Ford V-10 Techs Needed, Diagnos My Erratic Coolant Temp

[timmac]

OK I just went on a short trip out of town on my 08 Bounder Ford V-10, went to Laughlin NV and on the way back up that very steep climb out of Laughlin my trans was searching for gears since I was pulling my Jeep and Boat I decided to put the trans in 3rd on the shifter column and just cruise at 45-50 mph up the hill at about 4500 rpm's, I have never locked the trans in 3rd gear before just decided to try it today and about 4 to 5 minutes up the hill a beeping noise was coming from my dash says check gauges and my engine temp was at max in the red zone, as I slowed downed I shifted trans back into the drive selection and as RPMs went down the temp gauge moved back to the normal range in 1 second, yes it went from max hot to normal temp that fast, I dont know how fast it climb in temp did not notice that part.

So what the heck happen, I did drain my radator about 2 months ago and did test drive than but this was the 1st time out since fluid changes, I did check my radator fluid level at the next stop after this happened and all was fine and as far as I could tell my motor was never hot but the gauge said max hot.

So did running in 3rd gear do this OR did I have a air pocket stuck in the cooling system or what..

Yes its strange what happen but I have never seen a motor cool off in 1 second.

:C

[timmac]

No engine light has came on and I have not ran a scan with my scan tool yet, maybe I should but at least doing the thermostat since its 10 years old and never been changed seems like a good idea and might even throw in the cross over tube.

[Pirate1]

timmac wrote:
Well I am leaning towards this below as my problem and it was not overheating cause the temp gauge went back to normal in 1 second, it was just a false reading, time for a new thermostat and crossover pipe...………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

TSB
06-21-15 MIL ON - DTC P1285 / P1299 - 5.4L 3V / 6.8L 3V - FALSE OVERHEAT

Publication Date: October 13, 2006

FORD: 2005-2007 F-53 Motorhome Chassis, F-Super Duty


ISSUE:
Some 2005-2007 F-Super Duty and F-53 Motorhome chassis vehicles equipped with a 5.4L or 6.8L 3-valve engine may exhibit an engine temperature gauge indicating an overheating condition with the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P1285 and P1299.

ACTION:
Performing normal engine cooling system diagnostics in Workshop Manual, Section 303-03, if it is determined that the engine is not physically overheating (coolant expulsion), install a new thermostat and crossover pipe. They have been revised for improved cooling system flow characteristics.


PART NUMBER PART NAME
7L3Z-8575-A Thermostat - 5.4L
7C3Z-8575-A Thermostat - 6.8L
3L3Z-8C368-A Crossover Pipe - 5.4L
3L3Z-8C368-B Crossover Pipe - 6.8L

Do you have the codes noted in the TSB?

[timmac]

Well I am leaning towards this below as my problem and it was not overheating cause the temp gauge went back to normal in 1 second, it was just a false reading, time for a new thermostat and crossover pipe...………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

TSB
06-21-15 MIL ON - DTC P1285 / P1299 - 5.4L 3V / 6.8L 3V - FALSE OVERHEAT

Publication Date: October 13, 2006

FORD: 2005-2007 F-53 Motorhome Chassis, F-Super Duty


ISSUE:
Some 2005-2007 F-Super Duty and F-53 Motorhome chassis vehicles equipped with a 5.4L or 6.8L 3-valve engine may exhibit an engine temperature gauge indicating an overheating condition with the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P1285 and P1299.

ACTION:
Performing normal engine cooling system diagnostics in Workshop Manual, Section 303-03, if it is determined that the engine is not physically overheating (coolant expulsion), install a new thermostat and crossover pipe. They have been revised for improved cooling system flow characteristics.


PART NUMBER PART NAME
7L3Z-8575-A Thermostat - 5.4L
7C3Z-8575-A Thermostat - 6.8L
3L3Z-8C368-A Crossover Pipe - 5.4L
3L3Z-8C368-B Crossover Pipe - 6.8L

[charwan]

Way2roll

First let me say nice rig. Hunting an over heating problem is one of the worst problems to have. I went thru it last summer and I have a post on it. I did all that has been sugested here and still no fix. Only thing left was a radiator at $700. I pulled the radiator and the vains were coated over with a fine like hair from the road or if you have ever bush hoged a pasture and looked at the frt. of your radiator. This was in between the radiator and cooling coils. How it got thru the trans and ac coils I don't know. No one suggested this. How to see this problem I don't know. If you have a camera on a cable you might. I do know it want wash out easy. My problem started just like you said pulling up Monteagel Mt. Mine also had less then a 100,000 on it. I did all this work myself but it still cost me a small fortune. Good luck

[Trumpet_Player]

timmac wrote:

way2roll wrote:


I hear you on the tranny hunting gears.

That said, I would wonder if your still not overweight in what you are towing. A lot of RV's are almost to capacity leaving the factory let alone loading them up with people, fuel etc, then adding a car to mix. nevermind a jeep and a boat. I think the hitch rating just to tow on that year F53 is 5k and that's if your capacity can support it. Not sure what kind of boat you have but guessing the jeep and boat combo is over 5k. Maybe you know this and have compensated with an upgraded hitch and frame reinforcement.

I have a open stacker trailer that carry's my Jeep and 800 lb boat on top, total weight on this is 6500 lbs with 4 electric brakes and the motorhome itself is under its GVWR loaded {20,500lb chassis} and the frame in back has been reinforced and hitch upgraded, it can now handle 7500 lbs towing and air bags added to motorhome, Ford rates the motor/trans at 32,000 lbs total working rate.

Ford chassis specs for GCVWR with towing is 26,000 lbs

{Fleetwood down graded GCVWR to 25,500 lbs towing cause of there cheap frame extension and 5000 lb hitch}

He sure is over weight. He has a 5000 lb hitch. All the talk about upgraded this and reinforced that means nothing. He has absolutely no certification that he now has a 7500 lb hitch capacity. He is rated at 5000 lbs... end of story.

[way2roll]

timmac wrote:

way2roll wrote:


I hear you on the tranny hunting gears.

That said, I would wonder if your still not overweight in what you are towing. A lot of RV's are almost to capacity leaving the factory let alone loading them up with people, fuel etc, then adding a car to mix. nevermind a jeep and a boat. I think the hitch rating just to tow on that year F53 is 5k and that's if your capacity can support it. Not sure what kind of boat you have but guessing the jeep and boat combo is over 5k. Maybe you know this and have compensated with an upgraded hitch and frame reinforcement.

I have a open stacker trailer that carry's my Jeep and 800 lb boat on top, total weight on this is 6500 lbs with 4 electric brakes and the motorhome itself is under its GVWR loaded {20,500lb chassis} and the frame in back has been reinforced and hitch upgraded, it can now handle 7500 lbs towing and air bags added to motorhome, Ford rates the motor/trans at 32,000 lbs total working rate.

Ford chassis specs for GCVWR with towing is 26,000 lbs

{Fleetwood down graded GCVWR to 25,500 lbs towing cause of there cheap frame extension and 5000 lb hitch}

Nice set up. It's good to hear folks doing stuff the right way. I hope you get your overheating issue sorted out and it's nothing major. Seeing as it only happened the one time on the grade I would guess it's a simple fix like air or the stat sticking. Safe travels.

[timmac]

way2roll wrote:


I hear you on the tranny hunting gears.

That said, I would wonder if your still not overweight in what you are towing. A lot of RV's are almost to capacity leaving the factory let alone loading them up with people, fuel etc, then adding a car to mix. nevermind a jeep and a boat. I think the hitch rating just to tow on that year F53 is 5k and that's if your capacity can support it. Not sure what kind of boat you have but guessing the jeep and boat combo is over 5k. Maybe you know this and have compensated with an upgraded hitch and frame reinforcement.

I have a open stacker trailer that carry's my Jeep and 800 lb boat on top, total weight on this is 6500 lbs with 4 electric brakes and the motorhome itself is under its GVWR loaded {20,500lb chassis} and the frame in back has been reinforced and hitch upgraded, it can now handle 7500 lbs towing and air bags added to motorhome, Ford rates the motor/trans at 32,000 lbs total working rate.

Ford chassis specs for GCVWR with towing is 26,000 lbs

{Fleetwood down graded GCVWR to 25,500 lbs towing cause of there cheap frame extension and 5000 lb hitch}

[way2roll]

timmac wrote:

way2roll wrote:
The F53 is equipped with the tow haul feature to handle scenarios exactly as you described without having to manually shift into a lower gear. Did you try that?

Also, is it possible that towing a Jeep and a boat didn't exceed what your RV is engineered to handle?

My tow haul works good when going down hill but when going up a large hill it wont stay in the gear I want when I change speed so this time I just put it in 3rd gear so trans would not hunt, and to those that say I was killing my motor I was not at 4500 rpm the whole time sometimes it was 4000 rpm going up this hill and there was also head on wind and my whole setup weight is 26,500 lbs not over weight as to Ford motor/trans specs.

I hear you on the tranny hunting gears.

That said, I would wonder if your still not overweight in what you are towing. A lot of RV's are almost to capacity leaving the factory let alone loading them up with people, fuel etc, then adding a car to mix. nevermind a jeep and a boat. I think the hitch rating just to tow on that year F53 is 5k and that's if your capacity can support it. Not sure what kind of boat you have but guessing the jeep and boat combo is over 5k. Maybe you know this and have compensated with an upgraded hitch and frame reinforcement.

[timmac]

way2roll wrote:
The F53 is equipped with the tow haul feature to handle scenarios exactly as you described without having to manually shift into a lower gear. Did you try that?

Also, is it possible that towing a Jeep and a boat didn't exceed what your RV is engineered to handle?

My tow haul works good when going down hill but when going up a large hill it wont stay in the gear I want when I change speed so this time I just put it in 3rd gear so trans would not hunt, and to those that say I was killing my motor I was not at 4500 rpm the whole time sometimes it was 4000 rpm going up this hill and there was also head on wind and my whole setup weight is 26,500 lbs not over weight as to Ford motor/trans specs.

[way2roll]

The F53 is equipped with the tow haul feature to handle scenarios exactly as you described without having to manually shift into a lower gear. Did you try that?

Also, is it possible that towing a Jeep and a boat didn't exceed what your RV is engineered to handle?

[dodge_guy]

charwan wrote:

doxiemom11 wrote:
I didn't know you were ever supposed to use overdrive when climbing, and have always heard that keeping your rpm's down also will help keep the engine and transmission cooler. I think you will kill your engine/transmission if you keep pushing it that hard when you climb. Why do you think they always say - sit back in your seat, relax and enjoy the climb.

Well let's see if he has sense to just slow down to 4000 and pull the hill or start spending money as others have suggested. I still say he's killing his MH as you and I have suggested. Just because they tell you the V10 will do 4500 doesn't mean it will do it forever.

The engine was designed to be used to haul up to its rated GCVWR. So if it takes 4k rpm to get up a hill then it will do it. and it doesn't run at 4k rpm its entire life, only on hills that are steep enough to require high rpms. the V-10 is well known as a workhorse that can go 400k plus miles!

[charwan]

doxiemom11 wrote:
I didn't know you were ever supposed to use overdrive when climbing, and have always heard that keeping your rpm's down also will help keep the engine and transmission cooler. I think you will kill your engine/transmission if you keep pushing it that hard when you climb. Why do you think they always say - sit back in your seat, relax and enjoy the climb.

Well let's see if he has sense to just slow down to 4000 and pull the hill or start spending money as others have suggested. I still say he's killing his MH as you and I have suggested. Just because they tell you the V10 will do 4500 doesn't mean it will do it forever.

[theoldwizard1]

carringb wrote:
There's no reason 4500 RPM will cause overheating. It's designed to run that fast. I do it, and much faster, for extended pulls up long grades.

As mentioned cavitation will cause pockets of air that get "re-absorbed" when the caviatation stops.

Cavitation is typically caused by the water pump impeller. The bad news is, cavitation also causes excessive wear on the water pump impeller. If this sounds like a downward spiral, it is.

Of course, this is all speculation !

[rockhillmanor]

timmac wrote:
Well I did not change my thermostat when I flushed my system maybe I should have done that as well,.....

My bet is on a faulty thermostat. Draining the system is one thing. Flushing it without changing the thermostat is something I personally wouldn't do.

Bottom line though I don't ever flush the system on older vehicles. IMHO, JMHO Its' just asking for problems. Draining and replacing fluids is all I will do on an older vehicle.