overheating

[screamdennis]

anybody have this problem ? my heater hasnt been working right for a few days , was only blowing cold air and then it would start blowing the warm air. i read the book again and pushed all the buttons and it still not right.
tonight when i got off work it 43 degrees out so i started the car and let it warm up , the heater was still blowing cold air , on the way home the temp gauge start rising and heading towards hot and it was moving fast , i then started to push heater buttons and got the heat to work the second it started to put out heat the temp started to drop rapidly. it was strange the runs just fine and only has 9645 miles on it.
i popped the hood and checked the antifreze it seems ok but didnt was to open the cap when it was warm.
well off to ford for a full check up . any ideas ? thanks:mad:

[Mongoose]

My best guess would be a sticky thermostat.

[bryanknie]

Heater? What is that?

[Ross]

It's mid October and I'll still be using my AC for another month, at least. I wondered about this post until I saw that it came from Alaska!

[RF Overlord]

scream:

Is this the first time you've tried the heater? Maybe there was an air bubble stuck in there and when you turned it on, it had to run through the motor until it vented out through the de-gas bottle...did your coolant level drop right after this episode?

[yorks]

Originally posted by RF Overlord
scream:Is this the first time you've tried the heater?
He's in Alaska with almost 10,000 mi on the car, RF.
I'm guessing he's used the heater before. I'm going with the sticking thermostat theory. My 2002 LS did the exact same thing with 5,000 km (3,000 mi) on it.

[Ross]

Well, Scream, if it turns out to be a sticking 'stat, and you need to replace it anyway, it might be a good time to get one of Dennis' stats and matching plugs to put in.

[RF Overlord]

Originally posted by yorks
He's in Alaska with almost 10,000 mi on the car, RF.


yorks/scream:

Sorry, I blew right past that...I got called out at 0430 so I'm still not all there (no comments from TAF or martyo)...

Dennis recommends NOT adding the lower temp thermostat and the cooler plugs unless you have a chip or a re-flashed ECM...you risk fouling the plugs...and they won't add any performance by themselves; they're installed to allow the new programming to reach its full potential without pre-ignition occuring...

[Ross]

Yep, my bad. I should have added that the stat and plugs go along with the new chip.

[screamdennis]

hi guys : i am going to take it in to the dealer and have look at it and see what the story is. its not really that bad here we just get fall a little earier then everyone else
by the way i think i ve only used my a/c once since i got the car , like to drive with my windows down when it gets that warm
will keep you posted on what happens and the fix they provide for the MM

[jgc61sr2002]

I agree with Mongoose, possibly something wrong with thermo stat or an obstruction in the cooling system.. If the heater is working properly and you Marauder is not overheating, it will be difficult to diagnose. Keep us posted.:(

[Zack]

The heater will blow cold air if the outside air temperature sensor is bad.

[screamdennis]

well got the mm back from the dealer and it was low on coolant , they couldnt find any leaks , it seems to be fine. if anything if the engine has a problem later on theres a paper trail.
thanks for all your help, iwas getting cold in my mm.

[Glenn]

One thing that may be of interest is that the MM motor is VERY sensitive to air being trapped in the cooling system. If you do any work on the cooling system, i.e. change the thermostat the system MUST be purged correctly or air bubbles will definitely cause it to overheat. Removing any air can also required some time and repeated purging. A air vacuum system may even be necessary to do it right. It happened to me while changing the thermostat.

Glenn

[valleyman]

Glenn - how do you purge the cooling system of air bubbles? I changed my thermostat and I'm not overheating (now) but I'm not confident that I have all of the air out of the system.

[jgc61sr2002]

Valleyman - There is a threaded fitting in the horozontal (metal) cooling line. Any air in the system can be bled by removing the fitting and adding antifreeze.

[valleyman]

jgc61sr2002 - That's what I thought but I wasn't sure. I guess what's confusing to me is when I think of "bleeding " I picture the old routine of pumping the air out the brake lines at the wheels. For the Marauder's cooling system do you just check at the fitting when the motor's cold and add fluid until it remains topped off?
BTW, thanks for the help. Much on this car is new to me.

[RF Overlord]

valleyman:

The correct procedure for bleeding the cooling system begins on page 191 of the owner's manual. If you have changed the thermostat or have any reason to think there is air in the cooling system, you must follow steps 5-7, even if there is coolant in the reservoir.

[valleyman]

RF Overlord,

We must have different owner's manuals. I have a 300A and the "Owner's Guide" that came with the car doesn't have any bleeding procedure in it. On my page 191 et seq. it's describing the emissions control system. However, all is not lost in the forest of my ignorance: based on your reply (and a previous one) I looked in my shop manual. It doesn't have page numbers but in section 303-03-11 it lays out the bleeding procedure for our motors with the numbered steps just like you described. Thanks. And it looks like it's simple enough for a lawyer to figure out.

[RF Overlord]

I was looking at a .pdf version of the owner's manual that the Bunny Lady found for me online...I a$$umed the page numbers corresponded with those in the real manual... :rolleyes: The car isn't here at the moment, but as soon as she comes back, I'll check the actual manual...mine is a 300A also, so I'll be interested to see if it's there, or was added to the 300B manual and maybe that's what the online copy is...

[valleyman]

10-4. Would appreciate the .pdf online link site for the owner's manual, if that's OK.

[RF Overlord]

It appears that the online .pdf version of the owner's manual I have been using is NOT an exact copy of the printed manual provided with my car...there are subtle differences in wording, and a few missing sections, as well as some added sections...I apologise to anyone I have inadvertently misled regarding the coolant bleeding procedure...

The manual that came with the car says it is a First Printing, dated April 2002...I can't find any dates in the .pdf version...

I will be happy to send a copy of the .pdf version to anyone...just PM me your e-mail address...

...and thanks to valleyman for bringing this to my attention... :up:

[frdwrnch]

You could potentially have a problem with the blend door motor. That is a small motor/gear driven device that changes the position of the air distribution door in the heater case. you can self test the climate control system by pushing the "off" and "floor" buttons simultaneously and then push the "auto" button. When the self test is finished a code will appear on the climate control display if there is a problem. If it tests OK the display will illumunate all segments. Turn off to exit self-test. If you get a code, record it and return to dealer.

[Ross]

This is cool. Previously someone posted about a self test that can be performed on the radio. Is there maybe a place we can post all of the self tests that we can perform? It would be great to have a handy reference of all of these.Also, if we couls have some kind of link or something to check out any codes we get in the various tests.

[jgc61sr2002]

That's why this site is the best. Thanks frdwrnch.:up:

[greene team]

please e-mail me the bleed procedures for 2003 merc marauder radiator skeeterhawk65@yahoo.com

[Blackened300a]

please e-mail me the bleed procedures for 2003 merc marauder radiator skeeterhawk65@yahoo.com

OLD THREAD ALERT!

Way to go old school...

[greene team]

is there anyone out there that can help with bleeding coolant system

[KillJoy]

is there anyone out there that can help with bleeding coolant system

Use the Search Feature searching for "burp".

One of the MANY Threads you will find, is THIS (http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=23614&highlight=burp) one.

And please, do not revive corpses :rolleyes:

Good luck!

:up:

KillJoy