• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

4.0 getting hot


equalXlength

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Whittier, ca
Vehicle Year
1988,
1993,
2
Make / Model
ford,
ford,
t
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
Hello everyone its been a while since i have posted. I recently purchased a 1993 explorer. It will get hot on me while driving around town, i have replaced the radiator and the thermostat and it made no difference. The clutch fan seems like its working to me also. Theres no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant but im leaning towards maybe being a head gasket leak. Whats my next step? I have also pressurized the cooling system and i can watch the gauge go down but have no sign of an external leak. Any suggestions would be helpful, thanks.
 


skyy_4life

New Member
RBV's on Boost
Joined
Oct 1, 2008
Messages
511
Reaction score
2
Points
0
Location
Brooklyn Ohio
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
ford
Engine Size
2.3 turbo
Transmission
Manual
if you pressurized it with no external leak, then it could very well be the head gasket, you may wanna look under ur dash at the heater core, but with coolant in the truck, it shouldnt over heat with that.
so yea id prolly lean toward a head gasket.

is it smoking at all?
 

equalXlength

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Whittier, ca
Vehicle Year
1988,
1993,
2
Make / Model
ford,
ford,
t
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
it doesn't smoke at all, no loss of power, but when the temp starts climbing it will ping under a load. I also havent driven the car enough to notice any loss of coolant.
 

Big Jim M

New Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
2,728
Reaction score
30
Points
0
Age
86
Location
Austin
Vehicle Year
2002
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
Sounds like not enough coolant in the system.. Did you fill it with the heater turned on? If not then turn the heater on and start it and then slowly fill it while it is running.. It's always good to park while doing this with the radiator cap the highest part of the cooling system.
If you have a head gasket leak there will be combustion pressure in the radiator. With the system full and the cap on the radiator there will be bubbles in the coolant tank while the engine is running..
Big JIm
 

equalXlength

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Whittier, ca
Vehicle Year
1988,
1993,
2
Make / Model
ford,
ford,
t
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
Thanks big jim, good to hear from you again. Just an update. I took the X for a drive. With the ac on i started driving to the freeway, once i got to the freeway the temp gauge was a little past the L on normal. Once i got up to freeway speeds it dropped down to the R in normal and stayed there until i stopped where it started climbing back up to the L. I got back on the freeway and this time turned the heater on, the gauge went down past the N in normal this time and stayed there the whole way home even in stop and go traffic and it seemed to have more power. Damn its hot driving with the heater on. haha. Ill check on bubbles like you said big jim in the overflow tank. Anything else to check on?
 

Big Jim M

New Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
2,728
Reaction score
30
Points
0
Age
86
Location
Austin
Vehicle Year
2002
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
This evening

Thanks big jim, good to hear from you again. Just an update. I took the X for a drive. With the ac on i started driving to the freeway, once i got to the freeway the temp gauge was a little past the L on normal. Once i got up to freeway speeds it dropped down to the R in normal and stayed there until i stopped where it started climbing back up to the L. I got back on the freeway and this time turned the heater on, the gauge went down past the N in normal this time and stayed there the whole way home even in stop and go traffic and it seemed to have more power. Damn its hot driving with the heater on. haha. Ill check on bubbles like you said big jim in the overflow tank. Anything else to check on?
When the engine cools down, take the radiator cap off and get a looksee as to wheather or not the coolant is cap-full! If not then do as above.. If the answer is YES then ther could possibly be one of several problems..
1. Fan not operating as designed.
2. Bugs, debri from hiway in radiator slowing air movement.
3. (and most likely) temp sender loseing it's mind...replace as needed.
Big JIm:hottubfun::wub:
 

equalXlength

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Whittier, ca
Vehicle Year
1988,
1993,
2
Make / Model
ford,
ford,
t
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
so the system not holding pressure isnt something to worry about? Thanks
 

sholzy

New Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
169
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
so the system not holding pressure isnt something to worry about? Thanks
If it's not holding pressure, the boiling point will be lower. Pressure test the cap or just replace it since you don't know the history of it. If your cap is good and your radiator is new, then your weak links are the head gasket, hoses, heater core. Since you pressure tested the system and didn't find drips along the hoses then that leaves head gasket and heater core.

But, if your system wasn't full when you pressure tested, then you may have a heater hose leaking and you may not notice it because of air in the hose. Did you pressure test with the heat selector set to "hot"?

Just some more to think about...
 

equalXlength

New Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Whittier, ca
Vehicle Year
1988,
1993,
2
Make / Model
ford,
ford,
t
Engine Size
2.9, 4.0, 4.0
Transmission
Manual
i will check the pressure test again with the heater on this time to see if that makes a difference. Something very weird just happend while i was out looking to see if there was bubbles in the reservoir. i let the truck heat up and i felt the upper hose and it was expanded and hard as a rock. i snapped the throttle from the throttle body spacer and something screamed and shot out oil and made a huge smoke bomb. What the hell would cause that and shouldnt i be able to squeeze the upper radiator hose? thanks
 

sholzy

New Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
169
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Automatic
i will check the pressure test again with the heater on this time to see if that makes a difference. Something very weird just happend while i was out looking to see if there was bubbles in the reservoir. i let the truck heat up and i felt the upper hose and it was expanded and hard as a rock. i snapped the throttle from the throttle body spacer and something screamed and shot out oil and made a huge smoke bomb. What the hell would cause that and shouldnt i be able to squeeze the upper radiator hose? thanks
If the engine was running it should be firm because of pressure. Expanded is not good. You either have a weak hose or excessive pressure buildup from a cylinder.. With the engine off and cap off (so no pressure in the system), does that hose feel mushy soft?

From where did the oil come from?
 

Big Jim M

New Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
2,728
Reaction score
30
Points
0
Age
86
Location
Austin
Vehicle Year
2002
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
Sixteen pounds of pressure will make the hoses good and firm from the pressurized coolant in them!
Big JIm
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top