New problems

[sportsmobile88]

On my 88 E350 van I just finished fabricating some brackets to replace my stock bottom-of-the-cowl wiring loom holder that had sagged and broke dropping the harness and battery cables almost on top of the engine. They did not burn or get hot. I installed the new brackets and then took it for a test drive and my ENGINE TEMP light came on. The standard temp guage read pretty low about 1/3 down. I know my water pump is leaking a little so I'm on my way to order one along with a front crank seal which is also leaking but not that bad. So what gives?? It was about a gallon low in an 8 gallon system. Sticky thermostat?? It didn't seem hot AT ALL. I know that the fast idle temp sender is passenger front behind the alternator. Now according to the factory manual the other temp switch (HPCA) is located on the drivers side rear. Mine has a pipe plug there. So there should be 2 more right?? One for the gauge and one for the ENGINE TEMP light. Anyone got a van like mine with a Hypermax turbo on it?

 

[Exekiel69]

If the engine wasn't hot at all it could be an air pocket or if the sensor isn't connected I wouldn't worry about anything other than a wire shorting somewhere (I don't recall how that sensor works), You could get a real water temp gauge that You will use anyways and see if the problems presents again and what the gauge says when that happens.

When You replace the water pump pay attention where is each bolt bc they are NOT all the same length.

 

[sportsmobile88]

If the engine wasn't hot at all it could be an air pocket or if the sensor isn't connected I wouldn't worry about anything other than a wire shorting somewhere (I don't recall how that sensor works), You could get a real water temp gauge that You will use anyways and see if the problems presents again and what the gauge says when that happens.

When You replace the water pump pay attention where is each bolt bc they are NOT all the same length.

Thanks. I'm on my way out the door to buy the parts, and I'm going to double check to see if I pulled the harness too tight or something to where it pulled on a sensor or ground wire. I plan on building an instrument panel with real mechanical Water Temp and Oil Pressure Gauges kinda like this:

http://www.oilburners.net/articles/InstrumentClusterProject.htm
(thanks 6point9diesel)

It seems every Ford I've owned has had gauge issues (79 E250 4wd and 83 E250 Camper) Maybe just a van thing??

I usually take a piece of cardboard and shove the bolts through in a pattern to match where they came from so if I feel like painting them first, I can.

Where is it (engine temp sensor) on your engine?

 

[JwS]

Hmmm, there is nothing on the back of the drivers side head on mine. I think the sender is towards the front, but not sure. I don't like that bundle of wires either, theres alot in there and it seems like it could break free. Fill it up and see if the problem repeats, I haven't had issues due to low coolant, but it could happen. Like many have said, a real guage is a good addition too.
JwS

 

[sportsmobile88]

Hmmm, there is nothing on the back of the drivers side head on mine. I think the sender is towards the front, but not sure. I don't like that bundle of wires either, theres alot in there and it seems like it could break free. Fill it up and see if the problem repeats, I haven't had issues due to low coolant, but it could happen. Like many have said, a real guage is a good addition too.
JwS

Yeah this is not the first time that the factory manual has been wrong!!! Would you believe the listed oil capacity is wrong in it as well?? As far as the wires go, I came up with a pretty neat set of brackets that I'll have to take a pic of and post. If yours is anything like mine ( pass side BIG battery cable, two house battery cables, the harness bundle and several vacuum hoses) it felt like it weighed 10 pounds (it didn't), it's no wonder that it collapsed.
Anyway I filled it up and got a few miles before the same thing happened. I'm going to tear into it this weekend to see whats up. And yes A nice guage is in the future!!