Eddy Kilowatt Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 I just had the water pump go out on my 2015 w/ about 70k miles. ? Pretty sudden failure, I don't believe it was dripping, leaking, or making noise previously. After climbing a 1-mile hill and stopping at a light (nothing new, part of my daily route) I got the CEL and about ten seconds later limp mode. Pulled over to steam from under the hood and an orange puddle under the engine. There was coolant all over the accessory-drive end of the engine bay and no obvious leaks or ruptured hoses, so I had it flat-bedded home. Poured more coolant in the next morning and a steady stream dribbled out from the water pump shaft -- cold engine, zero rpm -- so seemingly a sudden and complete failure of the shaft seal. Pretty straightforward replacement, $65 Motorcraft part, six bolts. Access is a bit easier if you take off the belt tensioner (two bolts) first. Getting it bled was a little more involved than I expected. I ignored the manual and just poured coolant (50/50) in to fill the system and de-gas bottle, then fired it up. Luckily I ran ForScan and watched the actual coolant temperature, not the edited-to-look-pretty temperature gauge in the dash... the ECT went from 70 to 210 in about two minutes but no hoses got hot anywhere, so I shut it down. Manual gives a procedure, that is basically seal the cap, start it, run it at 3500 rpm for 30 seconds, shut it down for a minute, and top off... repeat FIVE TIMES. It seems to work, there's some gurgling each time you come down from 3500 and it does take in a bunch more coolant over five cycles, 2-3 quarts I reckon. I finally got the ECT to settle around 195 (normal) and the radiator and heater hot. But geez, wouldn't it have been easier to put a bleed valve on top of the cylinder head or something? Has anyone else bled the cooling system, and are there any shortcuts or more effective air-removal strategies? How do the pros do this... I don't think the 5X fire drill procedure would be popular, or profitable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willygee Posted June 4, 2021 Share Posted June 4, 2021 Interesting post can't wait for some more replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifty150 Posted June 5, 2021 Share Posted June 5, 2021 (edited) https://youtu.be/4gk4xb9aOgE?t=148 Edited June 5, 2021 by Fifty150 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Kilowatt Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) On 6/5/2021 at 12:41 AM, Fifty150 said: https://youtu.be/4gk4xb9aOgE?t=148 Thanks! Welp... I guess the answer is "the pros use a vacuum purge/fill rig". But if they don't have one of those... they do the 5X Fire Drill, just like it says. I guess to vacuum the TC they must also be unbolting the degas bottle and sliding it out to connect the gauge, what with the filler neck being conveniently positioned UNDER the cowl and all. Next question... do the pros really pull those hoses down "flatter than a pancake" during a vacuum fill, as shown in his other video? That seems borderline abusive. I'm back on the road, but still not 100% confident in the radiator fan... seems not to be coming on unless I switch the A/C on. Anyone know what ECT the fan is supposed to start spinning at? Does it have its own sensor? (It's hard to track this stuff down in the 9,000 pages of manual.) Edited June 7, 2021 by Eddy Kilowatt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G B L Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 If you leave the TC idling does the gauge rise more than normal , When you are driving does the temp rise when you slow down? This is where I say either Forscan or a good scantool would be very useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Kilowatt Posted June 9, 2021 Author Share Posted June 9, 2021 On 6/7/2021 at 3:27 PM, G B L said: If you leave the TC idling does the gauge rise more than normal , When you are driving does the temp rise when you slow down? This is where I say either Forscan or a good scantool would be very useful. I have ForScan and it IS very useful... especially since the temp gauge in the dash is (as I understand it) "massaged" to read mid-scale for all ECTs between 160 and 220, or something like that. I haven't had time to let it sit and rise higher than about 210, at which point the radiator fan hadn't come on yet. Thus my question about when it IS supposed to come on, which is not mentioned prominently in the manual, if at all. The fan does come on with the A/C, so I believe it and its associated circuits are good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Nickels Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 I recall the fan turning on around 220, if the van is just sitting and idling. Usually, with motion, the airflow from the grille does a pretty good job of cooling the van without the fan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G B L Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 If the temp was 210 or higher the fan would be on, check the switch or temp sender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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