Overheat, stuck at hotel. please advise?

[lincoln_zero]

So my 2005 LS V8 recently had a bad rad hose. We replaced it, and it seems fine. Tonight i notice the heat meter rising to 3/4 way when i got to the hotel. I just topped it up yesterday so i know its ok. It is running water instead of coolant because my father in law wanted to run water in case there was any leaks. We havent found any so now we gotta put the coolant/distilled mix in.

Anyways when i got to the hotel, i heard a hiss under the hood. When i popped the hood i saw very little steam coming out of the radiator cap thats located in front of the intake manifold. Is it normal to vent steam in case pressure is high?

I am aware running water isnt the best idea. But im at a hotel. There is an Oil change shop down the road. Should i get the coolant flushed?

 

[illyc]

check the thread directly below this one. you need to overhaul your cooling system hoses and plastics.

 

[1LoudLS]

Is it normal to vent steam in case pressure is high?

I thought that the degas cap had the pressure releasing cap, I did not think that the engine fill lid did too. (maybe i'm incorrect?) if that is the case, it sounds like you have a leak and like every other LS out there, when one cooling part breaks, so do the rest of them.

also food for thought, adding a coolant additive not only lower the freezing point of water, but it also raises the boiling point of water alone, which just happens to be below the operating temp of the motor... you are relying pretty heavily on the cooling system remaining air tight to build up enough pressure to keep the water from boiling inside of the engine.

 

[LS4me]

That cap isn't supposed to vent. That is a crack letting in air causing the overheat.

 

[joegr]

That cap isn't supposed to vent. That is a crack letting in air causing the overheat.

Exactly.
You can replace just the cap and the thermostat housing, then do it all over again in a week and get the next part, and so on. It's better for you and way better for the engine to do it all at once. The plastic failure in the hose was a sign that all of the cooling system plastic has degraded and needs to be replaced.

 

[illyc]

welcome aboard the jolly good time that is the Lincoln LS, friend!

 

[lincoln_zero]

O.k.
So based on the advice I have seen here, I am going to get a quote on the cost to replace the whole 'plastic' cooling system.
I will have to pay a mechanic to do the work. Can you guys tell me what would be an average price? Keep in mind I already did the upper rad hose.

Thanks.

 

[1LoudLS]

well it cost me a little over $400 to do everything except the degas, but that's doing it myself and getting a reasonable price on the parts (I wouldnt use anything other than motorcarft) so with paying somebody to do it you can probably expect somewhere between double and triple that.

 

[FDR]

also food for thought, adding a coolant additive not only lower the freezing point of water, but it also raises the boiling point of water alone, which just happens to be below the operating temp of the motor...

It also prevents rust.

 

[joegr]

It also prevents rust.

(Rust and aluminum corrosion.)
And lubricates the water pump, aux pump, thermostat, and DCCV...

 

[chocolat1701]

do a search here I did a write up on what parts you need for gen2 LS. replace everything for the cooling parts and then you will be good for another 100k. go to www.rockauto.com to order your parts.

 

[illyc]

chocolat, can you link to your write up? i've found rockauto doesn't have all the parts needed and some of what they do have is not motorcraft.

 

[1LoudLS]

when I order my stuff, neither FordPartsGiant nor the Rock had all the items i needed, I ended up having to get some from both. (dont remember if some parts were not available or were just out of stock)

 

[illyc]

tasca has all of the parts for my cooling system overhaul

 

[jjcool00]

tasca has all of the parts for my cooling system overhaul

Some of those prices are higher than what I paid at the dealer. Specifically, the degas cap being 33$ is ridiculous. I got mine for $16 at the dealership. I would check there too, just in case.

 

[illyc]

thanks jj. yea i thought that was pretty steep for the cap.