Cooling problems(94 F150 Lightning)

Four row core or three?

That is wierd and sort of backwards isn't it? Will the ignition timing do that? Like a leaky vacuum advance or something?

What about gasses from the radiator when the cap is off? Pressure in the radiator hoses, right away after it's started, when it's cold.

Condensation or milky oil on the dip stick or rusty dip stick. White-foggy exhaust or water dripping from the exhaust. Exhaust gasses from the radiator, when the cap is off.

But the only real one... Compression test!

Its actually a two core Modine, the cores are 1 inch aluminum IIRC. Its alot thicker than the old stock radiator.

I think its weird too, thats why I can't figure it out, lol. I had a mustang that did that, but it turned out to be the radiator. I know it isn't the radiator in this truck though. I might take the JET chip out and see if it helps, maybe even back the timing off back to 10.

My son has a '90 Bronco with a 351 in it. After the interstate speed limit went back up to 70 from 55, the temperature would climb after a short trip down the interstate. The culprit was the fan and fan clutch assembly. It seems it was blocking air at highway speeds. It was replaced and worked fine for several years, but then started getting too warm again. The last time he took the fan and fan clutch off, and installed an electric fan, and hasn't had the problem since.

I don't know the set up on your Lightning' (it may have an electric fan already on it) but it might be worth worth looking at..

Gourm

Wrong water pump?? If you've got a serpentine belt, you may have a pump for a V belt, the serp belt runs backwards...

Steve

Some questions to your questions:

1.is it using or losing water? 2.Is this the stock radiator? 3.Have you tried to pressurize the cooling system to 15 psi and see if the pressure will hold? There's a tool for this made by stant I believe that will check the cooling system and the cap, which utilizes a hand pump and gauge. You can normally rent them from NAPA and other parts houses.

On the 180 thermostat, I'd yank it and replace it with one of a higher temp, like 192 degrees.

From your description it sounds low on water.

Randy

I had trouble with water pumps on on my 360 leaking from the back cover. The last one is doing pretty good, I bought it brand new and glued the cover back on using the ultra-grey silly-cone. I don't have any aluminum in my cooling system otherwise I'd go with an Edelbrock water pump and maybe even Edelbrock aluminum heads and intake manifold. Maybe some day? :)

One "re-built" one, had the iron impeller, well, what was left of an iron impeller... the vanes were almost completely rusted away!

It pays big time to dismantle any "rebuilt" parts you buy and fix their mistakes before you install it. In this case I returned it and went else where and bought a new one. It was like the last straw or something. ;) But even the new one was dismantled and the cover seal improved on. :)

My re-built starter had the steel band type cover for the brushes... clamped down hard against the positive post. Cool huh? :)

If the water pump you installed was a new one, ignore the above horror stories ok?

Sure enough agree with that! :) You'll get better gas milage for one and the other could be in short trip, high humidity situations, not getting hot enough to drive the water out of the oil. I've seen

160F thermostats ruin engines because the oil is not doing it's job right with all that water in it even with a long trip situation. 180F won't do that unless you have a short trip situation etc, but still the gas mileage and power suffers.

Ceramic engines running at high heat is the mpg to beat. :)

I'll go a step farther and say it sounds like it's not maintaining pressure. What do you think, Randy?

Alvin in AZ

Just shows you far behind I am with all this new fangled stuff. :/

Yeah a compression test will just plain be a good idea no matter what, you'll be glad you did no matter which way it turns out. :)

Alvin in AZ (hammer mechanic)

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone! I have found the problem, actually there were two. Something is screwed up with the EGR system because the truck doesn't get to the N with the EGR unplugged, plugged in it goes way up. Also, the other problem was the timing chain cover gasket was leaking on the drver side water passage, so I have all new gaskets on the timing chain cover and water pump. As far as the thermostat, I have a chip in the truck which compensates for that, I might also have it reburned or get a new one to just leave the EGR unplugged. And by the way, I didn't buy a lightning to get good gas mileage :) Erik D. '94 white lightning

|OK, I have been having some problems keeping the 351W cool. I have |already changed the waterpump(about 9,000 miles ago), the |thermostat(180), and put a brand new radiator in. It usually gets hot |when I am on the interstate at cruising speeds, or about 65-75. It gets |all the way to the L in normal or past it, as soon as I slow up it |usually cools down to the R-M range. Then when i get on a regular |street it goes all the way down to the N-O range. I need to figure out |the problem and get this thing fixed. I think its either going to be an |intake gasket or head gasket because coolant spews out of the overflow |tank sometimes. How do I know for SURE whether it is a head gasket?

Mister Gasket used to have a block check kit that anayzed coolant for the presence of combustion gasses. I suspect any decent radiator shop would be able to check this. I'd also do a static pressure test, both cold and hot (careful!).

|want to get this thing fixed once and for all, I don't care if I need to |pull the heads off(in fact it is an excuse for more mods) but I don't |want to if I don't have to. Any other idea's on what could be my |problem???? Thanks in advance!

Someone else suggested you check the fan clutch, he's right on the money. Get it hot, pull over and shut off the engine. You should be able to spin the fan blade fairly easily by hand. If you get much resistance, change the clutch. If your fan is electric, try adding a toggle switch to the fan motor circuit. Leave it on until it gets hot on the highway, then flick it off and see if it get better at the same speed. If so, you probably need a sensor or a relay. Ford uses a fan control module on the left fenderwell. Rex in Fort Worth

I'm sure about one thing... I don't know nuthin about that! :)

Mas power goes with higher effenciency tho. Whether the chip has highest effenciency with a 180F thermostat, I don't know. But I bet -not- ...since that's the safer bet. :)

Could you ask about this for me? Chip with- 180F Vs. 195F thermostat? I bet... better gas milage -and- more power both with the 195F. :)

Alvin in AZ

I'd bet on it too, Alvin. I can't help wondering if the new chip is running the timing so advanced that they're recommending the cooler water temp to keep the intake valves a little cooler. In my own simple mind, the way to make an engine more efficient would be to run it at a hotter temp and atomize the fuel better, which EFI does do. I knew of a guy who bought his Bronco new in '96. He unplugged his spout connector and was running his timing like 14 deg. BTDC. The truck after a short while began running rough. He reset the timing and plugged the spout back in and took it to the dealer where he bought it. They replaced his engine under warranty because the valves and some pistons were burnt up in it. He left the timing alone after that:-) Maybe a solution here might be to put that 195 degree thermostat back in and do some water injection, I dunno. FWIW

Randy

You may be able to find an answer by posting at NLOC.net (National Lightning Owners Club).

-- Jim '03 Dark Shadow Grey Lightning

Thanks Jim, I'm already a member there (SVTErik529). Oh, and the problem was something to do with the EGR if anyone is interested. Thanks for all the responses, even the stupid ones :) Erik D. '94 white lightning