$600 in the shop & the ST Still overheating ...Help!

[Richard Lange 2]

OK this is the 3rd installment of my 2001 ST (63k).



I took it to Ford who says they could not get it to overheatheat. However, the did say the gasket around the waterpump was leaking. So while they were in there, they replaced the water pump (JIC). It was running fine for 2 weeks now, but yeterday it did the same thing. Driving home from work, the transmission starts shifting funny when I slow down, and eventually the truck overheats. This only happens when I run the AC in the evening. I am heading to work now, and will be running the AC (TX weather and I positive I will have no issues. Also, this evening I will drive home w/o the AC on and I bet it runs fine.



So I have a new thermostat, watre pump, sensor, radiator fluid (I flushed it as well) & the same problem.



The only other thing I can figure is the fan clutch, but supposedly that was tested as well. Anyone have any more ideas? I am going to takie it back to Ford and raise hell, but since they could not get it to overheat in the 1st place I think they are going to tell me I am going to have to eat the $600.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Does it overheat on the highway? If so, then I wouuldn't think the cluitch would be the fauult. Driving highway speeds without a fan on your engine wouldn't hurt a thing.



Are yoiu sure your radiator isn't plugged up or something? I used to date a girl with a 1979 Mercury Zephyr that would overheat when on the highway. It was the original radiator and after 250,000 miles on it, the cooling fins on it were rotted away. The higher speeds and faster moving air did not allow the air to remove enough heat caused by an engine working hard to keep that vehicle at highway speeds. Replaced the radiator and the car run about another 40,000 miles until the motormounts rusted in half and the engine flipped under the hood.





Tom

 

[Richard Lange 2]

LOL ... my little brother's Saturn was about a 1/4 of inch of rubber away from doing the same thing.



As for the ST ... I drive on a highway 3/4s of the way home, however, 5:30 traffic in DFW is about the same as hitting 15+ stoplights on the way home. It is usually when I am getting off the highway that I notice the tranny downshifting a little funny. Nothing drastic, just not quite right.



Then about 5 minutes later the temp gauge goes from normal to about 3/4s of the way towards the hot side.



If I turn off the AC, it returns to normal in just a few minutes. Yesterday I checked the radiator levels when I got home and they were fine. I re-read one of my earlier posts and saw that "wrong oil" was a possibility.



Thinking back ... all this started about a month after getting my oil changed. I went to a new shop in my neighborhood and had the oil done and the tranny flushed. I am wondering if someone might have screwed up. Is there anyway to check the actual oil to see what it is? I am thinking I may just go ahead and get an oil change today even though it is still about a month early. Thoughts?



OH .... and I flushed the radiator myself and everything looked fine ... no chunks or discoloration. Someone posted how to check it but that was right as I was taking it to Ford. I assume they checked it ... but we all know what assuming does ...

 

[Todd Z]

There is no "official" way to test the fan clutch.... I hate to see people just replace parts.

My question is this. Did you change the coolant sender and sensor???



When you say it overheats is just the gauge reading hot or is the radiator boiling over???



Todd Z

 

[Richard Lange 2]

Yeah, I am kinda feeling like that is what Ford did to me ... "just replacing parts"



I changed the sensor behind the thermostat. I am not sure if that is the sendor or sensor?

I got my oil changed at lunch ... although I don't think that is going to have much effect.



I leaning more towards something went wrong after or with the tranny flush. Since the tranny starts to slip about 3 minutes before the truck starts to overheat.



I am really at the point of giving up. I want to keep the ST, but maybe I should sell it while I can still get something for it. If Ford can't diagnose it and something major goes wrong I would hate to get stuck with that bill :wacko:

 

[Todd Z]

Again, When it over heats is just the guage reading it is, or is the radiator boiling over???



Reason I ask is The computer will act funny when it is told the truck is running hot.....

Todd Z

 

[Richard Lange 2]

There was a boil over prior to me replacing the radiator cap. However, now the only symptoms are the shifting and gauge ( & maybe the brakes ... I can't determine if I am imagining them getting tighter or not).



So just to clarify ... no boil over & gauge gets to 3/4s of the way to the 'H'



thanks for the help so far

 

[Todd Z]

I would say replace the fan clutch and the other sender/sensor.. I think the gauge is just reading wacky...

The sender is for the gauge and the sensor is for the computer....

For some reason the computer reads hot and then gets wacky on you....

Todd Z

 

[Richard Lange 2]

Where is the other sendor / sensor?



How hard is it to replace the fan clutch?



So you are thinking that the computer is making the truck downshift funny becuase it thinks the temperature is different that what is really is?

 

[Todd Z]

Where is the other sendor / sensor?

No clue, I will look at mine when Rachel gets home...

How hard is it to replace the fan clutch?

2 10mm bolts, remove the fan shroud, and then the fan unscrewes off the water pump. you may need a fan clutch removal tool, or a good pipe wrench... And it is Right Hand thread.

The it unbolts off the fan and revearse to install...

So you are thinking that the computer is making the truck downshift funny becuase it thinks the temperature is different that what is really is?

I think thats what is going on here....

With out the truck in front of me It is my best guess...

 

[Dennis Mouser]

my 90 model ranger was doing things like this...I ended up selling it years ago...I'm sure the hoses are good, have the been replaced, I've heard of them collapsing or the inside wall caving in....

the tranny fluid is also cooled by the radiator..so if the tranny is getting hot then you may be looking up high and need to look lower....good luck man I have a 2001 and haven't approached those probs yet...95K on it now

when I had my tranny flushed at about 87K I noticed that it would downshift to first a little early when coming to a stop...enough to feel it grab ..it scared me..now the oil is braking in I don't notice it as much

 

[Richard Lange 2]

yeah that is exactly how it feels. that does make me feel a little better. now if I cna just get the overheating under control ...

 

[Dre L]

Great article.