BKO is back running.. small coolant issue

[TimLang]

Hi all,
Last night i finally got my project done. I dropped a brand new 351w in with all new temp sensors, 195* t-stat, a new radiator and electric fan. Once i got the bko running and tweaked some timing issues i was stuck on my cooling system.

My dash gauge was showing a high temp, past the NORMAL, at the last line but the coolant wasn't that hot. The fan was blowing cool air, the hoses weren't that hot and my meat thermometer that i stuck in the radiator was reading anywhere from 160-185*

The dash gauge spent most of its time on the L on NORMAL. Could it be the sensor?

Just looking to see if there are any other possibilities out there.

Thanks!
Tim

[TheUnforgiven]

it could be the sender for the gauge, or the gauge itself. The instrument cluster (like much of fords electronics) are VERY sensitive to the grounds. Make sure those are all clean and tight.

[BroncoBuff777]

Originally Posted by TimLang

Hi all,
Last night i finally got my project done. I dropped a brand new 351w in with all new temp sensors, 195* t-stat, a new radiator and electric fan. Once i got the bko running and tweaked some timing issues i was stuck on my cooling system.

My dash gauge was showing a high temp, past the NORMAL, at the last line but the coolant wasn't that hot. The fan was blowing cool air, the hoses weren't that hot and my meat thermometer that i stuck in the radiator was reading anywhere from 160-185*

The dash gauge spent most of its time on the L on NORMAL. Could it be the sensor?

Just looking to see if there are any other possibilities out there.

Thanks!
Tim

Sounds like a bad sensor my friend.. I got the 180 degree ford racing recommended it...Maybe its your trucks way of saying " i want to be 180 " :)

[TheUnforgiven]

180* is too cold, the EEC is designed to manage the truck at 195*.

just because "ford racing" recommended it doesn't mean it's right.

[JKossarides]

Temp guage sending units are inexpensive enough, $10.00 max for the Brass one, recently I just put one in, how does the fan clutch look. I just replaced mine as it was the original one along with a new Stat 195* thermostat and new radiator cap which started it all, I bought a new one by Murray from O'Reillys but the quality wasn't very good, made in Israel....? and for some reason it backed off a half a turn by itself, the little prongs weren't strong enough to hold it tightly shut....so I took it back.

I was having some issues with my dash temp guage where it used to peg right at NO/RMAL ever since I've had the BKO but then it started pegging around NORM/AL which is why I wound up replacing everything so now it just pegs around NOR/MAL most of the time and no change if I run the heater, it stays about the same so I'm not sure if it's the idiot dash guage or electrical........very odd but it's not overheating at all....

Good Luck ~

[TimLang]

Thank you guys!

I believe the issue was indeed my grounds.. probably because i didnt have any of them grounded

I did not run it yesterday. i was focused more on getting the front end re-assembled, but ill check back next week.

Thanks!
Tim

[87Roughneck]

Originally Posted by TimLang

195* t-stat

My dash gauge was showing a high temp, past the NORMAL

the coolant wasn't that hot.

The fan was blowing cool air

the hoses weren't that hot

radiator was reading anywhere from 160-185*

Hmm...

Usually that means that the thermostat hasn't opened...

[BroncoBuff777]

Originally Posted by TheUnforgiven

180* is too cold, the EEC is designed to manage the truck at 195*.

just because "ford racing" recommended it doesn't mean it's right.

when i run my self diagnostics for the codes the code for improper temperature is never given which tells me 180 is fine...Also its working great so maybe they are right. I dont go by what people say i just use it as a guidline.

[87Roughneck]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff777

when i run my self diagnostics for the codes the code for improper temperature is never given which tells me 180 is fine.

[JKossarides]

Glad you got it sorted out Brother...

Good Luck ~

[Redwagon]

what do you mean the fan was "blowing" cool air? the fan should be setup to be a "puller" which means it will pull air thru the radiator not push it thru.

[Iolaus]

I assumed he was talking about the heater fan.

[TheUnforgiven]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff777

when i run my self diagnostics for the codes the code for improper temperature is never given which tells me 180 is fine...Also its working great so maybe they are right. I dont go by what people say i just use it as a guidline.

No. That's not how it works bud. FORD didn't say "195* stat" as a guideline, they said it because that's what it NEEDS to have in there.

You're wasting fuel running it colder, and your performance is suffering not much but the truck isn't running at it's best.

Do as you wish, it's your truck but it's wrong.

[BroncoBuff777]

Originally Posted by TheUnforgiven

No. That's not how it works bud. FORD didn't say "195* stat" as a guideline, they said it because that's what it NEEDS to have in there.

You're wasting fuel running it colder, and your performance is suffering not much but the truck isn't running at it's best.

Do as you wish, it's your truck but it's wrong.

well im damn sure not hard headed if you guys say 195 then shit 195 it is, ive got nothing but accurate info here since i joined so to mark this off as a possible issue ill go ahead and install a 195 thermostat....Thanks for the info broski!

[cajunrebel]

Running a T-stat below 195° will cause the EEC to add more fuel than necessary to help the engine warm up, which that thermostat will not allow. An engine running richer will have lower gas mileage and performance.

[DNBELOWBRONCO]

It could also attribute to a bad cat problem down the line as the unburnt fuel will clog the cat or load it up and burn it at a higher temp and melt the honeycomb and at $600 and $650 a cat, for people who have two like me, that is a huge risk compared to a $15 thermostat change it. I was always told by the techs that the sensors on our trucks operate at certain temps and if you don't hit that temp it's like a chain reaction of "bad" events to compensate the difference..... -Kevin-

[TimLang]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

Redwagon - you are right. I meant to say the fan was pulling cool air from the radiator. I was not talking about the heater/blower fan.

After installing my adjustable temp controller i found out that it was junk. The built in plastic screw that should only turn 90* to adjust controller just spun and spun.

So i am replacing it tomorrow morning with a 185* preset temp controller.

Now for those of you that have and understand e-fan conversions, if i have the following setup and have it hooked up properly i should be good correct?

195* Thermostat
185* E-fan temp controller with 2 prong temp probe:
Red Power wire -> Battery +
Black Ground wire -> Radiator Support ground
Green Wire -> A/C bk/w wire
Yellow Wire = Ignition Wire -> Temp Probe
Orange Wire with 25A fuse -> Fan +
Brown Wire -> Temp Probe

Negative Fan Wire -> battery or body ground

Thanks in advance
Tim

[TimLang]

well it looks like i failed to comprehend the fan control temp. I will now be getting another adjustable temp controller so i can raise the fan switch to around 200-205* instead of the preset 185* which is lower than my thermostat. Gives me time to fab up my new upper radiator hose though

Tim