Fox Body GT getting hot...what gives???

I'm in Phoenix (Mesa)...today my 96GT with 61K heated up to "4/4" (RED) on my way home...a couple of blocks away from my house...then (not surprisingly) the a/c went out, as well as the power brakes and power steering :-)

FWIW, during the summer, my temp gauge has always been (since day one) at

3/4. Never checked temps with another instrument, though.
Reply to
tom
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Hey Hank,

This is Sean, we met once at Kinko's to make copies of the wiring diagrams you had when I was having trouble with my power window. By the way I fixed it and it works great now! Anyway, I did just replace the thermostat when i replaced all the hoses so it should be fine. I tried running the engine with the radiator cap off to get rid of the air but the coolant comes right up to the top and i ran it for like 30 minutes so i don't think air is the problem. I am probably going to replace the water pump and the fan/fan clutch and see if that helps it. Its really weird though because sometimes it doesn't get that hot and sometimes it just shoots right up there. I would say it stays in the lower 3/4 range of the temp gauge though, and oh yeah I did replace the radiator cap which didn't do much at all. I am trying to decide if I want to go ahead and get a small loan and just replace a bunch of stuff that needs it such as radiator, water pump, brake upgrade, suspension, etc.

Thanks Hank

Reply to
GT5OH

Sean

I thought it might be you. Glad the window is fixed.

I hate to ask, but is the thermostat placed in the correct direction?

If you get the engine warm with the cap off (or park in the sun for a few hours) you should see the coolant flow across the radiator. Can you see the end of the tubes in the radiator? My old one had tons of calcium buildup blocking the flow. I use distlled water with my coolant.

I can always bring my digital temp gauge and meet up with you again.

Like others have posted, I stay close stock with most parts. If you're an Arizona Mustang club member, you get 25 to 50% off parts at 5 Star Ford!

hank

Reply to
hank

the gauges in the dash are notoriously inaccurate and subject to all kinds of influence. If the pyrometer shows the T-stat housing at around 190-200 and the water temp is around 220-230 your fine. the cars are supposed to run warmish. if the gauge really bothers you. Pull the cluster turn the set screw on the back of the gauge housing so that at operating temp it rides in the middle.

Reply to
walt peifer

Hey Hank (and everyone else) :-)

I am 99.9% sure I put the t-stat in the right way but you never know so I will check :-)

I may sound dumb saying this but what exactly do you mean by I should see the fluid flow across the radiator? You mean in the hoses or what?

Also, the radiator house I just put on gets EXTREMELY hot after I have driven for a while, is that normal?

I am not sure about calcium build-up but I will try to check.

Thanks

Sean

Reply to
GT5OH

When you look through the cap hole.

Reply to
WindsorFox

Sean

When looking into the radiator neck you should see the water flowing from the passenger to the driver side of the radiator. But it has to be warmed up so the thermostat is open and flowing. This is where you should look in and see if you have calcium buildup on the ends of the tubes.

I like Walts suggestion of adjusting the stock guage back to the middle. I may have to try that (when the temps drop below 100 at night). Portable infrared digital guage will give you the best idea of what is happening. If the t-stat housng is 190 you're fine.

hank

Reply to
hank

What??

Reply to
WindsorFox

Hi all, On the overheating problem: I had a similar problem on my

95 Ford van when we were in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin. Stopped, let it cool down, removed the radiator cap, and added the only liquid we had - bottled water - to the reservoir. Upon closer inspection I noticed the top of the radiator was wet. It was that little hose going from below the radiator cap to the coolant reservoir that had a small hole in it. I cut 1" off the hose, plugged it in again, and voila, problem solved. Your solution may not be that simple.

Just a thought, Dick R.

Reply to
Dick R.

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