Truck Not Heating To Proper Running Temp

Video search youtube. Its as good as having a Hayne's.

reply to post by TinkerHaus


Sounds like you covered about everything, If the ECT Sensor for computer was replaced, I would also replace the air intake air temp sensor also ($15 bucks or less), it plays a considerable role in how your computer controls the engine output.

I have been an auto mechanic with more than 30 years experience, and reading what has been done and being there are two different animals.

Good luck...

reply to post by Timely


There are two types of clutch fans - thermal and non thermal. Both are belt-driven.

Non-thermal fans operate at the RPM speed of the engine. That is, they are fixed and will always turn at the same speed as the shaft from the water pump.

Thermal clutch fans have a silicone gel inside and a temperature sensing coil outside facing the radiator. As the temp coil increases in temperature, valves inside the clutch open and allow the silicone to engage the fan, so that it starts operating at or close to the speed of the shaft.

Then there is the electronic viscous fan clutch which has input sensors from multiple points - which my truck is not equipped with and would require a whole bunch of aftermarket parts to make it work right. So if THIS is what you were suggesting, which I doubt because you would have known that it would require a lot of aftermarket parts, it's just not an option at this time.

Shdak
reply to post by TinkerHaus

 

Sounds like you covered about everything, If the ECT Sensor for computer was replaced, I would also replace the air intake air temp sensor also ($15 bucks or less), it plays a considerable role in how your computer controls the engine output.

I have been an auto mechanic with more than 30 years experience, and reading what has been done and being there are two different animals.

Good luck...

This was my next step based on your first reply. Thanks for the good suggestions!

Update:

So, I idled the truck a bit in the garage this morning. After about 20 minutes my temp gauge got up to about 2/3 of the length of the gauge.

The fan is still removed. There is a lot of resistance on the clutch when I try to freely spin the fan, which indicates to me (please correct me if I'm wrong) that the fan is engaged when it shouldn't be. I still plan on replacing the clutch when it arrives today.

Heater was blowing hot as it should but there was a slight shudder when turning the blower from off to on.

Also, and I should have mentioned this in my OP - the coolant that I replaced was NO BUENO. It was discolored and there was a brown sludge worked into some of the fittings. I ran a Prestone product through the cooling system for a day before flushing. I'm wondering if there is possibly some gunk causing blockage somewhere that could be causing my temp problems..

The only thing I did this morning was further "burp" the system by running the engine with the radiator cap off for about 10 minutes. I also checked that my head gasket was good by revving the engine with the radiator cap off and looking for explosive discharge - there was none so this checked out.

Thanks everyone for your good suggestions.. Sorry if I get snappy at times but this is really just frustrating the hell out of me. I guess the final test will be to see if the truck still gets up to temp once the new thermal fan clutch is installed. It should arrive by noon, so I'll check back in today.

seriously, so the youtube thing. Ive changed a clutch in an 89 f150, water pump in 03 Buick rendezvous, timing chain in an 88 ramcharger, freeze plugs in a 99 cirrus, head gasket in an 83 ranger, rebuiltcarbs for my 99 Honda shadow ace, etc. Easy to diagnose and use and you get to see everything done first hand. Don't rely on mechanics you don't know. There's a reason I do my own work now.

reply to post by Hillbilly123069


Right but.. This thread isn't really about the "how" so much is it was about the "what."

I'm comfortably doing my own work and have for many years.. I was just trying to get some help troubleshooting the problem.

Also, it's still not fixed.. But I began my work week and have to put everything back together. I'm starting to think there is possibly something wrong with the thermostat housing allowing coolant to flow before the thermostat opens, because literally EVERYTHING else has been changed out.

Be sure and tell us the final result, okay?

Hmmm... Crazy.

Since you've dug into it that far, may as well try the water pump too. Might be failing in a way that's not too obvious, and if coolant is gunked up it might not be leaking out much through the weep hole and giving you a typical sign of failure. Coolant doesn't magically circulate on it's own, and depending on where the sensor is located - the engine could be overheating while still reading cold.

TinkerHaus
Update:
It was discolored and there was a brown sludge worked into some of the fittings. I ran a Prestone product through the cooling system for a day before flushing. I'm wondering if there is possibly some gunk causing blockage somewhere that could be causing my temp problems..

The only thing I did this morning was further "burp" the system by running the engine with the radiator cap off for about 10 minutes. I also checked that my head gasket was good by revving the engine with the radiator cap off and looking for explosive discharge - there was none so this checked out.

i really wouldnt worry about the fan being on all the time. i would be more concerned with the discolored antifreeze and the sludge. sounds like you really need to flush the system.
replace the heater core my friend. its gonna suck but thats probably the problem.
if the thermostat is good, temp sensor is good and it is still not blowing hot, i would change it, especially cause you have that sludge.
i dont think looking for explosive discharge is a good way to check for a blown head gasket. you need to run a compression test. IF the head gasket was blown you would probably know it.
any white smoke coming out of the tail pipe? white is coolant, blue is oil.
if it were my truck i would
run compression test
replace heater core