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i have a 2004 f150 with the 5.4, i have a edge cs programmer set on level 2 tow mode. When i pull my camper up hills (roughly 4000 pounds max) the edge starts going off that my cylinder head temp is getting hot roughly 226 but have seen 230. It was 95 degrees out that day. my gauge on my truck cluster never seems to move nor do i get any codes thrown just an alert on programmer. I have done alot of searches to see what the truck should run during towing but have not yet seen a solid answer on this. Just trying to make sure whats going on if i have a problem are not. Any thoughts or ideas are much welcomed
Here is my 2004 5.4 going up a fairly step grade towing a 7,000 lb trailer in the Sou Cal summer heat. The oil temp should be pretty close to the head temp.
The highest I have ever seen mine go was 216 in 98 degree heat, up a long steep hill with the AC on and pulling a 3,000 lb boat...other than that she stays mid to lower 190's.
Ive also got an Edge and it shows 190-196 most of the time. It got up to 198 sitting in traffic on a hot summer day once but Ive never seen it above that.
I have a edge also running mostly between 194-200 driving ... on hot summer day idle in traffic or drive thru will climb to 220 , fans kick on full and she’s back down to 190-196
when it’s
30-50° F its only about a 5 degree difference from summer time weather when it’s 70-95°f outside engine runs around 190-210 no problem. Will fluctuate depending on conditions of driving etc. completed full radiator and new coolant flush , cold air intake installed, 3in cat back exhaust , tested with edge cts2 and also sctx4 do not put a 180 or lower than manufacturer rated thermostat. I run 93 octane this engine runs luke.
Last edited by Txwilson; Feb 24, 2019 at 08:42 PM.
My 4.2l v6 will go from 190-210 depending on the load. After it's warmed up, I've never seen it go below 190 or higher than 210. Someplace like 198F is it's happy norm.
Same 4.2 V6. At highway speed, 177 179. Around town, 186 - 196. Stock thermostat from the factory. Never changed because it still works.
Other posts in this thread mention the thermostat. Just in case anyone is interested, MotoRad part no. 228-160JV is set to open @ 160. I believe the OEM thermostat opens at 180. From the best of my memory, when I had a low temperature thermostat on my 5.0, was that it did not "over-cool" as people fear. The car still warmed up and reached operating temperature of 180.
The OEM thermostat housing which attaches to the upper radiator hose only has a paper gasket. Different people I know say to always use a gasket maker in a tube, because those paper gaskets won't work. But if all that it left the factory with was a paper gasket, and it's still not leaking, I don't have a problem with using the OEM gasket. Anyone replace a thermostat, using the OEM paper gasket, and ran into trouble?
Just for reference, here are a couple of photos from my ScanGauge II. Taken today. After a trip in rush hour, bumper to bumper traffic, which took over an hour to get from SJC San Jose International Airport to SFO San Francisco International Airport. 4th gear overdrive at freeway speeds. 3rd gear slowing down approaching the exit.
