running hot please help !!!! - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

09-13-2003, 03:11

ok here goes..

the other night driving home my fan belt snapped without noticing. i made it about 5km before i relized when the temp gauge went past hot and smoke was coming from the engine.. i pulled over relized the problem and got the car towed home.. the next morning i replaced the fan belt and took it for a drive... the temp gauge now shows above O in NORMAL for a short drive where is usually sits below the L on really long drives... so i took out the radiator gave it a good flush out.. flushed out the water pump on the engine put very good coolant in and totally replaced the oil, after putting it back together it still has the same problem.. i take it for a 10 minute drive and the temp moves between N and M on the word NORMAL.. it never ran this hot. I have not driven it more than 15mins at a time and not sure if i should.

Any Ideas ??????

thanks

EA FALCON 88 3.9L

ebxr8240 · 09-13-2003, 03:25

Thermostat or head gasget..Re-torque head bolts!!!Undo one at a time and retorque with anti cease on thread and under head of bolt...

Aussiblue · 09-13-2003, 04:06

Replace the thermostat 1st as it is almost certainly cooked and not working. But yes head gasket and/or a warped head are next two possibilities.

09-13-2003, 06:48

Time for the DIY headgasket guide again, I tinks...

arg, Head Gasket. Help.

Rollin · 09-13-2003, 07:58

running at that temp will not harm it, thats why it says "NORMAL" anywhere in that range is OK.

but as others have said above, replace the thermostat and see how you go.

09-13-2003, 18:28

wow thanks for the help guys... ill try a new thermy first then if that doesnt work ill go for a new head gasket on the weekend :-) i was told that if you put the thermy in a bowl of boiling water and the thermy doesnt move it is rooted.. is this correct ???

thanks again

ONE39L · 09-14-2003, 00:34

hi all im back after extended vacation but yeah if you take the thermostat out and put it in boiling water you should also have a thermometer the thermostat is designed to open at a specific temp youll need to find what temp its meant to open around and if it doesnt then yes its stuffed but what also could be your problem if all else fails your water pump is cactus i woulndt say it is but hey if you checked the head gasget id say the pump is the next best place to look

9psi EB · 09-15-2003, 01:05

for the $18 odd, replace the thermostat and o-ring and see how it goes.

Depending on how hot it actually got (in degrees) you may also have cooked the temp gauge sender.

But, do the thermostat first, and if it still does it, when its iding at whatever temp its running at (after 10- 15 mins) touch the top radiator hose and see how hot it is.

driftagent · 09-16-2003, 06:47

whats a SAFE temp range in farenheit(cant spell) for a 250 xflow? 4.1l efi? any ideas wood b great, is around 200 or 220 ok?