2003 2.3L getting too hot??

[Soledad]

Knock another test off the list.

Just did a cooling system pressure test. Pumped it up to 15psi. Found that it only dropped 2.5 psi over 10 minutes and I don't think that's bad at all. I couldn't hear, see or smell any leaking at all.

Edit: I'm going to rerun the test with another testing cap and tighten it up even further to see how it does.

Edit-2: Reran the pressure test with another testing cap and really tightened it up this time. System held 15psi for over 5 hours without dropping any pressure. I'll call that good. Now on to draining the system and looking for blockages.

 

[Soledad]

Success!! Just got back from a 5 mile test drive and the truck is running 204*-208* ECT and 210*-214* CHT. I'll take it on a 30 mile test drive tomorrow when I make a dump run. I really hope this is the end of the engine running too hot issue so I can move on to fixing other things.

Here's what I did:

A few days ago I replaced the CHT sensor and connector. I noticed in FORScan that before the replacement my cold soak temps were IAT @ 64*, ECT @ 68* and CHT @ 68*. After the CHT replacement the cold soak temps were IAT @ 68*, ECT @ 64* and CHT @ 64*.

Today I drained the cooling system and tested flow through the radiator and block (with thermostat removed). Both had absolutely no blockages. Water was coming out at full volume.

I also replaced the steel tube that connects to the top radiator hose, heater core and degas bottle. Mine was coated inside with rust and looked horrible. I then replaced the electronic thermostat with a 190* non-electric Motorcraft thermostat. But, I left the old one connected to the wiring just so I wouldn't get a CEL. I'll install a resistor soon. Not sure if I should go with a 15 ohm 1 watt resistor or 1500 ohm 1/2 watt resistor. The thermostat heater measures 15.4 ohms.

Any way, and the pièce de résistance, the original owner must have had someone install a Dorman brand "Tee" when the original "Tee" above the starter cracked. Well, that Dorman Tee was soft due to the heat and cheap plastic used during manufacturing and the hose clamp was crushing it reducing the size. I replaced it with a Sharkbite UC417LF brass tee. It was a smidgen smaller than the hose size but the hoses clamped down just fine........so far. Hopefully this Sharkbite tee will work until I can get enough motivation to replace the whole hose assembly. Yuck.

NOTE - just for future searches, pulling out that steel coolant tube was a real pain. But, I finally got smart. I used a ratchet strap hooked on to the heater core connection tube and the radiator support area and just ratcheted it off. It was easy peasy doing it that way.


EDIT: Did a dump run today (about 25'ish miles round trip) and ECT stayed around 208*-212* and CHT fluctuated between 238*-245* when using Torque Pro to monitor temps. I'd call that a success.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Older thread but wanted to ask some questions.

I keep getting a mist action of coolant coming out of my degas bottle from the rad cap....

I have replaced the cap many times via an OEM motorcraft one but eventually they all slightly mist out. I replaced the thermostat with an OEM motorcraft years ago which is rated at 190'F. According to me ultragauge the engine temp is around 200-220'F. When I drive to and from work abut 30 miles at 65mph the temp goes to about 220'F.
Is this normal? When I check the rad hose up top, it's hot, the lower rad hose is cooler.... much cooler. I can see coolant going back into the degas bottle via the top return line... is this normal?

I have no issues with heat in the cabin. In fact most of the time I have to keep the heater right in the middle... any more past it gets way too hot in the cabin.

I have yet to find a proper procedure on how to bleed this system with the degas bottle... seems like it's not a normal thing like one would do if you had a rad cap on the radiator to bleed the system that way. The degas bottle AWAYS has air so does that mean you can't bleed the system or is it even needed?

I'm tempted to pull the radiator off and see how flow is on it. I rented a pressure tester and will do that today just to see what pressure is reading at.

Note that my engine doesn't seem to be overheating and the gauge reads slightly below middle. Never creeps up or spikes. I'm just really annoyed why I keep getting coolant from coming out under the cap in a mist after long trips. Oil isn't milky either.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[Soledad]

That temp is pretty good and so I wouldn't be worried about it.

It is normal for these Duratec 2.3L engines to have a hot top radiator hose and a cool bottom radiator hose.

I'll add the Ford cooling system burping procedure below.

Definitely good to pressure test the system. Doing this helped me find a bad hose "Tee" down by the starter that the previous owner had installed. It was just a tiny dot or two
of coolant but was enough to drop the pressure over a 2 hour period.

The cooling system on these engines is prone to lots of thermal fluid expansion. Therefore I do not run my fluid level at max. Doing so can cause it to puke a little. I run mine half way between max and min or just above min. If you adjust the fluid level to MIN or just above MIN and still get a little puking then perhaps the Degas bottle opening isn't making a good seal with the cap?


Ford burping procedure:

1. Fill the system through the degas bottle cap to the max fill level.
2. Start the engine and run for approximately ten seconds at 2,500 rpm to prime the heater circuit then turn the engine off.
3. Top off the coolant level to 0.6 inch above the max fill level.
4. Install the degas bottle cap.
5. Start the engine and hold at 2,500 rpm engine speed for approximately eight minutes until the thermostat opens.
6. Maintain 2,500 rpm engine speed for an additional three minutes.
7. Increase engine speed to 4,000 rpm and hold for five seconds.
8. Return engine speed to 2,500 rpm and hold for an additional three minutes.
9. Repeat the previous two steps.
10. Stop the engine and check for leaks.
11. Verify correct fluid level after engine cools for 20 minutes. *Top off the degas bottle to "max" line.
*NOTE-1: I don't like filling it to the max line at this point just because there's so much fluid thermal expansion in this system. I like to run the level halfway between Max and Min or just above Min.
NOTE-2: When I did this I actually put the front up on ramps just to give it that little bit of extra help with getting rid of any bubbles.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Awesome! Thank you for the burping process.. I know 100% I never did that.
Simply filled the system up an drove. Came back after it was cool and checked the topped off again.

I did a pressure test today from the advance auto kit to rent and it lasted long eough before popping off that I and found that my heater control valve was leaking so I think that is where my main leak was coming from over a week ago when I shut the engine off yet saw steam/smoke coming from the right side under the hood.

Hate to ask a stupid question but is it worth it to replace the radiator? I am almost 100% sure it's original since 01'... so we are talking almost 17 years old... I checked rock auto and it's only $110. I don't want to replace things just to replace them but at the same time makes me wonder what an average life of a radiator is and I'd hate for it to give out in a very inopportune time type of deal.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[Soledad]

I guess that would kind of depend on how many miles are on the truck and how well kept up and serviced the cooling system has been.

For example, I bought my truck from a friend. The truck had 130,000 miles and the cooling system wasn't serviced at all. On my first long drive to the dump the degas bottle sprung a leak because it had actually become degraded/brittle. And the end cap on the radiator started to leak. So.....I replaced approximately 90% of my cooling system components.

Me personally, I would probably replace it due to age. But that's just me.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Truck has about 182k miles on it. I picked it up back in 2011 at 109k. Did the heater control valve when I first got the truck because that was leaking. I did the degaus bottle last year because the original had hair line fractures on the top. Both oem motorcraft.

I did the water pump, thermostat, and both upper/lower rad hoses back in 2013/14 I believe. All OEM motorcraft. Surprisingly the pump looked 100% fine/new on the inside. Zero wear on the impellers. And have changed the coolant about every two years, only using Ford concentrated green.

Yea I think just from what you said based on age it's best to replace it.

Appreciate the help!

-Nigel