Overheating… again

[tdstuart]

Coolant problems have not been nice to me this past year. First a cracked expansion tank leading to no coolant pressure and now this after my fresh engine rebuild

My cylinder head temps will just never settle and keep rising. They will get to 230+ if I don’t turn on the heat full blast.

Pressure tested the system replaced a few leaks. Pressure tested again and it only lost 0.5psi (21 to 20.5) after an hour.

With my last issues I replaced the water pump, thermostat, radiator, and expansion tank.

I got a new expansion tank cap, checked the thermostat, and replaced the leaks I could find.

Car gets hotter when you accelerate and will cool when slowing down. Doing hard accelerations doesn’t increase the temps more than I’m use to. Car will get to 230 cylinder head temps doing 160 but will also get there going 80 on the freeway after 10 min.

Radiator fans seem to be on.

Any advice on next diagnostic steps would be appreciated. I let the car warm up with the pressure tester and it got to about 200 cylinder head temps with about 9 psi of pressure, don’t know if that’s a concern.

Edit: Eventually replaced the radiator and that fixed the issue. My theory is that the radiator was clogged from particles floating around the cooling system.

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[HAVOC_5.0]

Out of curiosity, are there any pending codes in the PGM-FI (PCM/ECM) after this happens?

Specifically Ford has codes built in for Cylinder Head Temp. If you get these codes, try doing a Block Test (would do it anyways) to see if your getting Combustion in the cooling system. If you are, you have a crack, bad gasket, or possibly a warped head.

Napa has the Block Test Fluid and most Parts Stores will sell the tester.

You'll have to have the cap off the expansion tank, KOER, and thermostat opened to properly perform the test.

 

[Angrey]

Probably losing coolant somewhere in the block or heads.

 

[tdstuart]

Probably losing coolant somewhere in the block or heads.

New engine rebuild, new head gaskets, I would hope not.

No noticeable coolant decrease, just changed break in oil after 400 miles and didn’t see any coolant in it.

Will probably end up testing though.

 

[Angrey]

New engine rebuild, new head gaskets, I would hope not.

No noticeable coolant decrease, just changed break in oil after 400 miles and didn’t see any coolant in it.

Will probably end up testing though.

Which gaskets did you use? If you used the wrong ones, they'll plug/restrict some coolant flow

 

[tdstuart]

Which gaskets did you use? If you used the wrong ones, they'll plug/restrict some coolant flow

Gen 2 head gaskets, what I used last time

 

[K4fxd]

At this point you would be money ahead if you had just bought an aluminator long block to begin with.

Sorry for your luck

Gen 2 head gaskets, what I used last time

Gen 3 block and gen2 heads? right

 

[tdstuart]

At this point you would be money ahead if you had just bought an aluminator long block to begin with.

Sorry for your luck


Gen 3 block and gen2 heads? right

I really doubt it’s the engine.

And yes gen 3 block gen 2 heads.

 

[tdstuart]

The same combo ran great when I fixed the coolant reservoir. Was sitting at like 190 cylinder head temps in 50-70 deg weather.

 

[K4fxd]

And yes gen 3 block gen 2 heads.

I'm not sure what gasket needs to be used with this combo. Hope you have the correct one.

The same combo ran great when I fixed the coolant reservoir. Was sitting at like 190 cylinder head temps in 50-70 deg weather.

What radiator do you have? What are current ambient temps.

 

[tdstuart]

I'm not sure what gasket needs to be used with this combo. Hope you have the correct one.

What radiator do you have? What are current ambient temps.

Unless the parts department gave me the wrong one or I installed it wrong, but they should only line up one way and they are labeled and they looked like my gen 2 ones.

But you run the gasket for the head you have.

And stock radiator. Ambient air temps have been high 80s at night up to 116+. My friend with the same model year and thermostat (I have an aftermarket 170) is sitting at 199 cylinder head temps during the day even when it was 110+.

 

[slime_bullet]

I had a similar problem after installing opgs and whipple. Had to use a vacuum refilled to properly get rid of all the air and fill the system. Since the I haven't had a problem. Just filling through the degas bottle wasn't cutting it

 

[tdstuart]

I had a similar problem after installing opgs and whipple. Had to use a vacuum refilled to properly get rid of all the air and fill the system. Since the I haven't had a problem. Just filling through the degas bottle wasn't cutting it

Did you do it at home or have the dealership do it? I asked my master tech at my dealership and he said the system should self bleed but they could vacuum the coolant out then vacuum fill it.

 

[slime_bullet]

Did you do it at home or have the dealership do it? I asked my master tech at my dealership and he said the system should self bleed but they could vacuum the coolant out then vacuum fill it.

I did it at home with the kit from harbor freight. Easy easy. Have to drain the coolant first though.

 

[ice445]

I think it's just air pockets in the system. This is from the service manual, try it and see if it gets you squared up.

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