rgorke
Dedicated LVC Member
I had to drive through what seemed to be the bowels of hell to meet my folks at a doctors appointment. Of course, I was nervous but confident of my recent repairs. I monitored the temperature while I was driving going from an ambient temp at my house of 80 or so to 116 going up a hill in traffic. The temp was in the low 200s until I was pulling into a gas station and it rose to 225. I popped the hood and opened the bleeder (with a glove) and got a couple of nice spurts of air and the temp dropped to 214 pretty quickly.
When the external temp started rising to 100+, I was still under 220 as long as I was going 60+ mph. I really started to get nervous when the temp was rising over 225 again sitting in traffic. I turned off the A/C and turned on the heater and the temp peaked at 230 at 116 degrees and barely rolling up a hill in traffic. Once I started down the hill, the temp dropped pretty quickly to 212 or so but climbed again when I turned the A/C on.
I have read through many threads on here and this doesn't seem to far out of the ordinary. Of course, all the plastics have been replaced with Motorcraft and a new 3 row aluminum radiator.
I would presume that the system is working properly in that the temp does recover and 116 degree weather and sitting in traffic is the worst case scenario.
The only thing that crossed my mind when the temp jumped with the A/C on is that maybe the compressor is putting too much strain on the system, IOWs maybe the compressor is not turning (compressing) as efficiently as it should be. But I have no data to confirm that. The A/C blows very cold at 40 degrees (+/-) based on the thermometer in my vent.
So maybe now I should just stop obsessing and enjoy the ride! My anxiety was through the roof going up that hill!
Finally, it appears the oil on the exhaust manifolds has burned off and there are NO drips under the car after being parked for hours!!! The front and valve cover replacements appear to have been a success!!!
When the external temp started rising to 100+, I was still under 220 as long as I was going 60+ mph. I really started to get nervous when the temp was rising over 225 again sitting in traffic. I turned off the A/C and turned on the heater and the temp peaked at 230 at 116 degrees and barely rolling up a hill in traffic. Once I started down the hill, the temp dropped pretty quickly to 212 or so but climbed again when I turned the A/C on.
I have read through many threads on here and this doesn't seem to far out of the ordinary. Of course, all the plastics have been replaced with Motorcraft and a new 3 row aluminum radiator.
I would presume that the system is working properly in that the temp does recover and 116 degree weather and sitting in traffic is the worst case scenario.
The only thing that crossed my mind when the temp jumped with the A/C on is that maybe the compressor is putting too much strain on the system, IOWs maybe the compressor is not turning (compressing) as efficiently as it should be. But I have no data to confirm that. The A/C blows very cold at 40 degrees (+/-) based on the thermometer in my vent.
So maybe now I should just stop obsessing and enjoy the ride! My anxiety was through the roof going up that hill!
Finally, it appears the oil on the exhaust manifolds has burned off and there are NO drips under the car after being parked for hours!!! The front and valve cover replacements appear to have been a success!!!
