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F350 460 overheat

5K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  Lavoysmart 
#1 ·
I have read a bunch of stuff try iij ng to figure out what is causing the overheating. It is a f350 470 automatic transmission. I have changed spark plugs wires and adjusted timing to 12 adv. New water pump, 4 thermostats at different temps, fan clutch, temp sending unit, and the radiator is 2 years old. The truck feels like it has tons of power but anytime I drive it it gets warm and bounces the temp gauge from 3/4 of the way and boiling to 1/4 of hot and not boiling. When I have on the gas stays cool but when I let off and coast it will warm up. After I get it home and park it will warm up a bit. Then when I rev it will cool down. I notice when it's running it dont look like any hoses are collapsing but when I shut it off it seems like it is trying to suck from the thermostat to the top of the radiator. And when I take the cap off it sucks air and stops boiling. I don't know what to do next.
 
#2 ·
HI, HHMM a couple of things come to mind..
is the thermostat pointing the proper direction .. towards the radiator..
If it has a clutch fan is it working properly
is there a fan shroud they help a lot.
are you getting enough coolant in it, coolant should be no more that 1" below the radiator cap. Run it to temp, shut it off let it cool and recheck coolant level.
and lastly how old is the pressure cap.. if it does not hold the proper pressure it can cause the loss of coolant and you won't see the loss it well just be gone, because it is pushed out while driving..
good luck
tim
 
#3 ·
The pressure cap is new and thermostat is installed correctly. I even looked up how to install it even tho I know how just to make sure. I have filled it and got it to temp then shut it off before and everything was good. Then I started driving got hot again. Also new antifreeze.
 
#7 ·
it will never run right ,or cool with 20 or 25 total.

YOUR prob checking it wrong, total should be check @ 3000 to 3500 rpm
 
#9 ·
Correct. With the spout removed it tells the ECU not to adjust timing so that’s when you set base timing. With the spout in the distributor follows the timing curve that’s programmed in the ECU. With the spout in bring the rpm’s up to 3K and see what the timing is at that point. Having a digital timing light with a tach on it is a big help.
 
#10 ·
With the EFI 460's a timing jump to 20+ when the spout is plugged back in indicates that the pip signal is getting to the ECM. Simply increasing RPM to 3000 does not give an accurate picture of total timing because the ECM is adding part throttle vacuum based timing to the existing RPM based timing tables.

If you do not have a PIP code your timing is likely fine. You can also do a timing test in KOER if memory serves.

Have you used an infrared gun to get temp information?

Is the engine unopened?

Can you see proper water flow through the radiator?




SJ
used 2b RHP
 
#12 ·
Bottom hose has a spring and does not collapse?




SJ
 
#14 ·
Is the radiator cooling fan original to the truck and does it have 7 blades? What fan clutch did you purchase, brand and number wise. I ask due to 460 car applications also having 7 fan blade fans although they are not as large or aggressive(less blade pitch) as compared to a truck/van application cooling fan. This is also differences with the fan clutch itself, the truck application is a heavier duty unit and has a different fan attachment bolt circle as compared to a car application. A Hayden #2799 is a good choice, I believe Hayden is also the supplier for the factory replacement Motorcraft fan clutch. Anything changed pulley-wise from stock? Not sure of year of EFI 460/application, but I had a '90 F350 4x4 w/ 460 and it would start to ping when initial timing was over 10-11 degrees, now this was with using 87 and 89 or a mix of both. Just trying to help.
 
#16 · (Edited)
SOMETHING ELSE YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW, THOSE WHO MIGHT KNOW THIS PROB FORGOT BY NOW?

BACK IN THE 80S WHEN I WAS WITH FORD THE CAMPER GUYS WERE BITCHEN ABOUT ALL THE NOISE THE 460 (THE ENGINE)CLUTCH FANS WERE MAKING WHEN THEY KICKED IN.

THIS is kinda sums it up in what some wrote ...........

Heres just one ex of what people wrote to rv mags,and to FORD.

I have a 460 in a 1990 motor home. When I first got the vehicle, the fan roared . I thought the engine was over-revving, but installed a tach and found out it was the fan. IT is so loud that it makes it hard to talk at a reasonable level. What can I do? Thanks

SO the rv MAGZINES ALL JUMPED on board and started in on FORD to do something. Well after a while An owner tsb I think it was came out and we were switching fans clutches in motorhomes and everything with a 460,NOW there were loud,but this was stupid. I wrote claims for over 300 fan clutches( FORD REPLACED THEM FOR FREE) that summer alone,and we all knew what was going to happen.

Come spring and warm weather the rv owners started calling, Saying my 460 over heats under a load,,lololololololololol. CAN I GET MY OLD FAN BACK?

After doinig some in house testing our selfs we found the new clutch cause the fan to come on a lot later ,and go off sooner,thus causing the eng to run 8 deg warmer right off the get go. then the bitchen started again FROM the RV GUYS, FORD KINDA TOLD THEM you got what you asked for , LESS NOISE.

We had told many that this would cause a warmer engine,but they all had to have that new fan clutch!



Last I knew jeggs had a good clutch replacement.
 
#17 ·
Hello, I had a similar problem after replacing my radiator. You need to check the air bleed line from the engine to the radiator neck. This line purges any air in the system. The air in the system will cause the gauge to be erratic and if too much air builds up a boil over. With the engine running when cold take the cap off and bring the rpm up to about 1,500 and check to see if there is a small steam of coolant coming from that hose at the radiator neck into the radiator. If not it's either kinked or blocked off with build up.
 
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