Overheating Making me crazy!!

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ltmark

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2003 Expy, 5.4L 186K

Sporatically overheating. Sometimes temp gauge spikes and then returns to normal, but often spues coolant out of Degas bottle when it does.

Idles poorly
changed all plugs and checked injectors and coils - all ok or replaced! Ran good for a while. Still runs pretty good!

Flushed system
new water pump
new fan clutch
new degas bottle
new cap
no leaks!!
new thermostat (185)

Was worried about head gasket because looses 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of coolant every few days. NO SMOKE from tailpipe!

Got Block test kit. Says that if blue test fluid turns from blue to yellow, then head gasket leak! It went "Clear" after a few minutes, but not yellow. Testing at tailpipe turned immediately yellow, as expected.

Radiator reading (ifrared heat gun) 175 at top inlet ( pointing at the fins), but goes down to 120/130 at same top level as I move toward other side, still at the top of radiator. Sporatic readings along the radiator as I move downward from right to left.

IF the radiator is blocked in various loactions, would coolant spue from cap (degas bottle) when stat opens but full volume is then blocked by faulty radiator. If it went to hot and stayed, I could understand, but it will peak and then go back to normal after it spues.

No clear evidense of blown head gasket! No clear forceful bubbling in degas bottle.

However, when it starts to overheat, I see foamy coolant coming back up to the degas bottle from the via the hose (the main fill hose at the degas bottle bottom) going to the bottom of the engine.

I have NOT checked cylinder compression

If it was head gasket, I was going to try some Blue Devil because I just want it to make it 1 more year! Then it goes to Make a wish!

Any thoughts!
 

ManUpOrShutUp

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Checked the coolant for signs of oil?

Checked coolant with hydrometer or refractometers?

When you say no leaks in cooling system, do you mean you pressure tested it (and the cap)? (If not, Advance, Auto Zone, etc. have coolant pressure tester loaner kits.)

Checked the thermostat?
 
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ltmark

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There are no leaks. At the end of a longer drive, the system will hold pressure for a day or more. That sounds crazy, because if I'm losing coolant, it must be going somewhere. That's why I was surprised that the Head gasket test was not clearly positive? Not even a hint of white smoke at the exhaust!

When I changed the plugs, none were wet or had signs of coolant. HOWEVER, since it's a 2003 I have #3 cyl with a Heli-coil due to Ford's poorly built heads for 3 years!! Since I want it to make it 1 more year, I didn't try to remove that plug when it proved to be stubborn!!

Brand new thermostat and I boiled to verify opening at 185.
 

1955moose

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If you have high and low readings in radiator, you have a partial blockage. Unlike the old metal tank radiatiors, the plastic tank ones can't be taken apart and rodded out. That term means old style radiators use to be a able to run a piece of rod through core after pulling apart. Unfortunately new ones can't. That being said, you can try a strong radiator flush, might help. Check to make sure clutch fan is working ok. You still could have a blown head gasket or cracked head/ block, it just hasn't mixed the oil/ coolant yet. One last thing make sure you've purged all air out of system. Usually park uphill or put on front stands, run with cap off, run till thermostat opens. Keep us posted.


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03 exp

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I had the same issue usually only at a stop idling for a long time. Like 10-25 mins it was fine while driving , replaced everything I had 200k on it when it happened, turn out to be a partially clogged radiator!!
 
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ltmark

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Thanx for comments. Was tied up today, but will do more temp checks on radiator tomorrow. Fortunately, I have a 2112 expy also. I'm gonna run side by side radiator temp checks. Hopefully that will provide some definitive results! I will post more tomorrow night!
 
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ltmark

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OK, I put in some radiator cleaner and then tried some Blue Devil head gasket sealer. Remember, the car has 186K and my boy just needs about a year more out of it, if possible! Now, I'm left with a super rough idle. I'm going to post a new topic because I'm changing my primary problem and really need some expertise on this!!! Going to name it rough idle after bad head gasket! Thanks to ALL!!
 

1955moose

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Dumb question but did you put head gasket sealer into coolant or oil or ? Never used that pruduct. Nothing to my knowledge will repair a blown out hunk of head gasket, besides a new gasket. Running rough now you might have plugged up one or more spark plugs. This is what can happen when you throw additives into a motor. Do you have a check engine light on now? That stuff you threw in could be getting into combustion chambers where spark plugs fire.


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ltmark

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It goes into the coolant. Actually, it worked, as claimed. I did a lot of research on it before I tried. As I said, had I wanted to keep the car or planned on selling it, I would have not tried the sealant. If I can get it to last foa year, with not a lot of mileage, I'll be happy. I had never even heard of such a thing until I did some research re: this problem. It was a small leak because I would typically only send small bubbles into the overflow tank and normally would not overheat once the thermostat opened and the water could cool in the radiator. I cleaned the plugs after I did the sealant and it was still running rough, but the P2198 code started me wondering of the O2 sensor was toast and not reading correctly. Still working on the issue! At the end of next year, it gets donated if I can get it to last!
 
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