Need advice on immediate overheating+codes 117 and 219

[Jr's Sho]

First of all, I have a cookout to go to in a couple of minutes so I haven't had time to try and diagnose my Sho. Here's the story, I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I was driving and noticed my temp. gauge at the top of "O", where it has never been. This is on my White 1993, which has always been in the "A" to "L" area and never goes any higher. My A/C began to get a little warmer so I shut it off and pull into O'Reilly's. It was at the top of the "NORMAL" now. I checked the coolant tank and it had some in it. I loosened the cap a little and it shot out some hot coolant so I left it alone. There was no leaks at all so I don't think I'm low on coolant, this car was running perfectly fine before today. Anyhow, I ended up limping it home a couple of miles, never letting it get to the red zone, just a little short of it. My CEL came on 2 times when my gauge got to the top of the "NORMAL" and my oil light flickered at one time when my car was idleing at 800rpms in the parking lot. I then shut it off and restarted it but the oil light didn't come back on at all on the way home. Just thought I'd throw that in. My two codes I got are 117 and 219. One is a ECT code and the other is a timing ******** to 10 degrees or something. Any help would be appreciated, are the codes involved at all with the car overheating? I'm thinking maybe thermostat or lower radiator hose collasping. Thanks.

 

[yamahaSHO]

Does your fan come on?? Has your gas milage gone down recently?? A bad ECT will cause a rich mixture and, the fan will come on VERY late, and the car will heat up rather quickly.

Also, since you got a code for the ECT... You should replace it and see what happens.

I assume you have already verified the T-stat and water pump work correctly.

 

[billyshoe]

You need to find someone with a infrared temp. gun and find the actual temp. reading at the thermosat housing, engine running-before jumping to conclusions. factory temp gauges are very unreliable, Thermostats fail often on this engine, if the thermostat hangs open it will not allow the coolant to flow slowly enough through the radiator giving the coolant a chance to cool down, senders are suspect to malfunction also.

 

[yamahaSHO]

billyshoe:
if the thermostat hangs open it will not allow the coolant to flow slowly enough through the radiator giving the coolant a chance to cool down, senders are suspect to malfunction also.

Actually....

If the t-stat is stuck open, the car will not over heat. In fact, quite the opposite. It will not reach normal operating temperature. This will cause the computer to throw more fuel in to try and warm up the car, thus killing your cats.

<small>[ July 04, 2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: yamahaSHO ]</small>

 

[billyshoe]

....

If the t-stat is stuck open, the car will not over heat. In fact, quite the opposite. It will not reach normal operating temperature. This will cause the computer to throw more fuel in to try and warm up the car, thus killing your cats. [/QB][/QUOTE]......that depends if your running 2000rpms or 7000rpms also, Whats the temp out?

 

[yamahaSHO]

billyshoe:
that depends if your running 2000rpms or 7000rpms also, Whats the temp out?

What do you think the T-stat is doing when you are at 7k when it is working properly?? A working T-stat would be completely open if you were at 7k due to the extra heat created by all of the internal friction. With it open you have full flow. The radiator is the only thing cooling your coolant...

I am from Phoenix, Arizona... The radiator still does a good job at what it is designed to do.

<small>[ July 04, 2003, 07:21 PM: Message edited by: yamahaSHO ]</small>

 

[Jr's Sho]

Let's not argue boys. I forgot to mention that my fan does work. It could be possible that the T-stat stuck closed but I'm not too sure that happens. Tomorrow I'll take it apart and find out. I think that the car was indeed overheating because the A/C began to get warmer as the temp. rose. I will be replacing my temp. sender anyways but does anyone know if the two codes mentioned have anything to do with a overheating condition?

 

[AutoSHO]

The thermostat in my old '93 ATX failed the same way. Just got hotter and hotter one day.

 

[Jr's Sho]

Like I said, this car was running around the "A-L" area since I bought it. And today I'm cruising on my way back to the house and I remember that I should replace my t-stat and temp. sending unit since I just did both on my 1992 and I look down at my temp. gauge for really no reason at all and see a different sight. I immediately know something is wrong and I begin to figure out where to pull into. Luckily there is somewhere to stop at, some people are on a bridge or somewhere they can't stop. Some friends from church both blew headgaskets in their vehicles(one a 1998 Blazer and the other a V6 Sebring) after overheating them so I was ready to stop it before it happened. So I wait until tomorrow...

 

[yamahaSHO]

Jr's Sho:
does anyone know if the two codes mentioned have anything to do with a overheating condition?

Well, a bad ECT will cause the car to run warmer. And if the car is running warmer, the computer may try to retard the timing to prevent pre-ignition.

<small>[ July 05, 2003, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: yamahaSHO ]</small>

 

[Jr's Sho]

Got around to diagnosing my problem and all I can say is wow! I pulled the t-stat housing off a little while ago and looked at the t-stat. Apparently the original one from Ford back in 1993 was still in there. Like I said earlier, I've been wanting to check and change it but never got around to it, until now. What I found was that on the radiator side of the t-stat(which is the shorter side), the rod that works the spring broke through the top of it and was protruding about 2 inches out. I guess since that rod was not in place, it completely closed the t-stat spring. I compared it to a new one and my old one was all the way down, way past where the spring is supposed to hold the opening of the t-stat when it's cold. I never replaced the ECT sensor, I figured it was related to the engine getting too warm. If I have the code surface again, I'll replace it. I did replace my temp. switch, only $2.99 from Autozone. Let this be a warning to anyone who is thinking about how old their t-stat is and those considering replacing your t-stat but doesn't feel like it, if I hadn't looked at my temp. gauge when I did, I may be looking for another engine now! Thanks everyone.

 

[yamahaSHO]

T-stats should be replaced during the 60k.

How many miles do you have on your car??? My ECT failed before 58k... Might as well replace. I recently replaced Rendyx's and the engine ran better. He did not even think it was running warm.

 

[Jr's Sho]

The 1993 has 102,500 as of today. I may replace the ECT soon, the temp. ran about the same today as it did before this problem, around the "M-L' area.