Big Al 241
New LVC Member
Yes...another overheating thread. I have used this website every now and again for years. I finally became a member because for once I couldn't find the info I need. Please and thank you to anyone that can help. I'll try to keep it as short as possible but here is everything that I believe could possibly be relevant.
2005 LS V8 AC dies. I am told AC compressor but did not get it done. 2 weeks later car overheats. Shop ran it for an hour and said it was fine, $100. It wasn't. I found that the thermostat cap wasn't on correctly and ended up putting on a new thermostat and cap myself. Still overheating. I took it to a different shop who say they can't find anything wrong but suspect head gasket. They then later say it passed their hydrocarbon test but upon looking in with a camera there is "slight evidence" that coolant had been in the cylinder. I took car back and it's basically sat in the driveway for well over a year. I start it up at least every couple of months and I eventually I noticed it didn't overheat with the heater on. As soon as I turned it off though the car immediately began to overheat. Heat back on, car cool again. I then drove it around quite aggressively for about an hour with the heat on full blast and I could not get it to overheat unless I flipped the heater off.
What I think is probably NOT the problem and why:
-Head gasket. Car has no smoke of any color coming out of exhaust. Car also does not lose coolant(at least not in approximately 200 miles).
-Air in system. This ain't my first rodeo with this girl. I've had air in it before from a little to a lot, I know what it sounds like. I've also gotten good at the bleeding procedure and am pretty positive there is no air and no noticeable leaks.
-Thermostat, hoses, degas bottle. These are all less than a few years old and again, no leaks.
-Radiator fans, electric cooling fan. I can hear/feel them.
What I think IS possibly the problem and why:
-DCCV. It's basically the only thing pertaining to the cooling system that I haven't replaced. Also maybe the diag for the AC compressor was actually from this. Maybe not. I don't know much about how the DCCV works. I don't know if the sides blow different temperatures either. I never tried and it only blows warm to hot anyway.
-Water Pump. I replaced it a few years ago but I know the plastic impeller can break and stop spinning with the pulley or whatever. Also the coolant doesn't necessarily seem like it's flowing but I've really only seen it flow when the car has been messed up and had tons of air in it. Basically, the degas bottle doesn't drain to bottom when tstat opens which may or may not be normal, I don't know. I've never looked at that specifically very closely when it's running right.
-Radiator. A few years ago when nearly everything in the cooling system got replaced my oil cooler was on that list. There was lots of oil in the system until it all got replaced. The radiator was replaced in this same ordeal of repairs about a month later. I was told after all was said and done that there was still some oil in it because they didn't want to ruin their flushing machine and some air because they couldn't get it all bled. The air I believe did cost me a thermostat later on(I'm on #4) from which I've learned the lesson but the oil never caused me a problem. The coolant was slightly murky until the next repair and next batch of coolant but I never saw it after that. However maybe it could've clogged up my radiator fins over time since they're very small. Also could've clogged DCCV
-2nd water pump? I've seen that these cars have a second auxiliary water pump and I haven't replaced that. I don't see how this would cause my symptoms though.
To keep my life out of it I'll just say that I currently have no car and need to get this one running. I also don't have money to play guessing games. I have a diesel mechanic cousin who can probably help me diagnose if I know what I'm looking for.
Things I would like to know:
1. WTF is wrong with my car? lol
2. How can I test the DCCV? What temps from what hoses or how?
3. What temperatures from which hoses on the radiator would indicate a healthy radiator for this car? Or how else can the radiator be tested?
4. Is there another way to tell if the water pump is bad without taking it off and having to refill coolant and bleed? Will do that if necessary obviously but it would be cool if you could tell it was bad by how freely it spins or something.
5. WTF is wrong with my car? And if anyone suggests head gasket I'll shove your head in a gasket. Just kidding. But seriously please help me.
-Big Al
KC, MO
2005 Lincoln LS V8 SPORT
2005 LS V8 AC dies. I am told AC compressor but did not get it done. 2 weeks later car overheats. Shop ran it for an hour and said it was fine, $100. It wasn't. I found that the thermostat cap wasn't on correctly and ended up putting on a new thermostat and cap myself. Still overheating. I took it to a different shop who say they can't find anything wrong but suspect head gasket. They then later say it passed their hydrocarbon test but upon looking in with a camera there is "slight evidence" that coolant had been in the cylinder. I took car back and it's basically sat in the driveway for well over a year. I start it up at least every couple of months and I eventually I noticed it didn't overheat with the heater on. As soon as I turned it off though the car immediately began to overheat. Heat back on, car cool again. I then drove it around quite aggressively for about an hour with the heat on full blast and I could not get it to overheat unless I flipped the heater off.
What I think is probably NOT the problem and why:
-Head gasket. Car has no smoke of any color coming out of exhaust. Car also does not lose coolant(at least not in approximately 200 miles).
-Air in system. This ain't my first rodeo with this girl. I've had air in it before from a little to a lot, I know what it sounds like. I've also gotten good at the bleeding procedure and am pretty positive there is no air and no noticeable leaks.
-Thermostat, hoses, degas bottle. These are all less than a few years old and again, no leaks.
-Radiator fans, electric cooling fan. I can hear/feel them.
What I think IS possibly the problem and why:
-DCCV. It's basically the only thing pertaining to the cooling system that I haven't replaced. Also maybe the diag for the AC compressor was actually from this. Maybe not. I don't know much about how the DCCV works. I don't know if the sides blow different temperatures either. I never tried and it only blows warm to hot anyway.
-Water Pump. I replaced it a few years ago but I know the plastic impeller can break and stop spinning with the pulley or whatever. Also the coolant doesn't necessarily seem like it's flowing but I've really only seen it flow when the car has been messed up and had tons of air in it. Basically, the degas bottle doesn't drain to bottom when tstat opens which may or may not be normal, I don't know. I've never looked at that specifically very closely when it's running right.
-Radiator. A few years ago when nearly everything in the cooling system got replaced my oil cooler was on that list. There was lots of oil in the system until it all got replaced. The radiator was replaced in this same ordeal of repairs about a month later. I was told after all was said and done that there was still some oil in it because they didn't want to ruin their flushing machine and some air because they couldn't get it all bled. The air I believe did cost me a thermostat later on(I'm on #4) from which I've learned the lesson but the oil never caused me a problem. The coolant was slightly murky until the next repair and next batch of coolant but I never saw it after that. However maybe it could've clogged up my radiator fins over time since they're very small. Also could've clogged DCCV
-2nd water pump? I've seen that these cars have a second auxiliary water pump and I haven't replaced that. I don't see how this would cause my symptoms though.
To keep my life out of it I'll just say that I currently have no car and need to get this one running. I also don't have money to play guessing games. I have a diesel mechanic cousin who can probably help me diagnose if I know what I'm looking for.
Things I would like to know:
1. WTF is wrong with my car? lol
2. How can I test the DCCV? What temps from what hoses or how?
3. What temperatures from which hoses on the radiator would indicate a healthy radiator for this car? Or how else can the radiator be tested?
4. Is there another way to tell if the water pump is bad without taking it off and having to refill coolant and bleed? Will do that if necessary obviously but it would be cool if you could tell it was bad by how freely it spins or something.
5. WTF is wrong with my car? And if anyone suggests head gasket I'll shove your head in a gasket. Just kidding. But seriously please help me.
-Big Al
KC, MO
2005 Lincoln LS V8 SPORT