Overheating... upper radiator hose is cold

[marshall_mosty]

I've got the car back together and running, but it will idle for approx 5 minutes and the water temp will skyrocket to 250 in no time flat. With the cap off the radiator it will push out all the water in under a minute after the water hits 150F.

I assuming that since the upper hose is cold that the thermostat is just not opening and I'm boiling the water in the heads and pushing is backwards through the lower hose into the radiator.

I'm going to pull the T-stat (currently 180 degree) and try without and see where I get.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Otherwise... it runs.

[mitchntx]

Sounds like an air pocket ...

[BSharp]

Either;
1: bleed the air by disconnecting the EGR cooling hose until coolant comes out. Or
2: Drill a 1/8 hole in the thermostat so air can bleed through or prop the stat open with a peice of paper matchstick, it will disolve once the stat opens.

[GlennCMC70]

does no good to try and get the water to the temp the stat opens (180) w/ the cap off. the cap holds pressure on the system that in turn raises the boiling temp of the water. you need to run the car till the temp starts to jump up (or till you chicken out) then shut it off and walk away for 30 minutes. this will give it time to allow the heat to conduct (right word?) to the thermostat and allow it to open. air will not conduct the heat to the stat. once the stat opens, it will allow some air to move around and to the rad. once the you do this once or twice, you should have all the air out.
also, like the other guys said, having a place you can open up that is high to allow the trapped ait to escape from is good too.

also, not sure where the stat is on a ford, but if you remove the housing for it, can you top off the motor from that place then re-install the stat and housing? this will aid in removing the air.

[marshall_mosty]

I confirmed that the T-stat opens, so I guess I'll try the 1/8" hole trick. There is NO bypass hole in the T-stat now, so hopefully it is an air pocket. I was thinking the same thing, but didn't know how to remedy the problem.

[donovan]

did you just change heads?

if so, did you get the head gasket on with correctly... there is a front and back... if you get it on the wrong way it will do that...

ask me how I know...

donovan

[marshall_mosty]

ask me how I know...
donovan

I won't ask...


I'm 99% sure they are on right. I was aware of the "front" stamped on the head gasket.

I'm going to gut the T-stat tonight and put it all back together. Wost case, I pull it down again.

[donovan]

also check and see if the Radiator cap is working, low presure will overheat as well.

donovan

[marshall_mosty]

David,
I was running the engine without the cap to get the bubbles out. I'm running a regular 16 lb pressure release. I'm planning on going to the 20-lb Volvo non-pressure release style once I get this resolved.

I would think that the car could get to 200F with the cap off before I got into trouble.

[AI#97]

David,
I was running the engine without the cap to get the bubbles out. I'm running a regular 16 lb pressure release. I'm planning on going to the 20-lb Volvo non-pressure release style once I get this resolved.

I would think that the car could get to 200F with the cap off before I got into trouble.

with the cap off, there is ZERO pressure to move the air bubble....leave the cap on and drive the car around the block and back....then burp it if you can.....or just fill the radiator. On my car, it took 3 full race weekends to get all the air out on the NON-STOCK setup...made me think I had a bad head gasket but there was almost a 1/2 gallon of air in the system that finally got squeezed out!