Coolant/Radiator Problem?

[dpcoz]

I believe I am posting in the right forum, but if I'm in the wrong one, please forgive me.


I have a 1999 Ranger - 3.0 V6 - lately, I've been having issues with the temperature gage and coolant system that I can't fully understand. I'm hoping someone will recognize the cause of the following symptons:

1. Start Driving the truck (Doesn't matter if its been warming up or not) - the first few miles, the temperature gage spikes to a high level, the 'check gage' light comes on, and any heat in the truck from the blower goes cold. Then, almost like a fever, the gage arrow races towards "low", the heat returns almost as if the truck is hiding something.
2. Throughout the balance of the ride, the temperature gage will waver between 2/3 and 1/3. When it rises, the air in the truck goes cold. When it drops, the air in the truck goes hot. By the way, it's also winter (Duh) and I have the heater on inside
3. Last night afte getting home, I opened up the hood, the reservoir tank for the coolant has essentially 'exploded'. What I mean is that the top popped open (Assuming pressure) and coolant has spilled out.
4. Thinking that the coolant needed to be replaced - I flushed the system a few weeks ago during a rare warm day in my area. These problems started prior to flushing the system. I am convinced now that replacing the coolant didn't solve the issue.

I hope these symptons are detailed enough for everyone to gather a fair assessment - what do you think the problem is?

Dan

 

[dorman68]

Sounds like a head gasket issue. The 3.0l seems to be prone to head gasket
failure as they age. I would have the coolant tested for exhaust gases.

 

[shadetree]

A sticking thermostat will exhibit that symptom.shady

 

[MikeInIdaho]

x2 on the sticky 'stat.

 

[TomB1269]

3rd on sticky T-stat, also sounds as if you have an air bubble as well. The Rangers return to radiator hose is higher that cap on radiator. You have to let it run an bleed out the air...............

 

[fordboi415]

Yup sticky thermostat

 

[dangeranger88]

This seems to be quite common with 3.0's indeed. Mine had the exact same symptoms and turned out the heads were cracked and gasket blown. Previous owner took out the thermostat to hide the problem

 

[dpcoz]

Thank you all for your responses. Let me give an update:

Took the truck to the shop, they're finding no leaks. They flushed the system, reinstalled antifreeze, replaced the thermostat, and the radiator cap.

Temperature gage still spikes to high before settling down to a normal level, however, this morning, it reached a high setting about 4 miles into my trip and wouldn't settle down. This morning's trip, the gage seemed to waiver between 7/10 and 9/10, although it never officially hit the level where "check gage" illuminates. Drove with my eye on the temperature gage, nervous the entire trip. Reached my destination, turned the truck off to hear fluid moving (Assuming the radiator and reservoir tank settling down). Listed the hood quickly to see if there was anything unique, noticed a little antifreeze surrounding the radiator cap.

Someone mentioned air bubbles being a possibility - That may be a solution. How do you bleed out the air in the system, run the truck with the cap off for a few?


Also, I don't know if this is related or not - but I do have my "Check Engine" light on - active code causing it is P0402 "EXCESSIVE FLOW" in the EGR system. I replaced the DPFE this weekend and disconnected the battery for an hour to reset the codes, but the light returned. Didn't know if the two had any relation.

Thanks Again,
Dan

 

[betomonroy]

Sounds like a blown head / head gasket.
Sorry to tell you but since your radiator seats at a higer level than the engine there is no need to bleed your cooling system. Only the cars wich engine seats higer than the radiator have bleeding valves.
If Your having excesive flow in your EGR system it is a great posibility your head is blown.
And the coolant arround your radiator cap is a signal that you most likely are blowing hot air into the cooling system from a blown head / head gasket.
Sorry.

 

[TomB1269]

Betomonroy, Please check your truck before making an absolute statement. The 3.0l in the Edge does sit lower than the radiator. However the top radiator hose (return hose) sits on top-rear of the alternator. And with quick inspection you will notice that the hose sits slightly higher than the top of the radiator. When coolant is drained and filled this are will remain dry and can cause air pockets with in the system. Which can be and has been found to cause temp gauges to respond high when heater is turned on, as the reserve can not supply enough coolant quick enough to stop temp and pressure increase due to the loss of fluid. Remember, coolant does not flow through our heater cores unless the heat is on, due to the vacuum shut off on the heater house just prior to fire wall. I will agree that a properly filled system, ie heater on and full warmed engine with coolant filled radiator will minimize this issue. But it also due to the attention to detail and time taken properly refill coolant system that provides the results.

DPCOZ, Fill the radiator with coolant and run with heater on and cap off until fluid is flowing through the return hose, EI T-stat has opened (not where you think on the gauge but can feel on the hose, warm both top and bottom and firm with fuild.

 

[Toms01PSD]

DPCOZ, Fill the radiator with coolant and run with heater on and cap off until fluid is flowing through the return hose, EI T-stat has opened (not where you think on the gauge but can feel on the hose, warm both top and bottom and firm with fuild.

I had to do that on my ranger. I ended up having a blown head gasket, but like Tom said, you have to run it with the heat on and the cap off.

 

[kawasakiman27]

Its erie how similar of a situation I have recently ran into! Is the cooling system getting overpressurized? (is the cap venting into the overflow via bubbles?) Drop the oil and look for frothy/creamy oil or look at the stick. I had this same problem you describe on my 99 ranger 3.0 it had slowly lost coolant via the radiator (small leak) thus creating air pockets in the system causing your symptoms. I changed the whole cooling system, pump, rad, t-stat all was fine for a little bit then all of a sudden I got your symptoms (change blend door acuator aswell to no avail) than a rumble in the overflow led me to assume the head gasket went. It sure did. Dont let a somewhat older 3.0 overheat even for a little bit, it will blow a gasket. Those air pockets get extremely hot in the engine. lucky for me it was only exhaust in the cooling system. You deffinitely have a pocket of air or low coolant in you engine for the gauge to fluctuate and at the same time not get heat in the truck. if the t-stat is stuck closed you wouldn't be able to bleed the system off, it would just back out of the radiator all over the left side of the engine. Id suggest you pressure test the coolant system and compression test the cylinders to get the most accurate and timely assumption of a cylinder head/gasket failure. The sooner you catch this the better off youll be. Hope that helps. Oh, if it is a head gasket, install the newer style cylinder heads, you can get them cheap and I think they perform a little better. Thats probably also, one of the easiest v6 head gasket jobs ive seen.

 

[dpcoz]

OK, last night, I bought a gallon of antifreeze, popped off the cap, filled the radiator again (Yes, it was flushed and filled as of four days ago) – turned on the truck, let any air bubbles settle, then placed the cap. Let it run for a little while, didn’t notice anything unique in the temperature, but then again, it doesn’t spike while idle. I began my trip home last night, when the spiking commenced – this time, the needle actually went past the “H” – first time ever! It did settle down, but moved between 7/10 and 9/10 throughout the 15 mile trip. I finally got home and simply let the truck run for a while. It ran for about 30 minutes in the idle position – never got about 5/10 on the thermostat gage. I noticed when I first popped the hood that the return hose from the engine was VERY hot, barely touchable (Don’t know if this is excessive, but it has to verify what the thermostat’s been showing). I also noticed that the reservoir tank is not only full but now starting to overflow with fresh antifreeze – it was previously filled to about the seam prior to my ride home. There is leaking at the bottom of the radiator at the supply house to the engine, but it looks to be pressure related. After a while of sitting idle, I also noticed that the return hose ”Compressed” – almost like a straw blocked at one end. I decided to run the truck for a few more minutes on the road – got the temperatures high again but not enough to get “Check Gage” to show up.

For those of you who suggested a head gasket/head issue – I checked the oil last night – levels have not changed, no mixing, nothing out of the ordinary to notice. I don’t see any smoking at the engine, I don’t observe any leaks form the engine area.

One last observation - while driving home, I do hear a “whistling” sound that clearly sounds like something with the fan belt – although it goes away with a little bit of gas applied – never happens when idle – has only been happening since this issue with the temperature has come about – is this related to the water pump?

This problem occurs only when driving – the temperature spikes, then continues to waiver while in motion. The reservoir tank continues to fill and overflow in the process, yet there is no mixing with the oil and the return hose is unbearably hot. The radiator fan seems to work fine, I can’t see any blatant issue with the belts. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[rurouni20xx]

if its the water pump the front bearing will sound like you threw a few rods, mine froze up and seized the engine and when i recranked i thought i threw a few rods, it was the waterpump. if your hearing a whistling at the belt pop the hood while its running and see if you see any water on it. if your hoses have collapsed you need to change them as they are ruined, change the thermostat to verify that this isnt a crap thermostat issue. b4 doing this to help rule out head gasket failure, go to autozoo and borrow a cooling system pressure tester, pump it up to 15psi w/ your plugs out and see if you hear a hissing in the cylinders. if there is a hissing in a cylinder put the plugs back in and see if you hear it, if not pull the plugs one by one and isolate the cylinder, then teardown and verify. if you hear the hissing w/ the plugs in its an external leak (youll prob be able to see it). hope this helps, as this is what i would have done first.

 

[kawasakiman27]

I had no coolant in my oil either. This is a great thing for you. I also never overheated (still blew the head gasket though, wierd huh!). If your stat is stuck closed your temp gauge is gonna spike and stay spiked. a collapsed lower hose would be a suspect to a stat failure (closed). If your stat is stuck open your not gonna over heat after a 15 minute drive home, unless your stuck in traffic in IRAQ somewhere. Quick question, When you bled the system did you let it run for a few to give the thermostat time to open??? If not, your system is gonna deffinitely be low on coolant and that equals open pockets in the engine which are a bad thing! As for the whistle, it could be multiple things. This is what I would do if the gasket is diagnosed, but you may not be able to. i would change the cylinder heads, rad, pump, thermostat, hoses do a tune-up and the damn syncro while your at it (that could possibly be your whistle from what I hear around here). It sound like alot but is quite easy. overheating is never good, so I would fix it asap! Oh, is it a constant whislte?? Might be steam escaping. Is the upper hose rock solid? Oh and Rurouni's cylinder check does work, thanks rurouni!