Coolant boiled over today!

32ValveSymphony

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I know some of you have experienced this. I am going on a road trip tomorrow and this has me concerned. It was 108 here today. Should I be okay just checking the level in the morning?
 

03ShadowCobra

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I can't believe this has never happend to me. <knocking on wood> I have every possible known Cobra "issue" and some that I'm sure some have never herd of or want too. We have had some really hot weather around here the past couple of weeks and mine has not boiled over (yet).
 

flyn high again

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108! That's hot! I know my car responds much better when it's cooler. After a few 80 and 90 degree days, It felt much quicker today when it was in the 70s. I'm sure the heat puts more stress on the car while it's sucking in all the hot air. See if it overheats again tomorrow. Maybe carry a gallon or two of water just in case.
 

Steve Snake Driver

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Originally posted by 32ValveSymphony
I know some of you have experienced this. I am going on a road trip tomorrow and this has me concerned. It was 108 here today. Should I be okay just checking the level in the morning?

If you had to add coolant, make sure your heater is putting out heat, otherwise, you'll need to 'burp' the system through the port in the coolant crossover tube.
 

03DSGSVT

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Well not sure if it helps, but my wife and I took the hour trip out of the valley of H*ll a couple of weeks ago, for our ann. to Sedona.
It was around 105 to 107 here in Phoenix.
Of course we get stuck in literally stop and go traffic at the North edge of town for about 4 miles.
With the air on full blast, and stopping then going up to 25MPH for this distance, my temp got up to about 2/3rds of the way.
I could feel the A/C start to blow warm like it was cutting out or something.
I finally turned it off for about 10 minutes or so, and the car cooled down a little.
As soon as we started moving again, I turned the A/C on and got up to 75MPH, and it was back to the normal 1/2 way mark again...

It never boiled over, but it did start running hotter than normal.

I noticed whan I first purchased the car, when I went to get gas I checked the oil while fueling up.
I just remember how freaking hot the underhood temps were!!! :eek:

(This was one of the reasons I removed the hood blanket, to vent the heat)

All I can think of is that these temps over 100 degrees are just going to effect this motor to an extent...?

Try owning a 96 Cobra in this area!

Of course my 92 Bronco with a 351 runs as cold in the summer with the air on as it does in the winter...?
Go figure...?
 

B03Cobra

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Today, I didnt boil over, but got about .25 inch past center today, was like 102! Yeah looks like anything over 100 hehehe, I cranked the heat on and it dropped to center after a few mins.. Fhheeew it was hot, good thing the top was down!
 

CobraBob

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I've seen two local '03 Cobras with evidence of boiling over so far. One guy didn't know he had a problem, but he knew the anti-freeze stains weren't normal. There was a thread addressing this not too long ago.
 

32ValveSymphony

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I never noticed my gauge going over half, but I noticed a garage full of coolant :eek: I just hope I don't get stranded on the highway tomorrow on the four hour trek to the damn dyno. :shrug:
 

Cobra'03

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I have seen this happen twice.

1) Once, to me, when I was checking the thermostat opening temp. I had to burp the air out of the system using the big black pipe to the driver left of the SC.

2) A friend's car - it was seriously overfilled by some nitwit at the dealer - way over the line - the system purged the extra, and when it cooled, it was still over the line - we suctioned out the overfill and problem did not recur.

My chip cuts the fans in a bit sooner than stock, but I do not believe there is a known p[roblem area here.

Make sure that the coolant/water mix is at least 50/50 - you can go as high as 70/30 (w/c) as long as it does not get cold where you plan tto drive it.
 

grnenvy

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When you fill the system make sure you take the pipe bolt out of the tube running in front of the blower that gets the air out. If not it will boil over again due to air in system.
 

Sn8k Charmer

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I don't mean to worry you but that's how mine started. It boiled over after I shut it off, even though the temperature wasn't that hot. It has progressively become far worse. It will not even run normally now. I am not sure what Ford is going to do. Here is my last post.
Click Here
 

olchakla

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Yea, i had learned the hard way about the "burping" the system. my antifreeze wsa starting to boil and give the antifreeze overheating smell. I had changed out the antifreeze and when i went out for a drive, the car started to overheat and eventually the engine started to jerk when the pcm was shuting down the boost. Freaked me out, and thought I had blow a head gasket. Searching through the forums I read on posts of overheating and that when you changed the fluids, you had to "burp" the system to release the excess air. Read through the owners guide and Haynes, neither of which had the details of the way to burp your system. This forum was very helpful and gave the details of where to find the fitting you needed to fill antifreeze at. Good times.
 

Poisonous Mods

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Well going to the track yesturday it was about 80 - 85f.
Water Temp was sitting at 90C & even went to 99C.

99C with the Air Conditioner on.
2 or so F away from boiling over.
99C = 210F

Saw 210F when really pushing the car & guess it didnt help going up a hill either.

Guess now is better then ever to try the Water Wetter.
 

Fang

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We will see what happens to me and my overheating problems. I just started to have the problems too.:gt:
 

jonas

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my car stayed cool keeping up, didnt bother using the ac, I like the wind in my face at 100+ :)
 

32ValveSymphony

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Well, I got up this morning hoping everything would be okay for our road trip to the dyno. Ran the car around town for a few minutes after checking the level of the coolant, and everything seemed fine. It wasn't until I got about 15 miles outside of town when I noticed the temp gauge was maxed out. I had been checking it frequently, so it must have happened very fast. About the time I noticed it being maxed out, I lost all my accessories and had to force my way onto the shoulder with no power steering or brakes.

I popped the hood and noticed it had spewed some more coolant out. I waited several minues for the temperature to come down, then started it back up and noticed it was not pumping any coolant through the lines. First thing that popped in my mind was- thermostat. We replaced that, and it still over heated. This time, in driving the car, it would not rev over 3000 RPM's. Took the chip out, still did it.

WTF. :shrug: :(
 

Cobra'03

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Originally posted by Poisonous Mods
Well going to the track yesturday it was about 80 - 85f.
Water Temp was sitting at 90C & even went to 99C.

99C with the Air Conditioner on.
2 or so F away from boiling over.
99C = 210F

Saw 210F when really pushing the car & guess it didnt help going up a hill either.

Guess now is better then ever to try the Water Wetter.

2 degrees from boiling over? How do you figure that? Are you running straight water and zero pressure cap? A 50/50 mix with an typical PSI cap will extend the boilover way beyonf 212 deg at sea level. Closer to 260+.

:??:
 

Poisonous Mods

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Originally posted by Cobra'03
2 degrees from boiling over? How do you figure that? Are you running straight water and zero pressure cap? A 50/50 mix with an typical PSI cap will extend the boilover way beyonf 212 deg at sea level. Closer to 260+.

:??:

Guess u think personally running an engine at 210+ is good for the motor?

Yes the coolent helps the water from boiling but water it self boils at 212F.

Going up a Hill, 2700rpm, Hot out side temps, Hot engine temps, EGT Temps at 1190F compared to 950F at the same rpm on a flat land.

Do the math ur self but id rather not see 210F ever again, which is my preferance & if its fine with u...more power to u.
 

Sn8k Charmer

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Originally posted by 32ValveSymphony
Well, I got up this morning hoping everything would be okay for our road trip to the dyno. Ran the car around town for a few minutes after checking the level of the coolant, and everything seemed fine. It wasn't until I got about 15 miles outside of town when I noticed the temp gauge was maxed out. I had been checking it frequently, so it must have happened very fast. About the time I noticed it being maxed out, I lost all my accessories and had to force my way onto the shoulder with no power steering or brakes.

I popped the hood and noticed it had spewed some more coolant out. I waited several minues for the temperature to come down, then started it back up and noticed it was not pumping any coolant through the lines. First thing that popped in my mind was- thermostat. We replaced that, and it still over heated. This time, in driving the car, it would not rev over 3000 RPM's. Took the chip out, still did it.

WTF. :shrug: :(

Since I have way too much experience with this I will explain what this is. It, as they explained it to me, is called the fail-safe mode. In fail-safe mode the car will not rev over 3,000 rpms. If it gets to 3,000 the car starts bucking and jerking like a wild bronco. My car did exactly what you are describing...even the temperature gauge climbing wildly. And as I explained earlier, they have been unable to repair my car to date. It went in to be repaired on July 1st. My car has been in the shop now for over two weeks and I have only owned the car for a little over 2 months.
 

32ValveSymphony

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Well that just sounds wonderful. I have to trailer the car clear across the state to the dealership to get it worked on.

Any idea what makes the car go into "fail-safe" mode? This sucks.
 
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