took forever to get to with the tester hand pump) and no leak from the cap. Didn't see any leaks anywhere else and the pressure seems to hold on the tester. So I took it for a test and although it's better it's still wanting to get too hot for me. At least the heater is able to bring the temp down again. That fact made me wonder something. Someone (I think it was Joe) told me that the heater part is a separate circuit from the main cooling system. Ok. So if for instance the water pump stopped working for some reason, would the heater be able to cool the engine when it gets hot? Or does that auxiliary coolant pump run the heater circuit? Though I guess if the water pump wasn't working it probably wouldn't be able to keep in operating temp when it's idling either because the car does do that. It's getting too hot only when I drive it or I rev the engine too high for extended time.
Anyway I'm gonna get some more coolant and try to bleed the damn thing this weekend. If them not sealing up the thermostat housing cap up properly is any indication I doubt they bled the system thoroughly either.
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Define too hot, is the red overheat light coming in on or are you monitoring temps with forscan? I'm just curious what numbers you're seeing as i though my car was always running hot as well, thanks
 
SultanGris said:
Define too hot, is the red overheat light coming in on or are you monitoring temps with forscan? I'm just curious what numbers you're seeing as i though my car was always running hot as well, thanks
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No, the factory gauge sucks. I use the OBDII and Torque. I'm not letting it get to overheating because this car has made me paranoid about it overheating ever since the engine shut down kicked in when the water pump let go last year but I can tell by how the temp keeps going up (albeit not quite as fast as it was) faster than it should when it drives and it's not leveling off in the operating temp range. After I fixed the leak and took it for a test by the end of it the temp was climbing above 200 (I know 200's not hot yet) again in 60 degree weather with the fan going full blast and wasn't stopping like before. It's not climbing quite as fast as before the leak but still quite a bit faster than before whatever happened to it happened back in July that left me without a car since. In order for me to be able to drive it and not be paranoid I need to get it to where it runs between 190 and 210 max for the most part like it did before.
 
LunaEros said:
No, the factory gauge sucks. I use the OBDII and Torque. I'm not letting it get to overheating because this car has made me paranoid about it overheating ever since the engine shut down kicked in when the water pump let go last year but I can tell by how the temp keeps going up (albeit not quite as fast as it was) faster than it should when it drives and it's not leveling off in the operating temp range. After I fixed the leak and took it for a test by the end of it the temp was climbing above 200 (I know 200's not hot yet) again in 60 degree weather with the fan going full blast and wasn't stopping like before. It's not climbing quite as fast as before the leak but still quite a bit faster than before whatever happened to it happened back in July that left me without a car since. In order for me to be able to drive it and not be paranoid I need to get it to where it runs between 190 and 210 max for the most part like it did before.
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Yours was running that low before? I never did figure out what was normal for these cars but people said they run hot. Yes over 210 was freaking me out also, I hotwired my fan full speed and it would still get to 220 on 60 degree days. Way to hot for my liking, but I know the previous owner used stop leak. Hopefully my newer motor runs cooler. I replaced about everything on mine except heater cores and block. I used a gates water pump instead of motorcraft though, that could maybe have been a factor, people say use all motorcraft but they don't exist anymore that I could find anyway
 
SultanGris said:
Yours was running that low before? I never did figure out what was normal for these cars but people said they run hot. Yes over 210 was freaking me out also, I hotwired my fan full speed and it would still get to 220 on 60 degree days. Way to hot for my liking, but I know the previous owner used stop leak. Hopefully my newer motor runs cooler. I replaced about everything on mine except heater cores and block. I used a gates water pump instead of motorcraft though, that could maybe have been a factor, people say use all motorcraft but they don't exist anymore that I could find anyway
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Yeah, I was lucky for the most part during owning it. To keep it in that range though I had to kinda drive gently. If I beat on it it would somewhat easily go over 210. Maybe I'm just an old F now but growing up with old muscle cars and such I'm used to cooling systems keeping in a lower range. But I guess more modern cars don't run like those anymore. My brother has a new Ram and he says that typically runs in the 230 range. Joe tells me from all his experience and his time being the forum guru that I guess anywhere from the 180 thermostat range to upwards of 220 is normal. And I guess it's true since it seems like the factory gauge doesn't start going above halfway until the temp is north of 230 give or take.
 
LunaEros said:
Yeah, I was lucky for the most part during owning it. To keep it in that range though I had to kinda drive gently. If I beat on it it would somewhat easily go over 210. Maybe I'm just an old F now but growing up with old muscle cars and such I'm used to cooling systems keeping in a lower range. But I guess more modern cars don't run like those anymore. My brother has a new Ram and he says that typically runs in the 230 range. Joe tells me from all his experience and his time being the forum guru that I guess anywhere from the 180 thermostat range to upwards of 220 is normal. And I guess it's true since it seems like the factory gauge doesn't start going above halfway until the temp is north of 230 give or take.
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Ya I'm used to the old cars too, but I noticed the actual factory gauge didn't move either, till the red light came on, then it pegs. I figured 210 was ok but 220 i didn't like one bit but I may have been overly cautious as I never saw the red light on except for when I first bought it and the original owner was driving it home for me and he stopped unexpectedly at a gas station but it was low on coolant from all the leaks , but I drove rather hard as well. My 2013 f350 diesel runs 192-194 unless I'm towing up a hill, and the fan doesn't even kick on till 225 actually, sounds like a jet, thought I blew it up the first time that happened.
 
LunaEros said:
Did you read my other post, Joe? The heater wouldn't help to cool it if the water pump wasn't working, right?
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No, the aux pump would allow the heater to work even if the water pump isn't.
It's possible that your water pump isn't pumping (broken impeller), but far more common would be that coolant isn't circulating because of air pockets. You'll have air pockets if the bleed procedure isn't followed to the letter, if the car was bled with the nose up, and/or if any plastic wasn't replaced.

If you let it get to 230, then it may expel the air itself. I'd stop it by 240 though.
 
joegr said:
No, the aux pump would allow the heater to work even if the water pump isn't.
It's possible that your water pump isn't pumping (broken impeller), but far more common would be that coolant isn't circulating because of air pockets. You'll have air pockets if the bleed procedure isn't followed to the letter, if the car was bled with the nose up, and/or if any plastic wasn't replaced.

If you let it get to 230, then it may expel the air itself. I'd stop it by 240 though.
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I'm gonna try bleeding it this weekend. Hopefully that'll do it. The bleed by the coolant reservoir is the only bleed spot on the 1st gen v8, right?
And I guess there's no simple way to make sure the water pump is working other than something like taking the thermostat cover off or disconnecting a radiator hose and starting it up for a minute?
 
www.lincolnvscadillac.com

How to Drain the Lincoln LS Cooling System

Submitted by: Quik LS Visit the Lincoln LS Forum for more help. Take special care when refilling, as any air left in the system may cause a hot spot and damage the engine. You must bleed the system properly before driving normally. Lincoln LS...
www.lincolnvscadillac.com
 
joegr said:
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That's helpful, thanks. One more question. It still seemed to me to not build up any pressure in the hoses when it got to operating temp which makes me wonder even more if the water pump broke. It does seem to stay at operating temp when idling but I still wonder. Is there any way to tell if the coolant is circulating without major disassembly of stuff? Since you say the heater would still cool the engine if the water pump broke I assume coolant would still come out of the bleed or am I assuming wrong and would nothing come out of the bleed if the pump broke?
 
LunaEros said:
And I guess it's true since it seems like the factory gauge doesn't start going above halfway until the temp is north of 230 give or take.
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Where are you measuring temp from? My V8 will show temps of 230 at the throttle body heater hose, and on the return hose going back to the degas bottle, during summer months.

This is using an infrared temp gun.
 
04_Sport_LS said:
Where are you measuring temp from? My V8 will show temps of 230 at the throttle body heater hose, and on the return hose going back to the degas bottle, during summer months.

This is using an infrared temp gun.
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Well since I don't have an infrared gun and need to measure the temp while I'm driving, I use my OBDLink MX in tandem with Torque on my headunit. ;)
 
Ok. That being said... is your "Torque" app showing fluctuations in temp? That would indicate air in system or intermediate lack of coolant flow. If the Torque app only shows readings from the head temp sensor, you might want to get a temp gun and see what's hot, and what is not.
 
And again... when I "temp gun" the cooling system, I get variable readings.

The highest (230) is at the TB heater hose, and return hose back to the degas.
 
If the cooling system is low, then you will get sporadic readings at the head temp sensor. If coolant is not circulating properly, you may get low temp readings.
 
04_Sport_LS said:
Ok. That being said... is your "Torque" app showing fluctuations in temp? That would indicate air in system or intermediate lack of coolant flow. If the Torque app only shows readings from the head temp sensor, you might want to get a temp gun and see what's hot, and what is not.
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No it just keeps going up when I drive or rev the engine above 2000rpm for a bit when sitting still. It'll cool back down if I turn the heat on full blast and it also seems to level out at operating temp if just idling (though on the last trait I haven't checked if it goes back to operating temp after the temp has gone up too high)
 
Can you adjust fuel trims with Torque? Have you done this? A lean fuel mixture will make an engine run hot. Especially if you are using non premium fuel.

I'm just "throwing stuff at the wall" at this point.
 
LunaEros said:
That's helpful, thanks. One more question. It still seemed to me to not build up any pressure in the hoses when it got to operating temp which makes me wonder even more if the water pump broke. It does seem to stay at operating temp when idling but I still wonder. Is there any way to tell if the coolant is circulating without major disassembly of stuff? Since you say the heater would still cool the engine if the water pump broke I assume coolant would still come out of the bleed or am I assuming wrong and would nothing come out of the bleed if the pump broke?
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The water pump does not build any pressure. The system pressurizing has nothing to do with the water pump. It pressurizes due to the heating of the coolant. If your system is not pressurizing, then you still have leaks, and that's why it's not cooling correctly.
 
joegr said:
The water pump does not build any pressure. The system pressurizing has nothing to do with the water pump. It pressurizes due to the heating of the coolant. If your system is not pressurizing, then you still have leaks, and that's why it's not cooling correctly.
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Ok. Well I didn't actually check the tightness of the hoses after it got hot, I think I checked about operating temp at 170-180. My brother says I can't really check the pressure that way since 16lbs isn't that much. And to be honest it does feel a little bit firm but way less than I'd think 16lbs would be. Still wish there was an easy way to check if the coolant is circulating.
I guess I'll just try and put it out of my mind until I try bleeding it this weekend. I'm just so sick of being without a vehicle.
 
joegr said:
The water pump does not build any pressure. The system pressurizing has nothing to do with the water pump. It pressurizes due to the heating of the coolant. If your system is not pressurizing, then you still have leaks, and that's why it's not cooling correctly.
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One more question, Joe. Would I be able to tell if the water pump is circulating the coolant by taking the thermostat housing fill cap off and starting the car up for a second or two? Would the coolant come out if working and not come out if it isn't?
 
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