Overheating Temporary Temperature Tantrum

[HeRodeCBR]

Hello Everyone

So my trusty 2015 2.5 L Connect XLT had a little temperature tantrum. I routinely do most of my own maintenance oil, fluids filters etc. Low miles on her 60,023.  About a pint of antifreeze used since my coolant system flush at 30,000. 

On a short errand yesterday, 12 miles total travel, 70' ambient temperature  she went in to "Limp mode" with a temperature warning. Luckily I was only about 1 1/2 mile from my home when it occurred. No visible leakage to the ground just steam and hissing coming from what may have been the waterpump seal vent if it has one? After dinner in my driveway I topped off the resevoi, started 'er up and as the thermostat opened I was able to continue refilling the system.  No leakage or steam as temperature came to midway on the gage. Back and forth to work about three city miles each way no tantrums, no leakage.
 
With never using the heater for about nine months (Florida) and finally using it last week, could some debris have  dislodged from the heater core? Holding the thermostat open or causing some sensor to hold the system in the COLD mode? Any ideas, suggestions, similar experiences?

I will keep ya's posted. Oh by the way, I previously queried here about errantly using about a gallon or so of VP110 leaded race fuel in my van about 6,000 miles ago. Did not seem to mind a bit. Never even smelled that awful sulfur     "Aroma".

 

Keep wrench'n

 

HerodeCBR    
 

[Willygee]

Did you flush or drain and fill your coolant system?

[Double Nickels]

The cooling system is pressurized.  The Transit Connect's cooling system uses input from a series of sensors to electronically open and close different valves which route the coolant.  Sometimes when you do a fluid exchange, you drain the system, fill it, and then you have pockets of air which need to be "burped" out.   Those pockets of air can cause problems with the cooling system.  

 

 

 

[Double Nickels]

3 hours ago, HeRodeCBR said:

After dinner in my driveway

 

 

Why are you eating in the driveway?  Is that like sleeping on the couch?

 

 

3 hours ago, HeRodeCBR said:

About a pint of antifreeze used since my coolant system flush

 

3 hours ago, HeRodeCBR said:

I topped off the resevoi, started 'er up and as the thermostat opened I was able to continue refilling the system.

 

 

Coolant does not burn off.  It's not like an old car burning a quart of oil every 1,000 miles.  It's very common for the coolant to go 100,000 miles and still be at the same level.   And in today's modern vehicles, some people do not flush the cooling system for 100,000 miles. Coolant has to be going somewhere.  You may have a leak somewhere.  I hope that it's not mixing with the motor oil in the engine.  Hopefully, you just had pockets of air, and that has now been corrected when you added more coolant.  

 

[HeRodeCBR]

Double Nickles, good one about dinner in the driveway! Ha ha. Pretty funny. I was pointing out that after letting the van cool off. and that I made it the last mile and a half home with the vehicle in limp mode. 

7 hours ago, Double Nickels said:

 

 

Why are you eating in the driveway?  Is that like sleeping on the couch?

 

 

 

 

 

Coolant does not burn off.  It's not like an old car burning a quart of oil every 1,000 miles.  It's very common for the coolant to go 100,000 miles and still be at the same level.   And in today's modern vehicles, some people do not flush the cooling system for 100,000 miles. Coolant has to be going somewhere.  You may have a leak somewhere.  I hope that it's not mixing with the motor oil in the engine.  Hopefully, you just had pockets of air, and that has now been corrected when you added more coolant.  

 

 

[HeRodeCBR]

Willy Gee, the van had the coolant flush and refill by the dealer as warranty recommended fluid flush under the bumper to bumper warranty package. That was over thirty thousand miles ago. I never had any overheating issues before or after that dealer suggested "Preventative" maintenance.

 

From your and Double Nickle's remarks about various sensors :

"The Transit Connect's cooling system uses input from a series of sensors to electronically open and close different valves which route the coolant."

I believe the hypothesis about foreign matter or debris from the heater core tricking a sensor to actuate a coolant valve erroneously temporarily may be correct. Hopefully this is the last time it happens.  More frequent winter heater use might minimize the concentration of debris emanating from the heater core?.

 I 'll let ya's know.

 

Can you see any light?

HerodeCBR

 

[Don Ridley]

The issue is more likely to be a sensor or ECU problem than debris in the system. Modern cooling systems don't get dirty. Engine blocks don't corrode and rust like old cars did.

 

Buy a OBD reader phone app so you can read all of the temperature data when there is a problem. I use the Torque Pro app and a Bluetooth OBD adapter. A scan tool like Forscan will show the codes that caused the limp mode. 

 

Loss of coolant can be a sign of a serious problem. A pint lost over a long period of time is not a problem. 

 

[Double Nickels]

14 hours ago, HeRodeCBR said:

coolant flush and refill by the dealer as warranty recommended fluid flush under the bumper to bumper warranty package. That was over thirty thousand miles ago

 

On 10/7/2022 at 3:36 PM, HeRodeCBR said:

Low miles on her 60,023

 

On 10/7/2022 at 3:36 PM, HeRodeCBR said:

my coolant system flush at 30,000

 

 

That dealership ripped you off.  According to the Ford website, orange coolant is changed at 100,000 miles.  However, that coolant change is not your problem.  If the dealership technician did anything wrong, those problems would have happened 30,000 miles ago. 

 

 

 

 

[Willygee]

Scan tool and freeze frame should reveal much.

 

https://www.oemfordpart.com/v-2015-ford-transit-connect--xlt--2-5l-l4-gas/cooling-system--radiator-and-components

Edited October 9, 2022 by Willygee

[G B L]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:36 PM, HeRodeCBR said:

I topped off the resevoi, started 'er up and as the thermostat opened I was able to continue refilling the system.  

How much did you add? There is a weep hole on the water pump and coolant could be lost there .

Yes a scan tool would be needed to see what happened.