Ford - Bronco :: 1979 - Overheats / Temp Gauge Will Climb
Mar 26, 2013
Got my 1979 Ford Bronco (351M engine) from my father. He had it in Colorado, mostly in a garage. Had 82,000 miles when I got it and has 67,000 miles now. Runs fine when the outside temperature is less than 80F. Above 80F, the will get hotter and hotter and the temp. gauge will climb. When the temp. gauge is 2/3 of the wat between Cool and Hot it will start to buck and cut out. Eventually the engine will stop. Then I have to wait for it to cool down to repeat the cycle. I have replaced all hoses, radiator, thermostat (3 times), radiator cap, carb. I have installed SS louvers in the hood. Heck, I have even "burbed" it (see Internet).
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I have a 2001 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab XE with a V6 (without the supercharger). I bought it on Halloween night with only 42,000 miles. It now has 112,000 miles on it. I moved from Georgia to Kentucky and heard that I needed to have the cooling system flushed/filled to prevent it from freezing in the winter time. I then noticed that it would periodically "overheat." The temperature gauge would climb up to the line just below the "H" and then I would turn on the heater.
I read online about a "bleeder valve" on top of the intake manifold. I loosened it, squeezed the radiator hoses to get all of the air out and then tightened the bleeder valve. I then let it run until the thermostat opened, revved it up to 3,000 to let all of the coolant flow. Now, at various time with no specific reason, it will run fine and then just "decide" to overheat.
I can drive it on the interstate for fifteen minutes, park it in front of my house and then have to "tack it up to 3,000" just to get it cool. I've changed the thermostat and had the water pump tested. Neither of them are faulty. My mechanic vacuumed out all of the air from the system with a special tool the dealer recommends using and it still does the same thing. What's going on with this vehicle?
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I got a mk4 where the temp gauge starts to climb to 3/4 instead of halfway when I'm idling for a while.
1. fans don't come on
2. if I turn on ac, fan come on and temp stays at 1/2
I tested low and high speed on fans. both operational. Is it the fan control module, temp sensor green top, or radiator s/w?
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Fluctuating temperature gauge? In the past few weeks I have noticed that my temp gauge goes over the normal temp line but the car never actually overheats. This doesn't happen all the time and only every once in a while. Today however, the gauge went very high and I immediately put the heat on high and it slowly dropped to normal again.
I had a water pump replaced several years ago and last year had the thermostat replaced as well. The only thing I have had done recently was an oil change at one of those convenience stations. During the check-point, I was asked if I wanted the filter changed that filters the air coming into the car. I said no, but now wondering if they actually disconnected something when checking for this. The reason I'm bringing this up is because sometimes I don't get hot air when the heat is on or cold air when the a/c is on.
After reading online more about this, I read that a faulty Temperature Sensor can give a false reading. Just added some water to the radiator but not much...so no leaks that I can see.
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Having an intermittent problem on my 2002 Chrysler Sebring LX (about 132,000 miles). Often I can drive around and everything is okay. However, it seems like every 11 days or so, the temperature gauge starts to climb above the halfway mark and toward the danger zone. Only once has it gotten all the way up to the red danger zone and illuminated the warning light, and that was the very first time. It was fortunate that this happened the exact moment I reached home and parked in my driveway.
When the temperature gauge starts to climb above the halfway mark, I've tried to turn on the heater to cool it down, but this doesn't work. The heater just blows cold air. So far I have been taking the following steps:
1) Stop driving and park the car for 10 minutes or more.
2) Fill the coolant tank under the hood with coolant. I'm putting in about half a gallon each time.
3) Continue driving.
After this process, the heater is again blowing warm air and the temperature gauge is staying at a safe level. It seems to persist for about 11 - 14 days then the cycle starts all over.
It happened last night following a drive of about 5 miles home from the gym. Since I had no more driving to do that day, I just parked it overnight to see if this was a fluke and if it would be necessary to add more coolant.
This morning I drove the same 5 miles. Temperature gauge stayed pretty low for about half the trip, but then rapidly shot up. I got to the gym before it reached the danger zone (it was probably about 3/4 of the way up). I parked for a little over an hour while I went inside to exercise. Then I again added half a gallon of coolant and drove home without problems.
The last time I had overheating issues, the coolant rapidly spilled out of the bottom and the overheating was not preventable. I got the radiator replaced. This was in October 2013. I've also tried some of that stop leak fluid. It didn't work, but I'm not so sure I used it correctly. I didn't flush the tank and I think I might have poured it in on a normal driving day (coolant pretty full).
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So I just bought a 2012 F250 with 28,300 on the clock. I was driving it home yesterday (500 miles) and I noticed that every time I shut the truck down the external temp display would display -40 F at start up and then gradually climb to whatever the ambient temp is, around 60F but in that 500 mile distance it seemed to be stuck at whatever the high was and not drop unless I stopped the truck and powered it off and we would start at -40 again.
Where I should start troubleshooting this? I have some factory powertrain warranty left but this will not fall under that so I need to fix it myself and there is nothing in the owners manual about this. Oh it is a crew cab long box, with the 6.2, XL package but has all of the benefits of an XLT it just has vinyl floors.
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I am trying to troubleshoot an overheating problem so that I may fix it myself. Not sure if it's thermostat, sensor, or a blockage.
'04 Jetta tdi with about 200k miles. Temp sticks at 190 usually for about ten minutes then starts to climb, varying between the 207-225F mark. Hasn't gone any higher, even in high 90sF ambient temps after 30mins driving. Holds fluid fine, pink G12 mix, and no bubbles or milky appearance to oil dipstick. Recently installed new AC compressor, txv and dryer so I imagine I can tackle thermostat or sensor if need be. Where to start?
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02 6.8 4x4 excursion. When I start the truck cold, the trans temp gauge immediately moves to "running" temp. Not really sure how this happens, I'd figure that if the xducer was trash it would ride all the way high or all the way low. What's happening here? I'd sure like a functional gauge...
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My car recently turned over 120,000 miles. I have owned her for 5 years. Currently, the engine temperature gauge needle is moving all over the place. It typically registers the correct temperature (I think), but sometimes it goes all the way over to the red, then peaks and falls back down to the midline.
Before this started happening, the needle would lie just below the midline when traveling on the highway and just above the midline when driving in town. Yesterday, it was lying between the 1/4 mark and the midline -- much lower than normal. Is this as simple as just replacing the temperature sensor?
My mechanic noticed a month ago that the transmission hoses are all swollen and in need of replacement. Is this related?One more thing, within the last week, the electrical system fails while driving, but just for a second. I can tell because the radio goes out. Once, it went completely dead, then came back on within 2 seconds. It made me think of the alternator, but it seems if that were the case it would go dead and not come back on, no?
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So for the past couple months every time I get on this incline on a freeway transition my temperate gauge spikes to red and the notification center tells me the car is overheating and to pull over a couple seconds later it goes back to normal. This has happened about 7 times now over the past couple months. 07 LS460 just hit 80K miles.
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I have a 2004 Grand Prix and it is displaying the symptoms of overheating but the temp gauge is not going above normal operating temp. I replaced the thermostat twice, and after driving for about 10-20 mins coolant comes out of the overflow. I'm at a loss, I'm thinking temp sensor(?) But I don't want to keep throwing unnecessary money into it. The fans work fine, the heater blows as it should.
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I have a 2012 Crew cab Silverado 5.3 V8 with the towing package. When I pull my travel trailer (approx. 5000 lbs), the water temp stays 1/2 guage and the tranny temp is 170-190, however, on steep hills the water temp guage goes 2/3 to 3/4 guage for a short time and the tranny temp reaches 200-210 degrees. Is the elevated water and tranny temps okay or should I try to reduce them back to the normal range. What is the max temp I should keep the tranny at?
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I recently replaced my alternator. I thought I was very careful not to make anything worse but now when I'm driving I have temperature issues. When stopping or slowing down my temp. gauge goes all the way to cold, then as I accelerate the temp gauge rises to the middle. It has not gone past the middle and has never done this before the repair. Also, the truck has never overheated or had any thermostat or cooling issues before.
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I'm having a problem with my 92 crown vic overheating the radiator and thermostat have been replaced, the temp gauge never goes near the hot range but the engine gets so hot it shuts down while I'm driving. I am a rural mail carrier so I use the car for about 5 hours a day, I have to stop and let the engine cool by opening the hood for about a half hour after driving for 1 1/2 hours. I am not losing any coolant and the fan appears to be working.
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It is a garage queen 1994 4.0 AWD with 42,000 miles in nearly perfect shape. Except for the dent in the rear on the passenger side.
I have posted a picture of the dash when going down the road. As you see the engine light is on. It comes on intermittently, pulled the codes, indicated MAF, 02 sensor, running lean/rich. Runs like a champ, no hesitation, still gets up and goes, gets the appropriate gas mileage. I replaced the 02 sensor with the original Ford Part. Didn't cause the engine light to stop going on after about 20 to 60 minutes driving, sometimes it doesn't come on at all.
Could this thermostat be running too cool and causing the engine to throw those codes? Would gladly take it to a mechanic, but seems like it might be a fishing trip with my dollars for them. Next I was going to replace the MAS myself, easily done with the original remanufactured part at a cost of 150.00, 70 for the core, but don't want to chase my tail with these engine lights on when it runs nearly perfect.
Have sprayed the MAF. Checked for air leaks anywhere. Done all the things I could do by just lifting the hood.
So the picture shows the Temp gauge barely touching the N flying down the road at 70 on a level surface, outside temp about 60. Reading the posts says they all run in the cool section of the temp gauge.
So the question is, do they run this cool? Heater works fine and the gauge goes up past the N resting before the O when going up hills on the way to Tahoe. Is this a thermostat problem on a 20 year vehicle with low mileage, or am I going to have to bite the bullet and let the mechanic go wandering through the vehicle?
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I have a 94 Ford Ranger, 2WD, 5-Speed, with 2.3 engine. My temp gauge hardly moves at all... It actually appears as if it doesn't move it you don't pay close attention and were to just glance at it. I'm thinking it is most likely the temp sensor that is on the engine block as I understand there is also one that is in the line that controls the fans for the radiator. Am I approaching this in the right direction or is there something else I might need to do?
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I have a 77 F100 2wd 302/c4. I recently replaced the rear plate to my gauge cluster after it crumbled to pieces. I swapped all the gauges to the new plate minus the fuel gauge since it decided it couldn't live if livin was without the old plate. I have a gauge cluster out of my 75 and decided to swap in my fuel gauge from that one. I put the cluster in the truck and fire it up for 10 mins or so and everything is working great except the temp gauge isn't moving. I figure it romeo and Juliet with the fuel gauge so I just swap all gauges from the 75 into the 77 cluster except the speedo. Same result.
So I figure its the sending unit now and maybe both gauges were fine to begin with. I put in a new sending unit and now the gauges works but the needle sits on the P in the word TEMP on the gauge which makes me uncomfortable. That's about 1/4 inch or so from being past the end of the gauge. I don't believe the truck is running that hot. The gauge was more or less straight vertical before the swap sitting right at the end of the E on TEMP. Did I get a bad sending unit? Is it a bad ground on the gauge? Was I supposed to take off the teflon tape that came on the threads of the sending unit? I'm gonna try removing that first and see if it lowers the needle.
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I have a 2001 Excursion Limited V10. 146000 miles 2 wheel drive. I have had it about a year and this is my first winter to really have experience with her.
When the outside temperature is very cold and the engine is cold from sitting all night, at start up, the oil pressure gauge reads nothing and the oil pressure/temp idiot light is on. Only does this during the first very cold start up or after sitting and engine getting very cold again.
I can drive just a short distance (2 blocks) and both gauge and light go to normal and stay there for the rest of my drive. I am using a quality 5/20 oil and filter and the level is good. Warmer days it has never happened. Truck runs fine, smooth idle, no "limp mode". She has not had any recent work done. All the other dash gauges read fine.
There is something about really cold temperatures that have to be causing the issue , I think. ??
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Today was drive my x 2000 v10 limited 4x4 114k miles). It was 90 degrees Out and was driving in light traffic going 40 and noticed my temp gauge almost up to h then dropped fast. So shut the ac off and it continue to rise and drop fast I went few more miles to where I was going checked everything could see no problems it sat for about 30mins then left on my drive back home 36 miles and had ac on and no problems stayed where it normally is. I am thinking of just replacing the belt cause I never have. No weeping from water pump. Or any smell.
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Problem: The exterior temp. gauge is blank.
It used to fade in and out and I discovered if I pushed the button that switches from degrees F. to degrees C. it wold come on for a bit, but no more. It's just blank.
I think I've seen a thread on here about similar issues but I was unable to find it. I'm also not sure how to take the overhead console off yet. The console consists of ext. temp gauge, sun glasses compartment, and compartment for a garage door opener.
Some truck specs:
Year: 2001
Model: F150 Super-crew
Motor: 4.6L
Mileage: 250,000
Color: Silver
Original motor, second transmission.
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I have a 2002 supercrew 5.4 triton. My coolant temp gauge is acting up. When it starts up its obviously in the cold range but when the truck begins to get up to temp, the gauge only goes up 1/4 full. What it can be?
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