With all the talk about radiators and towing packages, I was curious. . . has anyone had their F150 overheat? Anyone? . . . .


Thanks,
Alvin

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Black 2000 F-150 XLT Sport
4.6L V8 5-spd Manual
3.55 Limited slip Rear Axle
Towing Package

 

Yep, my needle never moves. If you've ever spent time in Atlanta rush hour traffic, your vehicle tends to get kinda hot. I have the towing package on my truck and the 1 inch thick radiator. I've never seen my needle move past the normal operating point either, even in rush hour traffic

 

Are you using the stock temp gauge? These are know not to give you any indication of a problem until it is too late. You may want to look at someone that has an aftermarket gauge to give a temp readout

-Tills

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2001 F-150XLT SuperCab, Styleside, Silver, 4X4, 4R70, 5.4L, 3.55LS, 17in Rubber, Sport Package, Bedliner, Sliding Rear Window and a driver with a lead foot

 

Tills' right -

The OEM gauge does NOT indicate the temperature fluctuations that you should normally see. Instead of showing a position that is directly related to the temperature, the OEM gauge is "damped". In other words, so long as the temperature is between 190 F and 240 F, the needle points RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. I've been told that this was a marketing ploy to ease customer's concerns over normal temperature fluctations (i.e. A/C on in traffic).

So, even IF you have the small radiator with the towing package, you won't be able to tell IF you're running HOT unless you've installed an aftermarket gauge in place of the one in the dash. My main concern with this is NOT overheating, per say, but with the heat being pumped into the transmission.

I had a 1994 Ford with a 302 and the towing package, and while pulling a 7000 lb trailer, the needle never moved past the "OR" in "NORMAL". I don't think that gauge was "damped" like the new trucks.

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VENOM 99

• Y2K F-150 SuperCab XLT 4x4
• 5.4L, 4R70W, 3.55LS ORP, Trailer Tow
• Extang BlackMax tonneau
• BedRug
• Alpine CDM-7857 CD/Receiver
• Cobra 18 WX ST Weatherband CB Radio
• envious of those with the chrome steel 5-spoke factory wheels

www.students.uiuc.edu/~cellariu

 

Interesting. . . and with information like this coming out, does Ford really expect people to buy their vehicles? This isn't the first time I've asked myself this question.

Come to think of it, Venom has a point. My dad has an Econoline 150 van and his temp needle never moved. The day it did, he found out his heating coil was blown and he had to replace it as well as the thermostat. So, I will be looking into the aftermarket gauge.

Thanks for all your input. Honestly I was curious. Sometimes, the more I find out about our trucks, if they're #1, I really would like to know what we'd get with a Chevy or Dodge.

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Black 2000 F-150 XLT Sport
4.6L V8 5-spd Manual
3.55 Limited slip Rear Axle
Towing Package

 

use a mechanical guage with degrees on the guage

 

That's not even the point
I know that it's probably over kill
having the big radiator
but so is driving a s/c 4x4 truck back and forth to work
If it's a option and I check the box and they take my money for it
I expect to have it
and no I have never had it run hot
but who knows down the road when the truck is a little older pulling a load
I'd like to have a cushion



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99 XLT SC 4x4 STYLESIDE ORP 5.4,AUTO & 3.73 POSI
MED. TOREADOR RED
EXTANG TONEAU,BED MAT,
K&N FILTER & WOOD DASH KIT

 

my 97 f-150 4.6 with 115,000 miles has never even gotten to the mid-way point. always steady at about 1/4 up from bottom mark---and it gets hot down here!

 

Venom, where did you get this info? Would much appreciate it if you would contact me offline, jwright@law.harvard.edu.

-- J

 

Here is another question along the same overheating topic,

Anyone ever had the limp mode kick in on the motor? It is in all the triton V8s where it runs up to 100 miles with no coolant. Alternates cylinder banks like 2 4cyl engines.

Anyone?

 

HI!... I have a AUTOMETER "MECHANICAL" coolant temp guage in my truck. I beat on my truck on a daily basis and hve never seen it go over 200 degree's. That was in SUMMER 100+ heat and stuck in stop and go traffic. Most of the time my temp runs between 185 - 190 degree's. I also have twin 16 inch electric fans on my truck.

As for the "LIMP MODE", I had it kick in on me once. That's when I was about 4 miles from a buddy's house and my engine blew out the block heater frost plug. Even with it punched to the floor, I could'nt go over 35mph.

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NEAL " THE H.P FREAK" E-MAIL :nnewman@sympatico.ca
'99' F-150 XLT SPORT, oxford white, reg cab shortbox stepside,5.4, auto, 4.10L.S, captain's chairs, bedliner, GTS carbon fiber headlight covers, ***** CEPECK clear halogen driving lights, GTS slotted tailight covers (painted oxford white), fiberglass smooth wiper cowl (painted OXFORD WHITE), FORD locking lug nuts, tinted windows,true duel exhaust with 2.5 inch mandrel bent pipes and FLOWMASTER 3 chamber mufflers with 3' tailpipes exiting before the rear wheel like the LIGHTNING, HELLWIG rear stabalizer bar, 3 AUTOMETER guage pods, filled with tranny temp, engine temp, and oil preasure AUTOMETER "PHANTOM" guages,custom fabricated air intake trac and huge K/N filter, TPS mod, BELLTECH 2-inch rear drop, custom programed SUPERCHIP "FLIP-CHIP", BAUMANN ENGINEERING shift kit (on stage 5 setting)BYPASS CLUTCH CONTROL VALVE/PREASURE REGULATOR VALVE, ASP POWER PULLEYS, custom tig welded and ported JBA "JET BLACK coated headers, twin DERALE 16 INCH ELECTRIC FANS, PERMA COOL 14"/10" tranny cooler with 10" electric fan, custom ported (STOCK) throttle body, custom digital air intake temp sensor, custom ported TB intake elbow, relocated ATS, FORD RACING 24LB injectors, RUSSELL stainless steel braided tranny lines with fittings.


FUTURE MODS : BBK 75MM THROTTLE BODY, 80MM PRO-M MASS AIR METER, AADI F1 RAM AIR HOOD WITH CUSTOM FABRICATED RAM AIR SET-UP, CAL-TRAC TRACTION BARS, EXTRUDE HONED INTAKE MANIFOLD, SHM CUSTOM FUEL RAILS, 90/10 FRONT CE SHOCKS, 70/30 REAR CE SHOCKS, BELL TECH 2/4 DROP, EXPEDITION CENTER CONSOLE, HARLEY DAVISON F-150 LOWER FRONT VALANCE (painted oxford white) and a KENNE BELL BLOWZILLA SUPERCHARGER.

ESTIMATED H.P TO DATE : 340H.P / 425ft/lbs of torque.

CURRENT PERFORMANCE : 1/4 MILE - 14.53E.T * MPH - 93.00 * 0-60MPH - 5.8 * 1/8 MILE - 9.2 * 60 FT - 2.0

OTHER TOYS : "83" PRO STREET FORD RANGER : 351-w stroked to 408c.i 625H.P (natural), 875H.P with 250H.P "BIG SHOT" N.O.S kit, tubbed (crome moly tubing), 12 point chrome moly roll cage, 4-link with coil overs, MUSTANG II front suspension, c-4 tranny (race prepped), 4000rpm stall converter(8 INCH), 3" chrome moly driveshaft,AUTOMETER guages, 16.50 MICKEY THOMPSON rear tires, 4" M/T front tires, CENTERLINE CON-VO PRO rims, fiberglass hood - bumper - prostock hood scoop, wishbone trac-link, two chrome moly driveshaft loops, 16 gallon JAZ fuel cell,etc