I need some fast help here please!!

[DJ Drager]

Hey everyone,

I have been on here for a while, but this is my first posting. My 03 Vert has been doing the overheating thing for the past few days. I replaced a thermostat a few months back, and on Friday, I had a boilover which left me with no coolant in the reservior or radiator. I replaced the thermostat again with a failsafe thermostat, and same problem. I started getting steam coming off the back of the radiator and engine, which is leading me to believe the water pump is shot. There appears to be circulation of water through the system, but the only thing left that I have to do is the water pump. The fan assembly was replaced a few months back as well, when I did the thermostat, since the original motor froze up on me.

What I need to find out is the easiest way to get the water pump off. Are there any tricks that you guys can suggest to make it easier, since I will be doing this in my driveway, with the car on ramps? I am thinking the serpentine tensioner has to come off, since that looks to be the easiest way to get to the belt under it and the pulley for the pump.

I need to get this job done TODAY, so any help would greatly be appreciated


THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!!:bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

 

[ripnesscobra]

Did you properly burp the car to get all the air out of the cooling system after the thermostat changes? Air in the system can definitely cause what you are experiencing.

Here is a link that explains the burping process (thanks to jm@ReischePerf who makes the best thermostat available for the 03/04 cobra):
Cobra, Mach 1, Ford 4.6L DOHC Coolant Refill & Burp Procedure by Reische Performance Products

 

[DJ Drager]

Yes I burped it. I even had coolant spilling over the funnel as it was getting hotter. But I know the thermostat is opening up since the coolant was changing color in the funnel. So there is some circulation in the car. That is why I am not fully 100% about the water pump. I have circulation in the overflow tank.

How accurate is what someone told me about SVTs overheating because there is TOO MUCH coolant in the system and blowing it all out? I know I put too much in the overflow tank when I did it. And I am getting conflicting info from people as to burping the system. Last time I did it, I had the car on ramps with the nose down the incline on my driveway. That way the crossover is the highest point in the cooling loop. I have had one Ford guy tell me to do it like that, and another to tell me to keep the car on level ground.

Any suggestions on this one?

 

[MBoyle1]

read the above lind reische for bleeding air from system or ford service manual,big problem with these cars!

 

[DJ Drager]

I know how to do the air bleeding, as I have done it before. I went and bought a water pump today, and when I got home, I tried burping it again. The engine temp went up to the normal range, and the overflow cap started to seep again. I had coolant flow looking into the funnel, so that kind of eliminates the water pump. So I had my roomie turn on the AC, and when she did, the fan didnt come on. I just replaced that thing a few months back, but it looks like it went out again. That is the only thing I can think that is happening with this thing. I know it is chilly here, but shouldnt the fan come on anytime you turn the AC unit on? I have heat when it turn that on, so I know there is coolant that has circulated through the engine and into the heater core. Im just rather stumped at this point to say the least........ :shrug:

 

[wjurls]

Sounds like you nailed it. The fan should indeed come on any time the a/c compressor is engaged.

 

[prostkr]

Bad fan from your last description.

 

[T-Pain808]

A/C equals fan, good troubleshooting :thumbsup:

 

[03cobra#694]

Check the 50amp fan fuse first.

 

[DJ Drager]

That was the first thing I checked when I started the troubleshooting process, and why I didnt go to the fan right off the bat. Last time the motor froze up, the fuse blew. So I am looking for a new fan now and should hopefully have it today or tomorrow. Im just pissed that all that coolant spray out is sitting in the engine compartment and under the chassis all over the place. I cant wait to get it detailed to get that gone.......

 

[DJ Drager]

Now I am REALLY starting to scratch my head and my ass at the same time. I put the fan in. It comes on both at 192 and 208 as it should. So that problem is fixed. I burped the system as well. When I went to the gas station tonight, it puked it all out along the way, which is less than 6 miles. The upper hose has flow, as it is nice and warm to the touch, and I can feel the fluid flowing. So it is not the water pump. Last night when I did the burping, I did it on my garage, with it being level. The heat was not running when I left the house this afternoon, so I know I had air in the system. I turned back around, inclined the car in my driveway, and added water until I felt heat coming from the vents. I turned off the car, topped off the crossover, and off I went on the puke fest to the gas station previously mentioned.

Im just stumped at this time. So it is back in my driveway right now in the cool, dark air on an incline. I filled and burped it again, and am waiting for the engine to cool down and I will go back out and top it off and do it again. Is that the best way to go about it? I dont want to end up with too much in the system and have an overexpansion puke from overfilling. Or should I just run what I have in it, cross the fingers, and hope I dont blow it all out on the next drive?

 

[joseph.devenney]

Are you sure your burping it right? That sounds like your problem, no offense.

 

[DJ Drager]

That is why I am re-doing it again in the driveway. One Ford guy told me to do it on a level surface, but in the past, I did it on an incline. Im back on the incline again in my driveway, since I dont think I let it run long enough when I topped it off earlier tonight.

And no offense taken at all. Im hoping that is what it is, but I burped it in the past and had no problem. Im hoping it is just because I did it on a level surface this past time as the tech told me to do, and not on the incline as I have done in the past.

 

[ripnesscobra]

To make sure I burped the system fully, I created an overflow tank setup to connect to the cross over plug.

Here are some pictures of the overflow tank setup:
SNC00041 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
SNC00045 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
SNC00046 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

With the overflow tank setup connected to the cross over plug as shown in the pictures, fill the overflow tank with coolant, open the valve and start the car with the heat on high. Run the car until no air bubbles are coming up from the cross over tube. After the car is shut off, the overflow tank setup is left on the car during the entire engine cool down process. The car will take in more coolant as it cools down. Once the car cools down completely, the system will be completely full and the car's overflow tank will be filled to the fill line. Remove the system, replace the cross over plug and you are done. It makes burping much easier!

 

[DJ Drager]

Well I figured out something REALLY interesting tonight that I wanted to share....

When I was burping the car even with the heat running on a slight incline, I still was not getting all the air out. It was not until I had the car on a minimum of 20 degrees angle that the rest of the air cycled out of the system into the funnel. I put more than another quart of water into the crossover once I lowered the car down to the steepest part of my driveway. The crossover was approximately 4 inches above the top of the overflow reservoir, and large air bubbles that had not come out before quickly came through the funnel. This was even after giving increased RPMs during the burping process on the lesser incline part of my driveway.

I would have used my ramps this time, but I didnt have anyone to spot me on them. So it was an interesting lesson to learn in that the car has to be at a MINIMUM of 20 degrees down angle to get all of the air out of it.

Just thought I would share that so maybe someone else doesnt have to go through this like I did tonight.

:beer:

 

[Jomo1994z71]

I burp mine on rhino ramps...keep us updated as these cars are a PITA to burp if you don't do it correct...It's not that bad though, once you learn it, you are good to go...an aftermarket coolant temp gauge helps too...