96 Cobra help??

[Russyo]

I've heard that the 96 cobra is known for its overheating problems. Those of you who have had or still have a 96 or 97, or even a similar model and similar problems. lut us all know what exactly you have done and what you have tried to remedy your over heating problem. I am paying shops some dang good money, when you guys could just inlighten me a little and we could all rest a little easier knowing another Cobra is running healthy because of this Forum. Please let me know what fixed your problem and all other things you tried as well. Thanks, Russyo!!

 

[Cantoodler]

i think you can order a sever duty cooling system from ford part number F6ZZ-8005-JA it includes a larger radiator, larger cooling fan, revised a/c condenser and all of the hardware you will need to attach these. good luck

 

[Tabres]

Before I was going to spend a lot of money on a radiator or what not I went out and bought a water temperature gauge that works properly. Something somewhere causes my stock gauge to read just insanely hot, but such is not actually the case. The best $40 I've spent on this car was for that Autometer gauge...

Not saying that would be the answer for anyone else, but it was for me.

 

[Dano]

:read:
Totally agree. A loose ground at the engine block (from BATT) will cause improper readings on most all of the gauges. Been there - done that. I installed a new elect. temp gauge - worked fine, and then started reading high. Didn't make sense. Found loose BATT ground at block. ALL gauges started reading a lot lower after I replaced the ground (except for the gas - that damn thing always keeps goin down

For the hell of it, when you have a high temp reading, pull over somewhere, and disconnect the BATT ground cable, and connect a batt jumper cable from the NEG terminal to a SOLID ground on the block, then restart engine and see if it reads differently.
This is assuming that the engine is not actually hot. It very well may BE hot, but you can't trust that OEM gauge for accuracy! An automotive shop can point a laser temp checker at any point on your engine, and read the temperature. That's how I found out that mine was not actually hot!

There were a TON of posts on this overheating ... I just tried doing a Search, from the Menu at the top of this page, and it kept coming back with "0."


Dan

 

[cobrasvtxyz]

i dont have any problems unless i balast the ac on a smokin hot day.....but if you do have a problem my recomandation is buy and electris water pump(400-600$) and it will fix your prob and give you horspower

 

[orange2004cobra]

I am running a Griffin radiator..
No more probs...
L.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Big Steeda radiator! fixed mine.

 

[Dano]

For what it's worth, my temp drops 5 - 10 degrees when I run the AC. Forces the fan to run at high speed.

 

[Nordi]

You would be best to get a real gauge first. The problem is, your car may not be as hot as you think. Ford used 2 different temperature range gauges in these cars. I think one went to 195 and the other went to 215. May not be exact temps, but at any rate, I learned that from the techs when I worked at the Ford dealer.

 

[BlackCobra96]

I've got a blower on mine and haven't done anything but normal maintenance for my cooling system, and never had anything even close to a problem. Is yours overheating, or are you just paranoid that it might? I don't know why some had problems and others didn't, but maybe yours is fine.

 

[Russyo]

well I put in a manual temp gauge and it would read upwards of 245 at times, and that seems REALLY high when I just put in a 180 temp thermostat. Anyway its at the shop now, and they are trying to fix it. Did anyone ever have their car run hot, and they fixed it by burping their coolant system, cause I just filled mine, and all I did was fill the reserve tank and let it suck the water down, is that the wrong way to fill a 96 cobra. I hate buying someone elses un finished project, but at least I got it at a decent price. To answer a question from earlier, the car has never gone past the actual hot line, but it sits on the L in NORMAL and with the new temp gauge after running for a while it gets up to 250 degrees. Both fans seem to work, the a/c works until the car reaches the 250 degree mark, and then the a/c doesnt blow cold anymore. The water pump is new, the stat was just changed, both temp and fan swtches were replaced. I am out of things to try except the burping idea, but my car is at a shop so I cant really get to it right now. Thanks for you replys. Oh yeah the car has a racing fluidyne radiator already, but it looks like the stock fan is still on it, could it just not be pushing the water through fast enough. And, when I replaced the thermostat i found I huge chunck of plastic melted to the t-stat. How can I post a picture, I will show everyone what I mean about the plastic in the t-stat. This is crazy, I just bought the car a week ago and I havent even been able to drive it fast or fat enough to enjoy it yet. Well I will keep you guys up dated, thanks again for all your help. Just so I know, how much is the radiator and fan upgrade for our cars, and where are some good sites for me to get parts for my 96 Cobra! Thanks guys
Russyo!![/IMG]

 

[CobraFreak1996]

I have heard good and bad things about the heavy duty cooling kit ford has for it. Besides it being $1300 the last time I checked, I've talked to some who say it really didn't do much. Of course, that's assuming like everyone has been saying that the gauge is in fact correct. Mine would go into what I've been told was a thermal mode where the computer would pull lots of timing and whatnot to keep from damaging the engine when it got hot. It was bad enough that it would nearly die leaving from a stop if you didn't really give it some gas before letting off the clutch. It would get really sluggish as well. I replaced the radiator w/ a Steeda unit as well as a lower temp thermostat and a bottle of Redline water wetter. Fixed mine up. There is also a higher efficency pump you can get from Evans cooling that is supposed to help if just the radiator doesn't do it.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Originally posted by Russyo
well I put in a manual temp gauge and it would read upwards of 245 at times, and that seems REALLY high when I just put in a 180 temp thermostat. Anyway its at the shop now, and they are trying to fix it. Did anyone ever have their car run hot, and they fixed it by burping their coolant system, cause I just filled mine, and all I did was fill the reserve tank and let it suck the water down, is that the wrong way to fill a 96 cobra. I hate buying someone elses un finished project, but at least I got it at a decent price. To answer a question from earlier, the car has never gone past the actual hot line, but it sits on the L in NORMAL and with the new temp gauge after running for a while it gets up to 250 degrees. Both fans seem to work, the a/c works until the car reaches the 250 degree mark, and then the a/c doesnt blow cold anymore. The water pump is new, the stat was just changed, both temp and fan swtches were replaced. I am out of things to try except the burping idea, but my car is at a shop so I cant really get to it right now. Thanks for you replys. Oh yeah the car has a racing fluidyne radiator already, but it looks like the stock fan is still on it, could it just not be pushing the water through fast enough. And, when I replaced the thermostat i found I huge chunck of plastic melted to the t-stat. How can I post a picture, I will show everyone what I mean about the plastic in the t-stat. This is crazy, I just bought the car a week ago and I havent even been able to drive it fast or fat enough to enjoy it yet. Well I will keep you guys up dated, thanks again for all your help. Just so I know, how much is the radiator and fan upgrade for our cars, and where are some good sites for me to get parts for my 96 Cobra! Thanks guys
Russyo!![/IMG]

Yes, you must burp it or it probably will run hot.

 

[Russyo]

hey guys, heres a link so you can see my cobra. I also have some pics of the thermostat that has the plastic peice stuk in it, so you guys can see what shocked me!! Take a look and keep the suggestions coming, other people may still need out help! Thanks again for your posts. We can always use more info. Thanks agian Russyo!! here is the link--

http://hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=russyo&password=86783694

 

[Tabres]

Burp the system and I'll bet it will be fine. If not, I'll be shocked... especially with the Fluidyne radiator.

 

[Cobro]

N
O= 200
R
M= 210
A= 220
L= 230

Low speed fan on @ 208 back off @ 200

High speed fan on @ 228 off @ 224

The Cooling upgrade is Article 96-25-12
The Cobra series kit is KIT-F6ZZ-8005-JA
radiator part# F7ZH-8005-BC
A/C Condenser F7ZH-19710-BC
Thermostat and hose assembly F7Z8A586-AB….These are just a few of theParts.

They basicly changed over to the 97 Cobra setup. Larger rad etc.

One of the biggest factors of restricted airflow was the 96 A/C Condenser, the fins were designed to close together not allowing the airflow that the 97 and up condensers have.

Changing out the radiator makes a difference, but you still have the restricted airflow from the condenser!!

 

[Wylde Horses]

Originally posted by Russyo
...I just filled mine, and all I did was fill the reserve tank and let it suck the water down, is that the wrong way to fill a 96 cobra.

Yes, you have to also fill it from the crossover tube. You can fill it most of the way by just filling the reservoir tank, but you have to take the cap off the crossover tube and finish filling from there as well. The crossover tube is too high for water just to flow in there from the reservoir.

 

[Cantoodler]

what he said and good luck

 

[Dano]

Agree on the burp (from what I've read about 200 times in this Forum).

well I put in a manual temp gauge and it would read upwards of 245 at times, and that seems REALLY high when I just put in a 180 temp thermostat

Someone tell me if I'm full of crap, but the 180 thermostat has nothing to do with how hot it will run ... that's just the temperature that has to be reached in the radiator hose before the thermostat opens up. If it's NOT opening, you'll have severe heating problems. jmo I may have misunderstood the post. I sympathize with you though - I went through a long drawn-out "running hot" episode with my Cobra.


Dan

 

[Dano]

Just a clue, but for anyone getting ready to buy an aftermarket temp gauge, compare the numbered range markings on several gauges. Mine has few numbers on it, and a lot of range marking LINES. The higher the temp range, the value of each line changes! Damn near have to get a pad of paper out to compute the reading (jk). LOL If I could do it again, I'd get a gauge with more numbered markings. I keep swearing I'm going to paint a thin line on the gauge lens at the 205 degree mark!


Dan