FORD 460 Overheating Mystery
1997 Fleetwood Southwind 35P ~Ford 460 engine. I noticed the rig running a bit warm when we first got it 5 years ago. It had 23K miles on it then. It seemed each trip it would run a little more on...
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Couple things I would check considering all that you have so far completed.
1) remove the thermostat and place it in a pan of boiling water. verify that it fully opens. OK to go for a drive with no thermostat and observe changes. Should warm up slower but how does it do under overheat driving conditions?
2) check coolant flow. Not sure the best way to do this. With the thermostat out, drain the coolant if you want to save it. With the cooling system full of water slip the top radiator hose off while running and observe how fast the water comes rushing out. Water should move very fast and drain the radiator in short time. Might need to retest at 1500/2000 rpm. This will confirm the passage ways are clear and the pump impeller is not rotted off.
3) if nothing is determined from the above how is the power? Seem sluggish or flat at low rpm and a bit better as it revs up? Hard to explain but this would indicate the timing chain had jumped a tooth or very stretched chain. Bit of a long shot. This would cause the timing to be off but could have been adjusted. Someone very familiar with 460 would see the distributor slightly out of position. Again this would be a long shot with so few miles.
Good luck.
1) remove the thermostat and place it in a pan of boiling water. verify that it fully opens. OK to go for a drive with no thermostat and observe changes. Should warm up slower but how does it do under overheat driving conditions?
2) check coolant flow. Not sure the best way to do this. With the thermostat out, drain the coolant if you want to save it. With the cooling system full of water slip the top radiator hose off while running and observe how fast the water comes rushing out. Water should move very fast and drain the radiator in short time. Might need to retest at 1500/2000 rpm. This will confirm the passage ways are clear and the pump impeller is not rotted off.
3) if nothing is determined from the above how is the power? Seem sluggish or flat at low rpm and a bit better as it revs up? Hard to explain but this would indicate the timing chain had jumped a tooth or very stretched chain. Bit of a long shot. This would cause the timing to be off but could have been adjusted. Someone very familiar with 460 would see the distributor slightly out of position. Again this would be a long shot with so few miles.
Good luck.
