Overheating Issue (This morning Only)

[crimzon]

Had a weird overheating issue this morning.

Started up the MM, turned the heater on (It was about 45 this morning).. Drove to my daughter to school, when I got there, the temp was sitting about normal, but I noticed the heater was not blowing any warm air what so ever.

Sat in line for a few minutes, wondering about the heater, looked back down at the temp gauge, and it had jumped up almost to red. Pulled out of line, and killed the engine.

Of course the reservoir had over filled, and there was some nice steam coming from the grill. Let it cool back down to just above C (about 15 minutes), then started her back up. Checked the heater, and it was working great. Let it sit and idle for a few minutes, and it was cooling this time.

Any ideas on what happened? If it were a lot colder, I might lean towards maybe frozen coolant, but I just dont see that as being the problem at 45 degrees. This is the first time this has happened, and I have not done any work to the car in a month or so.

[RoyLPita]

It could be a sticking thermostat or air pocket. Have the dealer check it out if you are still in base warranty.

Just my .02 and then some.

[RF Overlord]

It DOES sound like you had an air pocket, as RoyL said...

Although you may have already burped it out, try the air-bleeding procedure and see if there's any left...

[Smokie]

When your car is cold, like first thing in the morning, remove cap from cross-over tube and try to add coolant mix until it comes right to neck of opening, if it takes much to fill it; there is your air pocket, If you cannot add any, maybe the stat stuck.

[HwyCruiser]

Check your radiator hoses (esp the lower) for a loose or broken clamp. That's all I'm worth on this one...

[jgc61sr2002]

I concur with the above. It sounds like air in the cooling system.

[CBT]

Unrelated, but one morning my heater core blew out, it was still dark out. Thought I hit a ghost! Turned on the interior light and saw green stuff pooling in the passenger floorboard, and steam rolling out from the dash. Ugly.:alone:

[B.C. Bake]

I'm no expert and mabe replying quickly, but sounds like the thermostat stuck and then reopened.......that's a weired one!!!!!

[Murader03]

I'd watch this closely. Happened to me last Feburary on the way home from work. Cost Ford a new engine in April because of the overheat. The thermostat stuck closed.

[David Morton]

Assuming you haven't done any cooling system work lately, I am doubtfull an air pocket "appeared" all of a sudden out of nowhere.

This one's a classic sticking thermostat description. Replace it.

BTW, how many miles since the 180 was put in?

[telson]

The heating in my 2004 Marauder was lukewarm, at best. I checked the threads on this forum and my engineer buddy. He correctly guessed that there was an air pocket in the coolant, even though the coolant level in the degas bottle (reservoir) appeared to be fine.

I know this solution has been written elsewhere, but here's what I did, for anyone who's interested.


1. Open the coolant Service Port (the small cap on the horizontal pipe that runs between the radiator and the engine. Use a 1/4" socket wrench to open it. Note: This is the highest point in the system. This was full of coolant.

2. Slowly open the cap on the degas bottle (the coolant reservoir). Do it slowly, in case coolant rushes in, and over, the bottle. I now looked in the Service Port and the pipe was now only 3/4 full of coolant. Aha, so the air pocket theory was correct.

3. Tightly close the degas bottle cap again.

4. I put a little over a Quart of coolant (note, we use the yellow Zerex G-05 coolant, not green or red coolant) in, via the Service Port. The degas bottle was, by now, full way above the Max line but my buddy said this was Ok.

5. Tighten the Service Port again.

6. I peered in the degas bottle, just in case I was supposed to equalize the pressure again. Lots of coolant in there!

[valkyrie]

Had a weird overheating issue this morning.

Started up the MM, turned the heater on (It was about 45 this morning).. Drove to my daughter to school, when I got there, the temp was sitting about normal, but I noticed the heater was not blowing any warm air what so ever.

Sat in line for a few minutes, wondering about the heater, looked back down at the temp gauge, and it had jumped up almost to red. Pulled out of line, and killed the engine.

Of course the reservoir had over filled, and there was some nice steam coming from the grill. Let it cool back down to just above C (about 15 minutes), then started her back up. Checked the heater, and it was working great. Let it sit and idle for a few minutes, and it was cooling this time.

Any ideas on what happened? If it were a lot colder, I might lean towards maybe frozen coolant, but I just dont see that as being the problem at 45 degrees. This is the first time this has happened, and I have not done any work to the car in a month or so.


Mike,
This same thing hapened to me yesterday. And it also happened to me last winter. It seems to pop up and disappear just as quickly.