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tow truck THIKS its overheating

flathead92
Explorer
Explorer
our 2011 f 150 under load red lines and overheating warning light comes on BUT it is not over heating???? Ideas ???
30 REPLIES 30

RoyJ
Explorer
Explorer
Still don't get how the OP *knows* it's not overheating. OP, was an independent coolant temp sensor plugged in to verify?

If not, this is like saying: I just know my tank is not empty, but the empty light came on, gas gauge reads E, and truck sputtered to a stop. Help, what's wrong?

parker_rowe
Explorer
Explorer
time2roll wrote:
Trouble is if Ford gives you numbers that are normal but people have their own idea of normal so then cost of warranty service to tell the customer all is normal goes way up.

Who would just run at 240 coolant temperature and think all is normal?

If the needle is not moving all is normal. If there is an actual issue the needle moves up or down from normal. At this point don't second guess it... slow down.


Yep, the early 90's ford pickups I owned were the same way. Gauge was more like to old idiot lights, but people want to see gauges. Your either cold, normal, or in trouble.

Not sure if Ford did the same when they switched to the mod motors in the mid 90's, but I think this is a pretty common practice.
2015 Starcraft TravelStar 239TBS 6500 GVWR
1997 GMC Suburban K2500 7.4 Vortec/4.10
1977 Kawasaki KZ1000

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
Groover wrote:
MitchF150 wrote:
"Then Ford does not let the temp gauge actually MOVE until you are getting to 240* at least.. I think limp mode comes in around 250*."

I have noticed that the temperature gauge on my EcoBoost is very steady and wondered about that. I can't comprehend why Ford would give us a gauge and then disable it. Don't they want us to take care of our vehicles? Don't we need good information to do that?
Trouble is if Ford gives you numbers that are normal but people have their own idea of normal so then cost of warranty service to tell the customer all is normal goes way up.

Who would just run at 240 coolant temperature and think all is normal?

If the needle is not moving all is normal. If there is an actual issue the needle moves up or down from normal. At this point don't second guess it... slow down.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Good discussion, but OP hasn't been back in over 2 weeks to participate in HIS thread, so guessing he fixed it or isn't interested in rvnet opinions any longer....
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Groover
Explorer II
Explorer II
MitchF150 wrote:
"Then Ford does not let the temp gauge actually MOVE until you are getting to 240* at least.. I think limp mode comes in around 250*."

I have noticed that the temperature gauge on my EcoBoost is very steady and wondered about that. I can't comprehend why Ford would give us a gauge and then disable it. Don't they want us to take care of our vehicles? Don't we need good information to do that?

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
flathead92 wrote:
our 2011 f 150 under load red lines


What redlines? THe temp gauge? The tach? The fuel gauge?

Your question is far too vague for us to give any kind of a logical answer.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad
+1 MitchF150. I don't think the OP understands how engines "overheat" in today's computer controlled world.

Weldon
Explorer
Explorer
What weight is your trailer? Were you excessive as for as speed? Surely the dealer checked your thermostat.

Weldon
Explorer
Explorer
What weight is your trailer? Were you excessive as for as speed? Surely the dealer checked your thermostat.

MitchF150
Explorer III
Explorer III
Well, the original poster has the Ecoboost engine. When they go into limp mode, it's to save itself. May or may not leave a code. The system is just doing what it was meant to do in that condition.

Boost is a great thing for producing a lot of power on these little 3.5L V6 engines.. 365 hp and 430 tq.. Not too bad...

But, the cost is you can't just keep 15 psi of boost for endless amounts of time. 2-3 minutes, sure, but it'll get dang hot in that short time!

Let off and it cools down pretty quick.

Just sticking the thing in D and setting T/H mode and then just bombing up the grades or trying to keep "the speed limit" and letting it run in 6th gear doing will will put that boost level over 10 psi and that's where the coolers can't keep up for any length of time.

I've been towing with my Eco for over 6 years now and from day one and there is a learning curve to being able to run these things well..

Once you start monitoring the actual temps and other monitors that are not on the dashboard, you find out real quick that boost = heat and the longer you have that boost > 10psi, the temps rise quick.

Then Ford does not let the temp gauge actually MOVE until you are getting to 240* at least.. I think limp mode comes in around 250*.

I have gotten to 230* monitoring my coolant temp and the dash gauge has never moved. Trans temps have never gotten over 215*. Let off the gas either on the down side of the grade, or just gear down to lower boost and slow down a bit, the temps start to go down pretty quick.

I lock out 6th gear going on the flats. I have 3.73 gears and 5th will hold a nice speed of 65 mph at around 22-2300 rpms and around 2-3psi of boost. Temps hold steady at around 205*. Will move up to around 210* if the boost gets to 6-7psi and once over 10psi, 220* comes pretty fast.

The electric fans turn on at 213* on low and will go to high at 225*

This is all my using the + - button on the gear shift and running the gears to keep the engine in a nice 2000-4000 rpm range.

Up the grades, I like to hold it in 4th, pulling just under 3000 rpms and around 50-55 mph.

I still have a ton of pedal left, and can go 70 mph if I had or wanted too... But, the cost would be lots of heat really fast and to get to the top of the hill a minute or so quicker??

Anyway, just my experience with it.. I know I'll get ripped on this, so be it.. To answer the question of my cooling system, I have changed the coolant 2 times now and change my engine oil every 4-5000 miles at most. I've also changed the trans fluid 2 times and I have over 103,000 miles on the Eco right now. It's just that the cooling system does NOT have enough capacity to handle it all... It's actually 2 gallons less cap then my old 97 F150 with the 5.4 had...:)

It's what works for me and I know my truck and I know my comfort zone and I've never been in limp mode or stuck on the side of the road... (knocking on my wooden head right now) ๐Ÿ™‚

Good luck! Mitch
2013 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab Max Tow Egoboost 3.73 gears #7700 GVWR #1920 payload. 2019 Rockwood Mini Lite 2511S.

BenK
Explorer
Explorer
Suggest posting on the Ford F150 forum

As for the dealer unable to find the issue, try another dealer or ASE Master Mechanic specializing in thermal management.

For your dash gauge to go into the red zone and go into limp mode, there has to be a code set. A simple code reader should find that code.

If no code set, then there will be too many things that might be taking the thermal system down. Personally dislike overly complex vehicles and their level of diagnostics (today).

Lastly, what was the last time you had the HOATs coolant flushed ? and...have you been opening the closed coolant system? That allows air & the main culprit is oxygen being allowed into the HOATs mix, which is very bad and will cause acid laden globules to form and stick to cooling areas (radiator tubes) to both plug and rot it out from the inside
-Ben Picture of my rig
1996 GMC SLT Suburban 3/4 ton K3500/7.4L/4:1/+150Kmiles orig owner...
1980 Chevy Silverado C10/long bed/"BUILT" 5.7L/3:73/1 ton helper springs/+329Kmiles, bought it from dad...
1998 Mazda B2500 (1/2 ton) pickup, 2nd owner...
Praise Dyno Brake equiped and all have "nose bleed" braking!
Previous trucks/offroaders: 40's Jeep restored in mid 60's / 69 DuneBuggy (approx +1K lb: VW pan/200hpCorvair: eng, cam, dual carb'w velocity stacks'n 18" runners, 4spd transaxle) made myself from ground up / 1970 Toyota FJ40 / 1973 K5 Blazer (2dr Tahoe, 1 ton axles front/rear, +255K miles when sold it)...
Sold the boat (looking for another): Trophy with twin 150's...
51 cylinders in household, what's yours?...

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
flathead92 wrote:
well Ford cant find anything wrong. they even called factory. Cant belive this is the 1st f-150 that has this issue. we even pulled a heaver camper before down sizing. Censers would go out and stay out, this only happens under load. went from San diego to Phx red line. I say tow mode mother board isssues


I still canโ€™t figure out whether youโ€™re talking coolant temp or rpms?
But to play detective, I donโ€™t see a summer drive pulling a camper across the desert at coolant redline so
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5โ€ turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

FishOnOne
Nomad
Nomad
I'm not sure where the temperature sensor is on these engines, but it might be worth a shot to measure the temperature at or near the engine temp sensor or on the thermostat housing using a inferred temperature meter that you simply point the LED light on the location you want to measure temperature and compare its measurement to the trucks reading.
'12 Ford Super Duty FX4 ELD CC 6.7 PSD 400HP 800ft/lbs "270k Miles"
'16 Sprinter 319MKS "Wide Body"

flathead92
Explorer
Explorer
well Ford cant find anything wrong. they even called factory. Cant belive this is the 1st f-150 that has this issue. we even pulled a heaver camper before down sizing. Censers would go out and stay out, this only happens under load. went from San diego to Phx red line. I say tow mode mother board isssues