those who have/had overheating issues

Dead President

Dead President

Well-Known LVC Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Messages
333
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston, TX
first of all I have been procrastinating, i've dragged this on wayy too long and I need to get this taken care of, hopefully tomorrow

anyway, since i have been dealing with this for about a month or so I had time to experiment with it to see how it reacts and i kinda got it down.

what happens is, i start my car in the morning and by the time i get about 2 miles down the road it starts to overheat. so hot that the engine power is reduced and i can barely give it gas. every once in a while it will throw a code but sometimes it doesn't. plus the code will go away after about 2 days. so, when i pull over and let the car idle it almost never goes back down to normal operating temp. what i do is turn the car off and make sure its dead silent because i listen for this gurgling sound that happens in the cooling system. it happens right near the reservoir. one time i took the cap off and it was gurgling everywhere, like there are huge bubbles coming out, air pockets i guess? then all i do is turn the car back on and i can drive miles and miles even on road trips and it stays cool.

i bought a new reservoir cap from lincoln and that didnt help

this has been happening everyother day, any input appreciated
 
Well from what it sounds like, the car will overheat in stop and go traffic and do fine on the highway... correct me if I'm wrong. That would suggest to me that the fan is not doing its job. You said it stays cool on long trips which is when the car is getting plenty of air across the radiator. If it was overheating constantly without any difference in driving distance (stop and go or highway) then I would say it was the thermosat.
 
01lssport said:
Well from what it sounds like, the car will overheat in stop and go traffic and do fine on the highway... correct me if I'm wrong. That would suggest to me that the fan is not doing its job. You said it stays cool on long trips which is when the car is getting plenty of air across the radiator. If it was overheating constantly without any difference in driving distance (stop and go or highway) then I would say it was the thermosat.
Click to expand...

Yeah check the fan... the cooling fan motor is hydraulic and many folks have had to deal with replacing it. I do not know of anyone that has done the job themselves and from what I have read from the shop manual and from alldata.com it is a pain in the posterior to bleed out.
 
LS Gets U Wet said:
u cracked the overflow tank for sure
Click to expand...

a few of these have reportedly busted for no reason at all. It is almost impossible to visually inspect this thing installed but it is cheaper than the hydraulic cooling fan motor.
 
Has the thermostat been changed yet?

#1 cause of LS V8 overheating

letting your car overheat for a month is not smart, very easy to warp the heads.

Jay
 
LincolnTech38 said:
Has the thermostat been changed yet?

#1 cause of LS V8 overheating

letting your car overheat for a month is not smart, very easy to warp the heads.

Jay
Click to expand...


good points and I know there was a tsb for poorly milled heads this could accelerate, pardon the pun, the problem if your vehicle has a bad set already. IIRC the head job, again pardon the pun :ban , cost around 3-4k bux.
 
i was just giving an example i could go on a long trip and nothing would happen, but like i said this will happen within about ~3min/2 miles from startup. mostly city driving

the cooling fan, am i suppose to hear it when its working? when it barely starts to overheat, i immediately hear a fan. or is there a diff motor i'm not hearing that drives another fan ??

as far as what lincolntech said, i'm going to try the thermo first. what am i getting myself into if i attempt this? only time ive worked in the engine bay is when my starter was on the fritz, simple fix but i'm not familiar w/ the bay at all. suspension and brakes i got down

let me know
 
doesn't the fan immediately come on when ac compressor is on? that would be quick way to diagnose fan failure if thats the case.
 
do not let this continue as you can and will do major damadge to your engine and heateng system.

when your car over heats it warps parts and puts exes presure on heat and cooling lines and heater core and rad

get this fixed or fix it yourself asap

you could have a blocked line or it may be weak and collapse , could be a bad t stat or even a weak coolent mix .check your coolant levels before and after warmup . check all lines for flow .
 
just lift the hood and check to see if the fan is spinning at a high rate. Please don't fool around and cause more harm.

Also people have had problems with the cooling line, i think return, hose. There is a 90 degree bend in it and the original hoses would crack.
 
ill check the fan, return hose, and most likely will change out the thermo

should i mix a 50/50 coolant/distilled water ?

any other opinions on what else i should be doing? thx for the help so far
 
I replaced my hydraulic cooling fan pump for an overheating problem. It is easy to say thermostat on this car because there was TSB for them, however, do some searches on the previous threads regarding overheating to pinpoint your problem. I went into great detail how to properly pinpoint.

As for some quotes:
one time i took the cap off and it was gurgling everywhere, like there are huge bubbles coming out, air pockets i guess?
of course there are......its a pressurized system reacting to lack of pressure.

u cracked the overflow tank for sure
he didn't say anything about coolant leaks

#1 cause of LS V8 overheating
but not the only problem and a tech like you should know by his description that it is an airflow issue. I told a tech the same thing....overheating in the city and he replaced the tstat (didnt fix the prob). I ended up replacing the pump (fixed the problem).


Dont go replacing things until you investigate the previous threads on this issue............you will be better off than fixing a "problem" and then having to fix it right the second time.
 
DLS8K said:
I replaced my hydraulic cooling fan pump for an overheating problem. It is easy to say thermostat on this car because there was TSB for them, however, do some searches on the previous threads regarding overheating to pinpoint your problem. I went into great detail how to properly pinpoint.

As for some quotes:
one time i took the cap off and it was gurgling everywhere, like there are huge bubbles coming out, air pockets i guess?
of course there are......its a pressurized system reacting to lack of pressure.

u cracked the overflow tank for sure
he didn't say anything about coolant leaks

#1 cause of LS V8 overheating
but not the only problem and a tech like you should know by his description that it is an airflow issue. I told a tech the same thing....overheating in the city and he replaced the tstat (didnt fix the prob). I ended up replacing the pump (fixed the problem).


Dont go replacing things until you investigate the previous threads on this issue............you will be better off than fixing a "problem" and then having to fix it right the second time.
Click to expand...


I remember all the headaches you had with this. very good points. The primary reason I started taking care of my own LS was becasue I got tired of paying those assclowns to guess. I bought the books an had acess to alldata.com and just started handling things as I could. You won't be able to do every repair due to special tools and level of difficulty but for the most common of problems I think just about anyone with common handtools could do it even if they were half liquored up. However; I do not recommedgetting liquored up until afte the repair and test drive :D

I am confident that you know there are a lot of folks here with a tremendous level of first hand experience with these issues and they are willing to give you any sort of support, w/o warranty of course, during the repair.

troubleshoot it, paln it and ask for some numbers or even some help. Another great online resource is flatratetech.com it is a forum full of ford and gm certified techs. Search their threadfs and post your questions there as well.

I hate to sound like a parent or a broken record but please do not let this go on much longer. This car can be a serial killer at time of repair and its target are the Benjamins in your bank account.
 
Dead President said:
ill check the fan, return hose, and most likely will change out the thermo

should i mix a 50/50 coolant/distilled water ?

any other opinions on what else i should be doing? thx for the help so far
Click to expand...

Don't bother changing the thermosat. If the car was overheating on a costant basis then it would be worth trying. It is an air flow problem. Narrow it down, its either the fan; the fan pump; or both.
 
ok here's what i did, before start up the coolant was a little low filled it up to the exact level. turned the car on and let idle until it hit normal operating temp. i watched the fan and i noticed it was turning at a normal speed..nothing too dramatic. i gave the car a little gas and it started over heating. i heard the fan kick on and i looked under there it was spinning so fast that i could feel cold air coming through the radiator and the engine bay. so, whenever it started over heating more, i shut the car completely off and no more than 30 seconds later i heard something kick on. sounded like a tiny motor, but almost positive it was something electrical. then, you could hear the coolant flowing throughout the entire system. well, that electrical sound kept on going for a good while. its near the front of the car but on the left side. i couldn't pinpoint what it was. i'm a novice to these 3.9s.

any thoughts?

i'm doing searches right now
 
After reading alot on this forum, and having the same issue, I installed a new cap and purged the cooling system. This took care of the issue. I was having the EXACT same issue you are having. I think that alot of people that have replaced multiple parts eventually "burped" the cooling system and they thought the parts fixed it. I believe the problem comes from a failed radiator cap, and simply replacing it won't always fix it. You Must purge the system.
 
how does one purge the system on the v8? I've read it's not a normal procedure because of the potential air pockets that create when flushing? and by using bleeder valves? any write ups and or pics?

F8L SNK, did u do the flushing yourself? where r u in houston?
 
I live in Spring and yes I purged it myself. It is very easy. I found the procedure on this forum, but I don't remember under what post.

It is really easy to do though. If you can't find the post, I will do my best to find the instructions, as I had printed them.
 
Found the directions,

1. Remove enigne fill cap http://home.fuse.net/fishbone1/p2t.jpg
2. On all engines open the heater airbleed. http://home.fuse.net/fishbone1/p2b.jpg
3. Add coolant to the degas bottle allowing stem to equalize until no more coolant can be added.
4. On all engines replace the degas bottle cap
5. Add as much coolant as possible to the engine fill. The heater air bleed will remain open. http://home.fuse.net/fishbone1/p3b.jpg
6. Close the heater air bleed when a steady stream of coolant comes from it during engine ide.
7. Idle for 5 minutes, add coolant as needed to maintain cold fill max mark.
8. Re open the heater air bleed to release any trapped air and close again.
9. Maintain an engine speed of 2000 rpm for 3-5 minutes or until hot air comes from the heater.
10. Return to idle and verify hot air is still coming from the heater.
11. Set the heater temp to 75 F and allow the vehicle to idle for 2 minutes.
12. Shut eninge down and allow to cool
13. After the engine has cooled, add coolant to the degas bottle to bring level back to cold fill Max mark.

I followed these instructions almost a month ago, I was having the issue every day multiple times a day, and ever since I did this procedure along with replacing the radiator cap, I have not had the overheat issue since.
 
DLS8K said:
#1 cause of LS V8 overheating
but not the only problem and a tech like you should know by his description that it is an airflow issue. I told a tech the same thing....overheating in the city and he replaced the tstat (didnt fix the prob). I ended up replacing the pump (fixed the problem).


Dont go replacing things until you investigate the previous threads on this issue............you will be better off than fixing a "problem" and then having to fix it right the second time.
Click to expand...

I think LincolnTech is right on target and I have to disagree with you. Listen carefully to what the complaint is. First, one of the sure signs of a sticking thermostat is that is will not open until after the engine overheats...then it will finally pop. After that initial pop, it seems to work fine. Once the car cools completely down (overnight) and the thermostat closes, the cycle starts all over again. This is a classic case of a sticking thermostat. Listen to what he said...after the initial overheating, he lets it cool a bit and everything is fine.

Second, unless he was in some extremely slow and go traffic, there is no way you could overheat that car to the point of boiling and having the ECM shut it down in just 2 miles of driving a cold engine if it were an airflow issue. No way in the world. There is enough cooling capacity to handle that kind of demand without a fan even being on the car. If it took him 15 minutes of stop and go traffic in that 2 miles, that's different. But hell, I used to pull into the water box in my race car at 160 degrees. After my burnout, I was usually around 170. At that point, I shut the fan off! I staged, ran the 1/4 mile, and turned the fan back on after the race. The temp was never to 190. That's after all the staging gimmicks, idling on the line, and a WOT run. This was on a car where airflow was intentionally directed AWAY from the radiator. My point is that airflow in that short a period won't cause a boil over.

Change the thermostat and properly burp the system.
 
2001LS8Sport said:
I think LincolnTech is right on target and I have to disagree with you. Listen carefully to what the complaint is. First, one of the sure signs of a sticking thermostat is that is will not open until after the engine overheats...then it will finally pop. After that initial pop, it seems to work fine. Once the car cools completely down (overnight) and the thermostat closes, the cycle starts all over again. This is a classic case of a sticking thermostat. Listen to what he said...after the initial overheating, he lets it cool a bit and everything is fine.

Second, unless he was in some extremely slow and go traffic, there is no way you could overheat that car to the point of boiling and having the ECM shut it down in just 2 miles of driving a cold engine if it were an airflow issue. No way in the world. There is enough cooling capacity to handle that kind of demand without a fan even being on the car. If it took him 15 minutes of stop and go traffic in that 2 miles, that's different. But hell, I used to pull into the water box in my race car at 160 degrees. After my burnout, I was usually around 170. At that point, I shut the fan off! I staged, ran the 1/4 mile, and turned the fan back on after the race. The temp was never to 190. That's after all the staging gimmicks, idling on the line, and a WOT run. This was on a car where airflow was intentionally directed AWAY from the radiator. My point is that airflow in that short a period won't cause a boil over.

Change the thermostat and properly burp the system.
Click to expand...
After reading his posts after I posted, it would sound like his fan is working properly......therefore, rendering an airflow issue improbable. However, given his first post it was indicative of an airflow issue. It doesn't take very long to overheat a car.........mine would do it in about 1.5 miles of 5-6 stoplights. I respect your post, however, I had my car taken to the dealership under warranty and they replaced the tstat and my car still overheated until I diagnosed the problem myself and fixed it out of warranty with the cooling fan pump.

I did listen to his complaint and it wasn't that specific. However, with the little information he did give, I assumed it was an airflow issue given his short distance. Also, I never stated what his problem was; I simply advised him to do his homework on the issue which he did as he stated in his later posts. The main point of my post was to not limit exactly what the problem was and instead take a broad approach when performing a diagnosis.....which again he did after my post. Without knowing anymore information from what he gave, it sounded like an airflow issue.
 
I would still recommend changing the cap, $8 and burping the system. You do not have to get messy with coolant, if it does not work then change the thermostat. It is not likely a thermostat in his situation, as when they stick they normally do not unstick so quickly if at all. He has never had a long term overheat situation. This is of course my opinion, but I do know this problem typically happens at 40,000 mi plus. The cap is just as suspect as the thermostat, but the cap will cause air to enter the system. The overheat occurs when the head temp sensor has no water from the cooling system flowing by it due to the bubble. That is why it typically goes away very rapidly or when you stop and restart the car a few times. The cheapest and easiest trial is by far the cap and burp.
 
F8L SNK said:
It is not likely a thermostat in his situation, as when they stick they normally do not unstick so quickly if at all.
Click to expand...

Absolutely not true. He is describing EXACTLY what a sticking thermostat will do. Seen it dozens of times in all brands.
 
Overheating Fixed

I have a 2001 LS V6. On hot days it would overheat randomly. I checked the fan while the airconditioning was on and could feel the air circulating past the radiator so i knew the fan worked. Fluids were good, no loss. When i parked the car and let it cool down it would start working properly again until some other random time when it would overheat again. So i would park it and let it cool down. Finally i got tired of it and bought a $6.83 thermostat and replaced the old one. No more overheating problems. I must caution about the ring clips that hold the radiator hoses to the thermostat housing. What a pain in the ass. They need a special tool to get them back on. If you have the tool its no problem. I did it with vice grips and alot of patience. Otherwise just replace them with two and three inch hose bands with the nut tighteners (much easier!).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 414 (members: 0, guests: 414)
Back
Top