2000 Cobra R engine/cooling issues

[sdfrog177]

Has anyone experienced any of this with there 2000 R's?


While driving my R Yestarday I started to smell antifreeze. My temp was fine but I pulled over to see what was up. Coolant was leaking from the drivers side radiator/hose area but I couldnt pin point it. I was about 8 miles from my house so I decided to head back. On the way back the cars temp gauge went almost to the red, the car started pinging real bad as well. I pulled over and added about 1/2 gallon of distilled water (that filled the radiator all the way). I let the car sit in the garage overnight and pulled the thermostat the next day (it was fine no sticking). I noticed oil leaking from the rear passenger side head area while under the car. I pulled the intake off to find oil (about 30 cc's) pooled up under the intake housing. I cant imagine the car ran hot enough to do any engine damage. I thought these things had next to bulletproof motors. I have built many 5.0 motors but no new mod engines so I am not to familiar with any problem areas. I have put all but 9 miles of the cars 13.7k and have been meticulous with the maintance. Anyways just wondering if any fellow 2000 R owners have had any of this happen. The car is pretty much stock except for 3.73's, chip, and exhaust.

 

[ac427cobra]

Has anyone experienced any of this with there 2000 R's?


While driving my R Yestarday I started to smell antifreeze. My temp was fine but I pulled over to see what was up. Coolant was leaking from the drivers side radiator/hose area but I couldnt pin point it. I was about 8 miles from my house so I decided to head back. On the way back the cars temp gauge went almost to the red, the car started pinging real bad as well. I pulled over and added about 1/2 gallon of distilled water (that filled the radiator all the way). I let the car sit in the garage overnight and pulled the thermostat the next day (it was fine no sticking). I noticed oil leaking from the rear passenger side head area while under the car. I pulled the intake off to find oil (about 30 cc's) pooled up under the intake housing. I cant imagine the car ran hot enough to do any engine damage. I thought these things had next to bulletproof motors. I have built many 5.0 motors but no new mod engines so I am not to familiar with any problem areas. I have put all but 9 miles of the cars 13.7k and have been meticulous with the maintance. Anyways just wondering if any fellow 2000 R owners have had any of this happen. The car is pretty much stock except for 3.73's, chip, and exhaust.

Replace BOTH your radiator and expansion tank caps and you'll be fine! Probably about due for a coolant change too?

Do a search and you'll find lots of places we discussed caps and burping the system!

:thumbsup: :coolman: :beer:

 

[Andy M]

Like Bruce said, replace the caps. And be ready to remain very patient while you burp all the air out of the system when refilling. Have a few cold ones handy to pass the time. ;-) :shrug:

 

[sdfrog177]

Makes sense about the caps, Im still a little puzzled with the oil I found pooled under the intake. I went through the whole burping the cooling system last year when I changed the radiator fluid. It was a little bit slow but not to bad. Im thinking that I may be having a fuel PSI issue as well in my system.

 

[JorgeG]

I don't know where the oil from the intake is from maybe there from get go I took the cover off the intake about 2 yrs ago. Found some oil?? everthing else seemed fine. I thought maybe from the pcv system?? Still driving the hell out of it on track no Problems. I guess i should check to see if its there again. I kept loosing coolant also the radiator cap had lost its sealing power. The rubber ring was not centered. I tried to find one. All I found was the ones with the combined outer and inner pressure release valve. Not one like whats stock. I looked everywhere called svt and they said it was a gant. Had no part/engineering number. To date havent found one. I centered the rubber seal and bent the brass spring gently so it has more sealing pressure. No more coolant spill or smell. but i will not mess with it unless absolutely necessary. Hope this doesnt add more confusion vs solutions. If you find the cap let me know where so i can get a spare or if someone knows where to get one let us all know

 

[JorgeG]

Hey sdfrog177 you wouldnt work for northrup/grummann would you?

 

[ShelbyGuy]

it helps very much to have the car on an incline with the front higher than the rear when burping the cooling system.

 

[Andy M]

Jorge, et al,

Have you tried your local SVT dealer?? Larry and I got some a while back at Tommie Vaughn Ford in Houston. You might try them.

 

[sdfrog177]

JorgeG, no I am currently in the Teams here in Coronado Ca. Thanks for the input on my R cooling issues. I am going to try and track down some new caps, install a new thermostat, and burp the system. I think for some reason oil is comming up through the PVC piping into the intake.

 

[TimB]

sdfrog177

The oil is from the pcv , the right side timing chain acts like a ramp up to the valve cover for oil and the intake ends up with a pool on the flat floor of the lower intake. Also check the k&n filter as the bottom portion can become saturated with oil.

tim

 

[ShelbyGuy]

can anyone explain why my intake tube is dry as a bone now when it was oily when i first put it on?

when i first put the upper pulley on, i put colder plugs in the car and the tube was oilly

when i launched plug #3, the tube was dry.

when i changed plugs last week, the tube was dry.

i swear i put oil in the car last time i changed it

 

[NJ2000R]

I checked and had no oil leaks in that area or anywhere for that matter....I really need to get some REAL gages as I ran hot (pegged the stock aka junk temp gage) while running in 100 degree heat at VIR last week....first time its ever been above the 3/4 mark....I coasted the last half lap and by the time I got to my space in the pits, it was coming down, so it probably didnt get too hot....

 

[JorgeG]

Andy,
checked with our local svt man no luck. might have to go to tommie vaughns next time i am in houston.
Sdfrog177,
My bro works for N/G has a co worker that recently bought an R thats why the question. Anyway I think i will start a new search on the radiator cap
good luck

 

[sdfrog177]

Tim,
Thanks for the info on the oil situation, I was guessing it was due to something like that.
JorgeG,
I found 1 of the 2 caps today at a ford dealer. The degas bottle cap is the same unit that came on the 2000 mustang 3.8 V6. Cant find a match yet for the Radiator cap.
Spent a couple hours burping the system, I think its getting close. I also put in a new Thermostat, same one that came on the 99 cobra.