Topic '[Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold' in forum 'Automotive' - dslreports.com

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:55:14 EDT

fixrman posted : Ahh - but they should be. Why use a shotgun or shopping cart to fix a car instead of a scalpel or laser beam? When I was a young guy, I had to learn how to fix things without the aid or expense of parts. Therefore, my diagnostics is limited to the parts that are necessary to fix the fault; not parts I want to put in, parts I have to put in because they are necessary.

OEM manufacturers rarely pay for two parts to fix a single complaint. They almost never pay for three.
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 13:28:51 EDT

rody_44 posted : FWIW, These fords have sealed radiators. By sealed i mean no cap and just the upper and lower radiator hoses and a small hose that acts as the overflow. Heres the kicker, you fill it via the overflow tank which has a direct line teed into the lower radiator hose. Stupidest setup i have ever seen.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:26:03 EDT

fixrman posted : Understatement of the year, my good man. Not even in the galaxy. [grin]
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 21:24:28 EDT

fixrman posted : If it happens again, try removing the heater hoses and gently flush the heater core.

On another note, you may be right; that sludge in there, which may have been a buildup of silicate and/or rust may have coated the impeller to the point it was not able to efficiently move water, like a fan blade with loads of dust on it. ;-)
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 18:13:40 EDT

Timmn posted : You are correct on this point, I have no idea which part corrected the problem, however, I am not, and do not claim to be a professional mechanic. I would hold a professional mechanic to a different standard than I would hold myself, they (supposedly) have more knowledge and better equipment than I do, all I can do is look at it and guess.

I originally wanted to replace the just the fan clutch, but I had to remove a lot of other plastic pieces to get the fan and clutch out, and my friend, who owns the truck, said, "Since we've gone this far, let's replace the water pump also", so I did.

The thing is, even with paying for a possibly unneeded water pump, or fan clutch, it still was cheaper than taking it to a professional.

I'll go as far as saying that there is the possibility that none of it was needed, that maybe just taking the water pump out and putting it back in may have fixed it. When I removed the water pump, there was a lot of garbage, for the lack of a better term, that came out from behind the pump that my garden hose flush didn't get out.

So, did I learn anything? No, but the truck now has heat, and my friend is happy, and that's what counts.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 15:29:34 EDT

rody_44 posted : But now he has all three new parts. Lets face it, the rules aint the same for DIY than a paid garage.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 14:16:04 EDT

mattmag posted :

said by royhandy:

Maybe it has to do with mark-ups, labor, and trust. Poor, poor shops.

You totally missed the point.....

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 12:16:17 EDT

royhandy posted :

said by fixrman:

Funny, if a shop were to do this very repair for a customer, there would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth

Maybe it has to do with mark-ups, labor, and trust. Poor, poor shops.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:22:08 EDT

fixrman posted : So if you didn't know why you replaced what you replaced, why did you? Perhaps all it needed was the viscous unit. Perhaps all it needed was a water pump - but now there are three different parts that were installed to fix the same problem.

No original equipment manufacturer in the world would pay for three parts to fix one problem, it would require special approval. Funny, if a shop were to do this very repair for a customer, there would be much wailing and gnashing of teeth. :huh:
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 29 Oct 2014 07:49:24 EDT

rody_44 posted : And the new junk only costs me 4 dollars more than the rebuilt junk. But like i said you get what they have sometimes. Not going to lose a days pay with a truck to save on a 45 minute repair job.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 07:13:19 EDT

jrs8084 posted :

said by Cho Baka:

said by rody_44:

Auto zone rebuilts. Junk in otherwords, 35 bucks, easier to replace than most vehicles.

Why buy junk rebuilts and then complain when they fail?

Well, he got new junk this time. . .

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 28 Oct 2014 04:25:12 EDT

Timmn posted : No, but I did solve the problem by replacing the water pump and fan clutch. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the original ones, but it worked.

I doubt we'll ever figure out what actually fixed it.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:23:27 EDT

CarMan posted : Did you make sure what the engine temp was with a Infrared Thermometer with Laser

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sun, 26 Oct 2014 10:43:03 EDT

rody_44 posted : I did get the new one this time. The first time they were out of the new ones. The second one i got under warranty. This time i did go ahead and buy a new one. The design seems the same tho but we shall see. Cheap ass eighth inch plate steel with a press fit to the shaft. The only bright side is its a really easy water pump to replace. The fan, 4 bolts for the fan pulley and than 4 bolts for the water pump. Takes longer getting the system to bleed than the actual work replacing the pump. Wasnt really complaining just noting its not the best of ford designs. I am at 297,000 miles on original engine. Now tho it doesnt even need emissions any more its used so little (exempt). I think last year was 2200 miles.

Its also not the worst part of this design on this truck. Ide tend to tack that up to either the fact the exhaust manifold wont last over two years without cracking or the tube for the cooling system under the intake manifold that rusts away every few years and yea that tube is only available OEM and is one PIA to replace. But hey the trucks great on MPG for a f250. The 5.4 triton gets a good 5 mpg less than the 4.6. Thats why i keep this truck. Its really just a spare. I wonder if the OEM one is a little beefier on the fin, Seems in the after market ones the fins thicker than the part pressed onto the shaft.

To be honest after about twenty years in construction and always being loyal to ford im think Silverado is the way to go from here on out. Gm just seems to be way outperfoming fords for us across the board. We have a 08 siverado nearing 100,000 miles that pulls our heaviest trailor and havent had to do a dam thing to it outside normal maintenance.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sun, 26 Oct 2014 06:43:11 EDT

fixrman posted : Smart money says, "At triple the price, a new water pump is worth it".

The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Just because a job is "easy" doesn't mean one should keep doing it over and over again. Think of it this way: would a customer tolerate that kind of unreliable service?
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 21:26:25 EDT

Cho Baka posted :

said by rody_44:

Auto zone rebuilts. Junk in otherwords, 35 bucks, easier to replace than most vehicles.

Why buy junk rebuilts and then complain when they fail?
--
わかる？

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 18:49:19 EDT

rody_44 posted : Auto zone rebuilts. Junk in otherwords, 35 bucks, easier to replace than most vehicles.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 17:55:16 EDT

daveinpoway posted : Were all of the failed water pumps OEM (from the dealer), or were some of them after-market (from Pep Boys, etc.)?

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Sat, 25 Oct 2014 08:00:25 EDT

rody_44 posted : The 4.6 has a poorly designed cooling system. Its basically air gets trapped at the sending unit resulting in inaccurate readings to the gauge.

I have to work on my 4.6 today as it acted up this week. Losing heat at the heater. first suspect you would think would be heater core or thermostat. Pretty sure its going to be the water pump. Every time i go over 45 mph i lose heat in the cab. Pretty sure what im going to find is its losing the impeller of the water pump at them speeds. I know your going to say no way it comes loose and than goes back to working. I have news for you. When i pull it today and if it falls off it will be the fourth water pump going in in 150000 miles. Just another bad ford design. Three have failed me on this truck in the last few years. Luckilly its a big cooling system with a small motor. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Wed, 22 Oct 2014 02:39:45 EDT

Anonymous_ posted : if the engine is running COLD thermostat is stuck open . and is failed in the open position THIS is a fail safe

IF the engine is OVERHEATING the thermostat has FAILED and is stuck closed. (or a fan or 2 is dead, plug in the system, air in the system)

If this does not fix it the cluster is bad(the dead spot in the motor for the gauge), bad temperature sensor

AIR does not cool engines AIR in the COOLING SYSTEM MAY cause it to overheat NOT cool it down i.e coolant may boil over
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un-registered users posts are ignored

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 17:08:19 EDT

daveinpoway posted : Since the vehicle probably has a lot of miles and it is likely unknown when the coolant was last changed, replacing the coolant was probably a good thing. It was not stated, however, whether the system was flushed to remove all of the old coolant and any contamination.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:35:21 EDT

rody_44 posted : Its common for the 4.6 to do this. Its air in the system. Follow the link from the earlier post and it will go away. Or do what i do which is take it for a ride on a highway at around 80 mph and it will burp it out. I hate radiators that dont have any caps.

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 10:18:51 EDT

fixrman posted : I don't know if the engine is running cool. I suspect it really isn't which is what I am getting at by asking if the engine smelled hot. A clogged radiator can leave half the radiator "cold" - relatively speaking, especially in a cold ambient. I don't *know* so I have to ask. My experience is to test and proof rather than grabbing a shopping cart to fix a car.

Since I can't see it nor see what was done - nor can I assume knowledge on the part of the poster - I have to ask. If the poster's diagnostic knowledge was higher though, I'd suspect the post wouldn't have been made I the first place. Good and complete information is key, guessing gets expensive. :-)
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 09:16:47 EDT

workablob posted : This was normal for mine after a Thermostat replacement. The mechanic said it was recommended since they had problems with getting too hot and my gaskets couldn't take it. I think it was the manifold gasket that gave out spewing coolant on the engine when hot.

It took a long time for the heater to get up to snuff in the winter but other than that it was fine.

2000 F-150 V6.

Blob
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Don't try to follow me, I have a cab waiting. EEEEEEEEradicator!

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:44:21 EDT

Cambobound posted : As much as I respect your knowledge, I must ask why you believe a clogged or plugged (somewhere) cooling system could cause an engine running cool.

OP, if he did run the heater and it seemed fine, the next thing to test and possibly replace is the temperature sending unit.
--
Keep Right Except To Pass!

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:32:43 EDT

fixrman posted : I have an idea.

1. Did you verify that the engine was not getting warm? Did you try turning on the heater and see if you had any heat output?

2. How long did you let it run before you checked the upper hose, and how cold is it right now in IL?

3. Did you check the lower radiator hose for heat? Did you check any spot along the radiator tubes for heat? Did you check to see if there might be air in the system?

4. Did you look at the thermostat to see if it looked broken? Did you immerse it in hot water to see if it would open?

5. Did you get any material out of the cooling system that looked unusual? Was there Calcium, grit, or muddy-looking coolant present? Did you remove the lower radiator hose and see if any foreign material came out?

6. It is a very bad practice to guess what might be wrong with a vehicle. I am assuming that a 1999 F-150 has a lot of miles on it. Did you test the coolant at all to see if it was at the proper strength? What color was it? Did the engine seem like it was unusually hot or did it smell "funny"? How does the engine run?

Basically in what I am gathering here is that you just threw a part at the car and hoped it would fix it. While it was common years ago to have thermostat failures, improvements in parts and materials have made those replacements not as common as before. Coolant additives and composition have improved significantly. I prefer to test things to know that the part I am replacing actually will fix something. While it may not be relatively expensive to replace, a thermostat replacement does take time and in this case seems to be a waste of time since it didn't fix the problem. My experience suggests that the radiator may be clogged or the coolant pump impeller may have worn away and is not providing enough circulation. But also the system may have contaminants that have clogged or plugged something else. It is possible the system is airbound or has [a] blown head gasket[s].

Test, don't guess - or pay someone who knows enough what to do. ;-)
--
"from a broken heart to a hole in the sky"

Re: [Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:26:34 EDT

LazMan posted : It may have air in the system... Here's the process to burp the air out of the system.

»www.reischeperformance.c ··· ill.html

[Help] 1999 F-150 4.6 runs cold

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:14:02 EDT

Timmn posted : A friend of mine just bought it and drove it 350 miles back to his house. The entire time, the temperature gauge barely got above the cold mark.

I've been helping with it, and I thought that it might be that the thermostat was stuck open, so I drained the cooling system, flushed it out with the garden hose, put a new 195 degree thermostat in and new antifreeze.

It still runs cold, the upper radiator hose barely gets warm. Anybody have any other ideas?