I have a 96 f-150 and I can hear water sound in my dashboard. Now my wife called and said the truck is over heating and that the check engine light is on. Any idea what that sound is and does it have something to do with the truck over heating?

thanks

 

Coolant leaking into heater core maybe?

How is the coolant level?

 

What kind of water sound...like dripping....like a coffee perculator....like a whooshing faucet?

Whooshing faucet could be a leak in the brake booster or vacuum switch.
Perculator could be coolant boiling in the because of over-heating
Dripping could be a coolant leak in the heater core.

 

sound like water running. The sound is right after you start the truck, and only for about 20 seconds.
I will check the water level.

If it is low what does that mean?

If it is normal level then what?

 

Geez my truck has made that sound for years - coolents never low, a fast dripping sound , maybe a water running type sound at times. I only here it after the truck has been turned off. Figure it's an air pocket that water backflows into after I shut the vehicle off- in the heater core. hasn't hurt nothing.

 

My '00 does that too. Seems like it always did. Sure hope the over heating didn't cause any damage.

 

I hope no damage also, wife was driving with kids and did not stop right away.

 

Same exact problem/sound about a month ago...About two weeks after that, I had no heat and tthe windows fogged up. My money is on the heater core, got it fixed, problem has not been back! Sorry but its probably the case!

 

My 95 makes that noise at times. I haven't had any issues. Just made sure the coolant was at the correct level. Keep a spare of 50/50 in the truck just in case when the wife uses it.

 

Running water sound when you start - perhaps low coolant level and you're hearing air/water moving through the heater core. Running water sound when you shut it off, very likely a pressure equalization in the A/C system (or cooling system).

A good test for leaking heater core is to get the engine warm and turn on your defroster. If the windows fog up, it's toast. Another thing to look for is coolant dripping down out of the drain for the A/C or on the passenger side carpet.

 

sounds like it might be a heater core problem or the fluid level is low in heater core. When driving makes it slosh around a bit would be my best guess.

 

Mine never once came close to overheating - big dual core radiator with two seperate coolers in front of that for trans and oil came that way from the factory - never a prob. It just made that dripping sound when you shut it off - seems like it always has..I have new core lines on the bench that I need to install - mine are getting bad and leak once in awhile. I flush it every year , the block as well ..No probs and I have 200,000 miles on my 5.4L.

 

Mine started after I changed heater core but I don't know what to do to fix it. Do I need to flush the full system, if so how to empty all lines?

 

Open the radiator cap and squeeze the hoses. Also, warm it up and open it. Not hot though.