96 GT overheating issues persist

[D96V8Stang]

Whats up everyone? I've got a 1996 GT and for the passed 5 months, I've been having some pretty big overheating issues, the car has vaporlocked on me twice. I've replaced the radiator because it was bent due to a crash (car started overheating a month after the crash so that's not the issue unless the bent a.c. condenser would be causing airflow restrictions), I've put a manual gauge inline after the thermostat so I had a numerical reading of the coolant temperature, done multiple coolant flushes, replaced the tstat numerous times, replaced the reservoir cap fo the radiator reservoir, and just yesterday I put a new intake manifold on it because it was cracked, originally was just replacing gaskets and then noticed the crack which was silicone up by PO, the cars still getting hot, as in upwards of 212 on the highway, it has a 190 stat in it right now but I plan on putting a 180 or maybe even 170 in it. I've burped the system since the manifold replacement and made sure there was no air in it and just as another measure of reassurance, the car is parked nose up right now with the reservoir open. Anybody have any ideas what the issue could be at this point because I'm at a loss.

 

[evilcw311]

Putting a lower degree thermostat doesn't necessarily drop the temperature. A lot of times it can do the opposite. 170 doesn't mean it keeps your motor at 170, it simply means that's the temp when it opens. Sometimes this means the cooler fluid sitting in the radiator hasn't had time to cool down enough before touching back thru the motor. So be careful with dropping to low on thermostat ratings.

Have you verified that you don't have a bad head gasket? If there's a small crack in the gasket it may not make the motor run bad but will cause overheating issues.


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[Rolltide1006]

Dumb question, but does your fan work?


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[D96V8Stang]

Putting a lower degree thermostat doesn't necessarily drop the temperature. A lot of times it can do the opposite. 170 doesn't mean it keeps your motor at 170, it simply means that's the temp when it opens. Sometimes this means the cooler fluid sitting in the radiator hasn't had time to cool down enough before touching back thru the motor. So be careful with dropping to low on thermostat ratings.

Have you verified that you don't have a bad head gasket? If there's a small crack in the gasket it may not make the motor run bad but will cause overheating issues.


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I know the tstat doesn't control engine temp, and I know a lower temp stat could cause the coolant to not spend long enough time in the radiator and therefore cause cooling issues, I had a 170 in the other manifold before the swap so I thought maybe put it back in the new one.

As far as head gasket or head issues, I took it to a Ford dealer not long ago because I have a friend that's a mechanic for the dealer and he did tests and said the heads/gaskets were fine

 

[D96V8Stang]

Dumb question, but does your fan work?


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The fan works on both high and low settings, and when the a.c. is on

 

[Rolltide1006]

The fan works on both high and low settings, and when the a.c. is on

Does the car consume coolant? Since you say it's been flushed I'm assuming there are no clogs. Maybe a head gasket issue like stated above


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[Rolltide1006]

Oooo oops just saw that you buddy checked them out. I'm going to think on this one and get back to you


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[D96V8Stang]

The car hasn't since I replaced the manifold. Thanks for your input

 

[lwarrior1016]

Has the water pump been replaced? You said it was in a crash, how bad was it?

 

[D96V8Stang]

Has the water pump been replaced? You said it was in a crash, how bad was it?

Water pump hasn't been replaced, the crash wasn't all that bad, the car kicked sideways and I hit a tree on a backroad, I wasn't going fast enough to screw up anything major, the radiator and the a.c. condenser both bent, but both worked. I replaced red after I broke it trying to mount it after changing the bumper, headlights, and header panel.

 

[evilcw311]

Pump could be the problem then.


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[SnakeBit!]

lower t-stat did help mine. however, you have done that and the radiator. what about your condenser. have you replaced that? it was a part of a Ford TSB at one time...the fins are too tight on the 96's. using a 97 or 98 condenser will help alot. did that on mine too since no one had done the tsb when they had the car. grille delete can help some too.

is the radiator air deflector still under the car?

 

[D96V8Stang]

lower t-stat did help mine. however, you have done that and the radiator. what about your condenser. have you replaced that? it was a part of a Ford TSB at one time...the fins are too tight on the 96's. using a 97 or 98 condenser will help alot. did that on mine too since no one had done the tsb when they had the car. grille delete can help some too.

is the radiator air deflector still under the car?

Still have the stock condenser, I bouht a new one that the eBay seller listed for 98-04 and of course it won't mount up right. I can try that. I had to get another air dam for it after the wreck but it didn't help much. And as for the grill, I will also try removing that, but I'd like to habe it simply for looks. Thanks for the input.

 

[SnakeBit!]

before you buy another condenser, check the fin count on it.

 

[D96V8Stang]

before you buy another condenser, check the fin count on it.

Alright, I'll double check, like I said in the beginning of the thread though, this ones pretty bent as it is so I need a new one anyways, but the longer I can wait the better

 

[evilcw311]

If the condenser is pretty bent then it's probably not letting much air thru which means it's not letting any air thru to the radiator.


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[D96V8Stang]

If the condenser is pretty bent then it's probably not letting much air thru which means it's not letting any air thru to the radiator.


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I believe you were right a out the condenser, I took a screwdriver and spread apart the fins every quarter inch on the condenser to allow more air flow through it, and it's running cooler not, but it's only been a day and a short drive, but the car would get warm on the same drive every day. The real test will be a longer drive to see how it holds up, hopefully no more vapor lock. My water pump isn't leaking anywhere and the pulley is t loose so I believe it's fine, and like k said someone at Ford tested it and said the head gaskets were fine....but they also said there was no coolant leak when there cleasrly was from a cracked manifold, loose connections, and no tstat gasket. I also put a 170 stat in the car in hopes it helps as well. The condenser currently still works, but if this does end up being my only issue with the car, I'll be buying a new one for it. Thanks for your input.

 

[D96V8Stang]

Well, even without an A/C condenser on the car, it would get warm going under 50mph, and especially if I had the a.c. on to kick the fan on. I accidentally left the fan a.c. on max so the fan was kicked on and I was going down the higway and it stalled. I went to Ohio this passed weekend, only a state away, and the car did moderately okay on the way up which is a 151 mile drive, then to a friend's house about 50 miles away, but then on the way back from my friends house to where I was staying, after the car had plently of time to cool, it stalled on me within 10 minutes of being on the road. I topped the tank up and got back on the road and back to where j was staying with little to no issue.
I'm going to move this to another thread now because I don't believe my stalling issue is quite an ovethea ting issue anymore but I still don't know why it gets hot when stopped at lights or in traffic;upwards of 200 some degrees, my fan kicks on at 210 on low.