Overheating 2005 Ford Ranger 2.3L

Both hoses can be collapsed by squeezing with my hand while the system is running. At least enough to see the radiator overflow bottle bubble up.

I just did the hydrocarbon tester/block tester and it is fine. I put it together and followed directions. It said to squeeze the bulb on top for a minute to get coolant gasses into the tester. On my truck I could squeeze it a few times and then it wouldn't allow anymore because the system wasn't leaking anywhere and I couldn't get any more gases to come in?

Anyway I also squeezed both hoses and that would send gas into the tester. Everything looked perfectly normal. Also on completely level ground, it looked like my coolant level was where I set it last weekend, so me thinking I could have lost 1/8 inch on the level was probably wrong, since I was in my sloped driveway and incorrectly compensating.

I did take the tester over to the exhaust pipe and squeeze it a couple times to verify everything worked and the fluid went from blue to yellow right away, so I'm pretty certain I did everything correctly.

 

Not anymore. The moulded rubber they use maintains its shape a lot better than the shit Goodyear made 30 years ago…

 

So here are my thoughts:

1. It hasn't fired up the overheat sensor for at least 4 days and I have driven it hard still and even topped it out MPH wise, at least 3x this week for testing.
2. Maybe the water pump I replaced was actually bad, although it didn't appear to be?
3. Maybe it was the coolant change from Ford antifreeze to regular Prestone style green antifreeze that created a problem. My big pan that caught most everything out of the lower hose had no jelly. However when I disconnected the thermostat housing, I put two other buckets down which caught some run off and one of them had a small amount of jelly in it. This was one of the reasons I ran a flush through the system as recommended on here. I will drain that today.
4. I did not replace the thermostat, because the old one tested good and it was new from the radiator job in February and actually looked like it was made better.... with more metal component sections versus plastic of the new one.
5. No one is here in the office today, so I think I will call my mechanic, to see if he remembers changing the hose? I'm actually questioning that now. However, they don't have the original Ford clamps they have replacement screw type clamps, but that could have been done before I bought the truck? I actually just went and picked up a new hose and it squeezes too? There is no metal inside. But will replace them when I drain the coolant.

 

So I just finished putting on new hoses and put in new coolant. Will see what she does on the drive home. I bought Gates hoses and they are a bit stiffer, but I really do think the old ones were still fine, but after getting them off, they hoses were not changed with the radiator 6 months ago.

 

No we are all having fun solving problems that don't actually exist but he's being a good sport about it.

 

Never boiled out.

PROBABLY A BAD SENSOR ALL ALONG.

Unfortunately that could be true.

After replacing the hoses and putting in new Coolant, it gave the dreaded overheat signal multiple times on the drive in. I'm presuming it will just take a few cycles of hot/cold to properly bleed it. I did what google showed, maybe there are other ways, but filled it while turned off and then more while running and then multiple sessions of revving to 3k and letting off.

This was the same way I bled it the first time, when I put in the water/flush product into the system. and it eventually quit giving me the overheat signal unless I topped it out at 90-95 for a little while.

I've been in the tow truck all day today and will be driving it home tonight, after I do this next delivery, and one more pickup, so this experiment will continue.

 

This be the problem when trying to diagnose on the beeb....

 

Well in this case I am the common denominator, creating the problem.

Something is definitely wrong, just not the 3,429 things I have tried to fix it.

 

Did you try removing that blue oval thingy on the nose?

 

You`re fine , just saying it`s easier if a tech has the vehicle...

So is it still doing it?

I saw where you said you thought it was the sensor...ever do the test or replace?

 

I bought the sensor.....didn't replace as you and Danny were discussing which one it may have and if there was actually a water temp sensor in my model. I couldn't find one, but did not remove the hood to see back behind the head. It looks like Danny thought on my 05 Ranger with an Auto there was only the CHT.

I actually didn't replace it while diagnosing as I was trying to do one thing at a time. That and possibly the radiator cap, would be my next things to try. I would test the sensor, if I had the specs and whatever is needed to test as part of the discovery on this. LOLOL

It did do the overheat alarm again, which is leading me to believe it is the sensor? The weird thing is it had basically stopped doing that when running the flush and water mixture, but started up again once I put in the new coolant and upper/lower hoses. I figured that was do with some possible air trapped in the system?

The boring saga continues, but not tonight, as I have to take the tow truck 95 miles down to Vista CA tonight, and then another 55 miles home.

 

Sigh ... fatten up the main two sizes, raise the clip one notch, and go out and do a plug chop. Be sure to document the value displayed on your air density meter.

 

Ahhh Vista, my place of birth!!! Good luck on the drive. It's a pretty shitty town haha. If I was still in California I would meet you with a red bull or coffee or something. Drive safe Rob!

 

That sounds good, would have been nice to meet you. Where are you living now? Just got home, fortunately no issues today.

Yesterday my first delivery in Commerce which should take no more than 20-30 minutes took 1:30 and made me late going to my second stop in Huntington Beach.

I was raised to always be early and my appointment was for 10:00. I was moving pretty good in the tow truck down the 4o5 doing 73-75 which is where the governor tops out. Then BOOM I lose a rear tire, fortunately I have 3 more so I decide to slow down to 55-60 and take it to the appointment. Got there at 10:14and had called back at 9:30 when the other appt made me late.

Called tire stores for about an hour to finally find a commercial tire to work. Get there and the one I want isn’t in stock so we order them and he gives me a good used tire to get back on the road.

Parkhouse tire really went above and beyond for me. Ripped the tire changer $20 and went in my way.

 

I posted the test procedure; you dont test the sensor, you test the circuit.

If it`s good, then sensor.

 

Ok, thank you, will find that post. For some reason I thought it was for the water temp wires which were different colors than my wires. Will try and check it later today.

Thank you.

 

glad you made it there and back, what a pain in the ass with the tire.

I left California last year, living in Prescott AZ now.

 

Are you still doing HVAC? I hear Prescott is beautiful. I’ve never paid attention because my business requires me to stay here, but that’s an area of AZ I think would be nice. Not sure I could handle the heat of Phoenix or Tucson.