Indicated Engine Temp Never Normal
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Indicated Engine Temp Never Normal
Hey all,
I have a 2003 F-150 SCREW FX4. It has been a great truck and with a few small repairs I think it will be an amazing truck.
I live in CT and it is cold here, 15-25 degrees. About a week ago I my thermostat in the dash started to act weird. It no longer reaches the middle of the band. The needle lifts off of the low after about 5 minutes it still never gets to the middle of the band.
I lived in upstate NY for nearly a year and it was much colder there then it is here and the thermostat would return to normal after 5-8 minutes.
I have drove my truck for 40 minutes and the indicated engine temp never goes to normal.
Anyone out there know what might be wrong?
Please help.
~k_day64
I have a 2003 F-150 SCREW FX4. It has been a great truck and with a few small repairs I think it will be an amazing truck.
I live in CT and it is cold here, 15-25 degrees. About a week ago I my thermostat in the dash started to act weird. It no longer reaches the middle of the band. The needle lifts off of the low after about 5 minutes it still never gets to the middle of the band.
I lived in upstate NY for nearly a year and it was much colder there then it is here and the thermostat would return to normal after 5-8 minutes.
I have drove my truck for 40 minutes and the indicated engine temp never goes to normal.
Anyone out there know what might be wrong?
Please help.
~k_day64
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Joined: May 2004
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The vents put out hot air when I turn the heat on. It takes about 8 minutes for it to warm the engine. Hot air is only produced when the needle is off COLD. The hotest air maybe cooler then normal. To be honest I dont think I ever run the HOTTEST air while the engine is warm.
~k_day64
~k_day64
Last edited by k_day64; Feb 10, 2007 at 07:02 AM.
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From: NJ
Hi,
I've replaced three thermostats (one each on three different cars, the most recent on my '00 F150 4.6) in the last three years, and all exhibited the same symptoms in cold weather as yours-- that of a thermostat stuck open or not fully closing when cold.
I was able to get plenty of heat from my F150 even when the gauge wouldn't climb much above "C" on a cold night.
Forty minutes should be more than enough for the SES light to come on and the expected code would be "P0125: Insufficient Coolant Temperature For Closed Loop Fuel Control."
You didn't mention your SES light. Is it lit? If not, maybe your engine actually is reaching operating temp and the problem is with the gauge.
But it seems more likely, and it's cheap and easy, to throw a new thermostat in there and see if it fixes the problem.
~ed
I've replaced three thermostats (one each on three different cars, the most recent on my '00 F150 4.6) in the last three years, and all exhibited the same symptoms in cold weather as yours-- that of a thermostat stuck open or not fully closing when cold.
I was able to get plenty of heat from my F150 even when the gauge wouldn't climb much above "C" on a cold night.
Originally Posted by k_day64
I have drove my truck for 40 minutes and the indicated engine temp never goes to normal.
You didn't mention your SES light. Is it lit? If not, maybe your engine actually is reaching operating temp and the problem is with the gauge.
But it seems more likely, and it's cheap and easy, to throw a new thermostat in there and see if it fixes the problem.
~ed
