How hot is HOT

tarnold wrote:
Ford v10 (v8,v6) when water temp reaches a certain temp, half of the cylinders shut down into limp. What is the actual temp in degrees that this occurs?

I simply don't understand this type of thinking. IMO, the exact temperature of the coolant (50/50 mix hopefully) doesn't matter. If your Ford V10 goes into limp mode because of a coolant overtemp (read the provided gauge on the dash) AND you continue to drive it, well, YOU DESERVE EVERYTHING that happens next.

IMO, limp mode is not designed for continuous operation with reduced performance. It is there to warn you of impending doom and to allow you (if possible) some time to drive directly to the nearest repair facility with minimal damage to the vehicle/engine/transmission. Being in limp mode is NOT a guarantee of continued safe operation.

I know, I know. there will always be those who claim to have driven for years with "no problems" in limp mode. (check engine light on) To them I say GOOD! Keep doing what you're doing! You won't have any problems until you do.

Edit: To a**ume that the water temperature is the ONLY sensor input that determines if/when your ECU puts your vehicle into limp mode is false. How do you know if your scan gauge is pointed at the key critical point before engine damage occurs? What if you lose cooling system pressure along with having the wrong mix (50/50) of water/antifreeze in the system? Hint: It boils at a much lower temperature. I don't mean to be critical of your desire to know more about your engine. The engineers at Ford who designed and built your chassis are MILES ahead of you. They make mistakes too, but, I'm not sure you appreciate that they even exist. What they do and why they do it are not an accident.

Chum lee