truck is overheating

55

Asked by fordowner96 Oct 01, 2015 at 04:43 PM about the 1996 Ford F-150 XL LB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

okay i just finished up repairing my truck 96 ford f150 5.0L

I replaced the engine/coolant sensor, the thermostat, water pump, new
antifreeze (right mixture) filled it up, let it run for about 3 minutes. took it
down the block, idled for a few moments with the heat on. the temp guage
with from the low position before the "n" of normal to now being between
the "r" and "m" of normal. as soon as i started to drive back to the house it
spiked in tempture to being at the "a" and "l"...i started to smell something it
didnt smell like antifreeze, but as soon as i turned off the heat the temp
guage went down to the "m" and the "r" and the smell stopped.  any advice
or suggestions?

would it be something to do with the heating and cooling.....

3 Answers

55

i let the truck cool down. added more antifreeze, topping it off. started it up, let it idle in the drive way...checked for leaks. none. everything is tight and where it needs to be. i drove the truck WITHOUT HAVING THE HEAT ON and the truck temp guage stayed between the "r" and "m" of the word normal on the guage. i drove it around the block, did some stop and goes, idled talking to some friends all for about 10 minutes and it remained between the r and m....also there was no smell this time. .so my question is since i didnt turn the heat/ac on is that the source of the overheating?

5 people found this helpful.
74,210

As long at the temp gauge is somewhere in the "normal range" you're OK. From a anti-freeze change (cold) to normal operating temp normally takes more then three minutes. The engine has to heat up sufficiently for the thermostat to open. When it opens it pulls coolant into an otherwise empty block. Naturally, this will cause the level to decrease in the radiator. Once more coolant is added the engine should operate correctly. If the smell went away, there is a possibility you spilled anti-freeze on the engine, especially if you changed the water pump and thermostat. What you were smelling was possibly the coolant being burnt off the block.

1 people found this helpful.

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