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1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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tc8266
New User
Aug 31, 2016, 1:40 PM
Post #1 of 6
(1748 views)
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1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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1998 Ford Explorer Sport 4.0 168K. Overheated on the way home from work last week - about an 8 mile drive in the city - overheated around the time I got home and I just thought that it could be because it was a really hot day (I'm very limited in my knowledge of cars). Next morning I only made it about six miles before it overheated and I had to pull over. I left it for the day and went back after work; a friend of mine looked at it and found that the heater control valve was dry rotten, so we replaced it. I drove it home, and it still overheated. I let it sit for a few days and then replaced the thermostat. Drove it around - still overheated and seemed to be even worse than before - it stalled out while idling and was difficult to restart. I'm at a loss of what to do next.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 31, 2016, 2:49 PM
Post #2 of 6
(1740 views)
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Re: 1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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Overheating once is too much but happens. With this and attempts do you know it's properly full of coolant when you've drained it to do or change anything?
That and is fan however driven, belt or electric coming on which is needed for slow "city" type driving or along cause an overheat.
What was dry rotted with a heater control valve? Was it leaking and low on coolant that caused an overheat or not sure on that?
If full, fan(s) working and still overheating your next move is checking everything to see if head gaskets are the problem now or the cause before along with radiator itself being up to par for hot weather.
It's pointing towards a blown head gasket but needs all the checks,
T
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tc8266
New User
Aug 31, 2016, 3:03 PM
Post #3 of 6
(1738 views)
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Re: 1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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The fan is on the belt. It's working. The heater control valve was dry rotted where the hose connected to the valve. I'm not sure if it was already leaking or if it just burst under pressure (if that makes sense). The coolant looked fine. I drained enough to replace the thermostat without making a mess, but there was still plenty in the reservoir.
I checked for signs of a blown head gasket and couldn't find anything that was obvious based on what I was finding online. Looks like the oil is a little low, but it looks normal. I actually added a quart last week because it looked to be a little low and I was planning on taking it in for an oil change this week anyway - but it looks to be low again, so maybe the engine is burning it up?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 31, 2016, 3:30 PM
Post #4 of 6
(1735 views)
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Re: 1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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So the heater control burst - then pressure alone is lost and boiling point is back to near water without a pressure cap working and can't when it's blown out so would explain the first overheat.
That's all it might have taken then to blow a head gasket of two on this - same deal - whole job if so and probably is.
Once coolant is lower in radiator and engine the rest is air which causes overheats. Never mind the dang recovery tanks the system has to be known full, purged of all air or will overheat any engine.
Fan is belt driven so on a clutch no doubt. That could be so faulty a cause as well. Everything needs to be right or shows up on the hottest days more often.
These repeated overheats are just plain hard on the engine. Too hot at top, cooler below and head gaskets take a hit just from that up to warping heads and gets nasty and pricey.
This layout a temp needle shouldn't fluctuate once warmed up on the hottest day or the coldest day of the year fully warmed up just set at the same spot all the time. Can excuse seriously high temps over 100F, stuck in traffic, A/C blasting a little bit but still not overheat.
You check what for a head gasket? Jeez - there's a series of things to check. The common thinking is all will mix coolant with oil or smoke white out tail pipes even show water coming out. No. Then can blow and push combustion gasses into cooling system which is no better than air and will overheat from that and not necessarily leak to ground.
Pressure testing systems. Looking at spark plugs for wet ones, gasses tested in cooling system and bubbles quickly seen going into recovery tank before warmed up at all.
In short it take some time to (I spend the time) to blame or rule out head gaskets as it's too costly to be wrong.
Trivia: With a 15lb pressure cap plain water will not boil till 257F at sea level. Mixed with antifreeze 50/50 you get a few more degrees higher before boiling.
The pressure is from volume of coolant expanding limited by the pressure cap's rating or blows out to reservoir first. If over that to ground you are too full or boiling over which is way too hot.
What do you want to do? #1 is I'm not sure that you are sure it's full of coolant or not from the first time never mind times of filling it up again and again.
Choices have to include sending it out if only for a diagnosis now so what would you like to do?
T
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 31, 2016, 3:54 PM
Post #5 of 6
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Re: 1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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Thing is overheating and you keep driving it? Wow. I think it is time for a professional repair shop to have a look at that.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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tc8266
New User
Sep 1, 2016, 4:21 AM
Post #6 of 6
(1721 views)
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Re: 1998 Ford Explorer Overheating
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I'm going to have a pro check it out to hopefully rule out a blown gasket. The cost of the repair would be more than the value of the truck so she's most likely done. Thanks for all your help. I'll update if there's any good news.
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