Strange overheating issue

[Upstairs Chris]

The other day I got off work and got into my car as usual and started going home. Yeah it was hot, but not nearly as hot to make a car over heat, I'd say it was about 80.

So I started traveling through town and it was right around 5 o'clock so I wasn't going anywhere fast. Everything was going fine had my AC on 60 and my seat coolers on (best feature ever) and then I hear the Chime telling me to check engine temperature. I look over at the gauge and it is dam near on the H.

I immediately pull over and turn it off and open the hood. I lean in to check the coolant level and I can hear all this flowing water noise. So I am thinking, aw chit, somethings busted. I look under the can and nothing, not leaking anywhere.

I was under the hood for maybe 1 minute before I went back and turned the ignition on accessory just enough for the gauges to work. Engine temp was reading dead center now, right where it is suppose to be. So I crank it over and engine temp remains fine as I sit there for a few minutes. I close the hood and go about my way keeping a close eye on it and it remains normal all the way home.

The only thing I can think of that would cause this is that my car was parked on a slight incline leaning backwards for like 28 hours or something. Could that have done this?

 

[BlackLS06]

Have you not read any of the multiple threads on the cooling system of these cars?

You won't be able to see the cracks most of the time. You have air in the cooling system from a bad degas bottle or cracked plastic parts bad thermostat or all of these.

 

[lseguy]

look carefully at the ground under your car just behind your drivers side front wheel. see any fluid on the ground there after the car sits from a long drive? If so, cracked degas bottle. A search on "degas" will lead you to the fix..

And next time your car overheats, turn the heater on FULL BLAST with the thermostat all the way on high..A/C compressor should be off. Heater on full blast removes some heat away from the engine.

 

[Upstairs Chris]

Alright I hate to bump this thread since it was apparently a really common issue, however I have just one question.

I have driven the car about 6 times since then and if I have not observed any puddles of fluid and I can not replicate the problem no matter what I do is this still pursuant to a cracked degas bottle?

 

[BlackLS06]

You still have air in the system. I would replace the bottle. The cracks can be under the bottle and they can be very thin hairline cracks. The system works under pressure and if it won't hold pressure air comes in and it doesn't cool properly. At some point you will need to do this anyways do just do it now before it gets worse.

 

[HawleyTronics]

You may have cracks in the upper part of the bottle, where no fluid will leak out but air will get in. What happens is air gets into the pressurized system and the air heats up much faster and hotter than the water. The air bubble will float and form around the temp sensor, making the engine "think" it is overheating and throwing it into "panic" mode and causing the Limp Home Mode to kick in, reducing power. I had this same issue when I first bought my car and I had to tell the dealer what it was so that they could fix it. LOL

 

[Upstairs Chris]

Alright, thanks for the info. I will be ordering one ASAP.

 

[1CleanLs]

I have a similar issue........mine does it once in a while but not when driving, it does it if I stop somewhere for a few minutes and when I turn it back on it reads Hot for about 10 seconds, so I will replace the plastic and see if it goes away.

 

[1CleanLs]

Do you guys know the part # or where I can get one?

 

[02LincLS]

click the tech articles section at the top of the page and draining/filling the cooling system. There is a convoluted air bleed process that needs to be followed to the letter after your repair.
edit: there is a cheap doorman degas tank you can get online at a number of places. Mine has lasted as long as the OE tank but others have not had such luck. It may be worth it to just get a Ford OE degas tank as the job is not fun (getting the lower hose and clamp back on the bottom of the tank) and you don't want to do it twice.

 

[1CleanLs]

Cool, thanks for the info!