Car over heating only on spirited take offs

[Austin2013SHO]

So guys I’m back, hopefully someone else has a similar experience and can shed some light on how they fixed it.

Long story short after installing my GH intercooler I started experiencing over heating issues when I take off from dead stop quicker than usual. I do not mean WOT just a little more than your mom would do. It will get into 230 range. If u go to driving like an average person it will slowly cool off but only in motion if setting still temp continues to rise. I know before I assumed it was air in system but I took my car to ford and had them drain and refill coolant so very unlikely it’s still air. The only other symptom I have it when u turn car off at 215-230 temp range wait a minute or two and crank car coolant temps have sky rocketed to 250 plus. My fans cut into low speed and high speed but once car is cut off, they cut off as well. I thought I remembered them running for a while once car was turned off to help dissipation of heat.

Any ideas? I have narrowed it down to bad fans, or whatever electrical switch tells fans to stay on once a certain temp is hit is bad. Only other idea is a head gasket issue but I have not noticed any coolant missing from the system. Please help this has turned into a month of diagnostics. There are zero engine codes or lights.

Any more info needed just let me know. Thanks so much

 

[Austin2013SHO]

@SM105K any ideas?

 

[Austin2013SHO]

@kryptto any thoughts?

 

[SnuffyTheSeal]

Sounds to me like a possible air bubble in the system or like you said, fans not turning on properly. You're also running darn hot. Where are you located? In the thumb of Michigan even on an 85+ degree day I'm seeing highs of about 205 when reaming on it with a 170 degree thermostat.

 

[SM105K]

So guys I’m back, hopefully someone else has a similar experience and can shed some light on how they fixed it.

Long story short after installing my GH intercooler I started experiencing over heating issues when I take off from dead stop quicker than usual. I do not mean WOT just a little more than your mom would do. It will get into 230 range. If u go to driving like an average person it will slowly cool off but only in motion if setting still temp continues to rise. I know before I assumed it was air in system but I took my car to ford and had them drain and refill coolant so very unlikely it’s still air. The only other symptom I have it when u turn car off at 215-230 temp range wait a minute or two and crank car coolant temps have sky rocketed to 250 plus. My fans cut into low speed and high speed but once car is cut off, they cut off as well. I thought I remembered them running for a while once car was turned off to help dissipation of heat.

Any ideas? I have narrowed it down to bad fans, or whatever electrical switch tells fans to stay on once a certain temp is hit is bad. Only other idea is a head gasket issue but I have not noticed any coolant missing from the system. Please help this has turned into a month of diagnostics. There are zero engine codes or lights.

Any more info needed just let me know. Thanks so much

What thermostat are you running? How is your radiator cap?

I personally think it is an air bubble still. I would jack up the car on the passenger side so that the degas bottle cap is at the highest point, and use this kit while the car is running to see if you get any air out of it.

https://www.harborfreight.com/no-spill-radiator-funnel-kit-58423.html


If you want to push that air bubble and check your cooling system, I would buy this.

https://www.harborfreight.com/radiator-pressure-tester-kit-63862.html

If you want to check for a head gasket issue, get one of these.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/hydro-carbon-cooling-system-leak-tester-uview-560000?ads_cmpid=21626320523&ads_adid=174977201028&ads_matchtype=&ads_network=g&ads_creative=710927653121&utm_term=&ads_targetid=pla-301282657332&utm_campaign=&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&ttv=2&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21626320523&gclid=Cj0KCQjw18bEBhCBARIsAKuAFEYk8wdZuM87Z1TVKZSMDtKDEglqF5uh7oZd8JL-5Rw7_VPAhCszsfgaAjz7EALw_wcB

 

[Austin2013SHO]

Sounds to me like a possible air bubble in the system or like you said, fans not turning on properly. You're also running darn hot. Where are you located? In the thumb of Michigan even on an 85+ degree day I'm seeing highs of about 205 when reaming on it with a 170 degree thermostat.

I will be taking it back to the enemy tomorrow and letting them tell me what they find. I’m in Vegas so it’s been anywhere from 105-110 this past month. I do know at night when it’s cooler and on the high way rather than city I was rolling and never broke 190. This is what led me to think fans. My next thought is water pump. But I’m missing zero fluid. My thought is with it being timing chain driven when accelerating at higher rpm’s chain is moving faster and water pump can’t keep up. But as long as your moving the air coming in from driving is compensating for weak water pump. Getting ready to more than likely replace it all piece by piece.

 

[kryptto]

sorry was traveling for work and was in California. I agree with @SM105K and others. I would squeeze gently the upper and lower rad hoses to move air out. the water pump can fail without leaking. a good sign it could be is around a 100k+ if it wasn't changed. though you would hear it. problematic thermostat, but I believe you replaced it. good luck

 

[Austin2013SHO]

So according to the enemy “ford” they are claiming a bad water pump so I’ll let you know what happens got part ordered gonna start the fun tear down tomorrow and get back once I’m done to see if any difference is made. I’m inclined to think they may be right but we shall see.

 

[Austin2013SHO]

@kryptto i have not done water pump. It does have a newer thermostat, newer fans, newer radiator but water pump is original unless previous owner did it but I doubt it. I’m thinking this thing was neglected until all the fixes piled up and they traded it in and dipped on them. I have this inclination as it was a previous mechanics car who had it Ortiz tuned. 10k miles after purchase the PTU shit the bed. Fairly certain my car has the cam phaser issue and has since I bought it. I thought it was engine knock or pinging at first from having wrong octane in it not knowing it was tuned but after I went GH tune and all my other parts it still persist so I know that will be my next fun head ache after this water pump but while I’m in there gonna look to get valve covers painted and few other things since I’m already gonna be in there with the joyous water pump location lol

 

[Austin2013SHO]

@SM105K i tested head gasket and it’s solid no leaks, if the water pump doesn’t solve the issue I’m driving down to phoenix and bringing a bag of cash and beers to bring it to you lol

 

[Texas Marauder]

I would not suspect the water pump. Pump seals fail. Pump bearings fail. Rarely do impellers fail. If not air still trapped in the system, good fans and good thermostat, I'd suspect a restricted radiator. Either water or air.

 

[SHOCALL]

Im with marauder on this one.
While its not the worst idea to change out the water pump and put new timing gear in while you have the timing cover off. It may be unnecessary at this point.
Have you checked the weep hole for signs of coolant breaching the gasket(s)?

 

[SM105K]

I would not suspect the water pump. Pump seals fail. Pump bearings fail. Rarely do impellers fail. If not air still trapped in the system, good fans and good thermostat, I'd suspect a restricted radiator. Either water or air.

I 100% agree. I have not seen a single water pump impeller failure since I have been on the board. Bearing and seal failures, yes. I would highly recommend a radiator change, esp with the thicker GH IC in front of it.

 

[SM105K]

@SM105K i tested head gasket and it’s solid no leaks, if the water pump doesn’t solve the issue I’m driving down to phoenix and bringing a bag of cash and beers to bring it to you lol

That is fair. When you get here, you can help me change out the turbo on the 7.3 with a KC Gen 3 Stage 1. During the swap, I will convince you to trade in the SHO on a Mercedes and the fun will really begin! I will start looking for C63's and E63's. Cheers!

 

[SnuffyTheSeal]

I thought most of us bought Fords because we couldn't afford a Mercedes though! Lol! Jokes aside, I'm with the others on this one. There is probably a restriction somewhere. Double check for kinked lines and hoses as well. Just fixed an Equinox at my dealership that a bump shop put back together with Elmer's and Facebook thoughts and prayers with a similar issue.

 

[SM105K]

I thought most of us bought Fords because we couldn't afford a Mercedes though! Lol! Jokes aside, I'm with the others on this one. There is probably a restriction somewhere. Double check for kinked lines and hoses as well. Just fixed an Equinox at my dealership that a bump shop put back together with Elmer's and Facebook thoughts and prayers with a similar issue.

Come on now, it is just money.....and sanity.

 

[Austin2013SHO]

Ok guys after the exciting adventure I am deeming the problem fixed. I replaced the water pump and problem has went away. Here’s what I took away and all I did, replaced timing chain and guides, replaced phasers with new updated ones, replaced all tensioners (serpentine belt one included), added the updated mailings oil pump and new pick up tube. Replaced every gasket from timing chain cover RTV bs, all the way up.

Water pump seal had started to fail and was leaking but I park on a moving blanket in my garage or in the street if available but never noticed it with the splash shield catching most of the drip.

Also for fun I painted the valve covers. Included some photos,
Also few parts I had to replace along the way consisted of coolant reservoir hose to the engine has a double tab plastic piece on one end and as soon as I gave it a pull it snapped right off. Belt tensioner was locked up to the point I couldn’t take belt off and forget about putting it on, not common but just things to look for along the way.

Also I did all this on the ground engine in the car with a floor jack and night stand. No special tools are needed IMO. You will need a pulley puller, as for pulley installation tools most I found didn’t work for out crank pulley because it’s caved in, so once the center nut goes so deep you can’t get a wrench on it and you would need insane sized socket to reach it do to length of the bolt it threads on. Best advice use it to get it started, once u can no longer use a wrench, remove and place cut 2X4 on it and tap it down (good luck), it does work though but once close enough use original bolt and get it started as deep as u can then impact it on and it will pull the pulley on into place.

 

[SM105K]

Glad you finally put this to bed.

 

[shoblock]

I had a very similiar issue, but mine turned out to be a stuck thermostat. Installed a Reisch 170 and problem was solved. I noticed that the dash gage and scanner indicated temperature go hand in hand, up and down the scale, so I now trust my dash gage to give me the temp at all times. I think this 1 FOR 1 accuracy is done with the Gearhead tune. With the *****, the gage temperature roamed around for two or three weeks while driving after the install, and coolant blew out the overflow, but temp now reads steady at all times. The coolant tank also adjusted itself to the correct level over that same time period. Funny, I thought the water pump was bad, but we put the car up on the lift at the dealer, and they shined the light up, showing me the water pump bypass opening was dry, and the coolant was coming from the fill tank, blowing off excess fluid.
I always test new and used thermostats in hot water, slowly warming the water while monitoring the water temperature. I found at least one defective NEW thermostat doing this over 50 years, and of course, found the aforementioned stuck thermostat the same way. It's a simple process, and for me, has avoided much trouble and heartache!
My previous thermostat was a 160 from Livernois, (don't ever buy ANYTHING FROM LIVERNOIS) and it was indeed, frozen shut.
SHOBLOCK

 

[SHOdded]

on the edge/mkx platform, we have seen impeller failures on water pumps. literally gone. not a whole bunch, but it does happen. looks like melted not broken, but who knows. maybe they have seen it on the TCCA site too. SHO is too low volume in production by comparison.