I know other people have done it also, but my truck won't go without a fan. Maybe if it was cool outside, and I was being easy on it, doing 45 mph or so. But I have tried the 70-75mph with a fan clutch that was not working. It really surprised me, but all that air going down the road will not cool it, the fan has to be helping also. It will heat right up going at speed down the road. I can move the temp needle with the throttle, more throttle high reading, less throttle and it drops right down.
Over heating?
- Thread starter Fordfarmer123
- Start date
I know other people have done it also, but my truck won't go without a fan. Maybe if it was cool outside, and I was being easy on it, doing 45 mph or so. But I have tried the 70-75mph with a fan clutch that was not working. It really surprised me, but all that air going down the road will not cool it, the fan has to be helping also. It will heat right up going at speed down the road. I can move the temp needle with the throttle, more throttle high reading, less throttle and it drops right down.
I see that every day when dumping loads,sitting idling,pulling grades.Have for years.I have 0% concerns with 215-220 range temps.I just have my electric fans start to spin here.
Chip truck never requires cooling fans to turn on while driving down the road just 35mph or higher.....under no load (8k lbs/flat roads)
I wonder if your water pump is suspect?
Thatoneguy
Full Access Member
I see that every day when dumping loads,sitting idling,pulling grades.Have for years.I have 0% concerns with 215-220 range temps.I just have my electric fans start to spin here.
So where would you personally get concerned?
240F+ for more than a few minutes.
I have to be overloaded to see 230F in July/August though,thanks to the large aux oil cooler.
Budy been running 7.3 in cube van without a fan for years.
I see that every day when dumping loads,sitting idling,pulling grades.Have for years.I have 0% concerns with 215-220 range temps.I just have my electric fans start to spin here.
Chip truck never requires cooling fans to turn on while driving down the road just 35mph or higher.....under no load (8k lbs/flat roads)
I wonder if your water pump is suspect?
I put my brackets on and locked the fan, no more cooling problems. I can dog it as much as I want, on any mountain for any length of time. That original fan is huge and moves a lot of air.
Macrobb
Full Access Member
It's just a total waste of fuel and HP to be driving it 100% all the time. That's why the clutch was used, so you *don't* waste so much power the 99% of the time you don't need it.
Sidewinded_idi
Full Access Member
Here in so cal I need a good fan. I was having overheating issues and my clutch fan worked ok. Replaced it with a new one and no more issues. Before I'd tow heavy and up grades going 55 I'd start to lose it. Would get to 240 pretty quick. Now with the new fan clutch it'll stay right at 235 heavy loaded up a grade and everywhere else right at 200
Macrobb
Full Access Member
So, you actually have a clutch, then? That's fine. I thought you locked it solid.
coffeerich44
Registered User
My truck has a new radiator, thermostat, water pump and fan clutch and has always run at about 210 even with towing and I am using a aftermarket gauge. I was used to my gas engines running at 180-190 but I have never been able to get the 7.3 to run any cooler. I put the gauge in once the stock dash idiot gauge broke about 10 years ago along with an extra deep finned transmission pan to try and cool that.
Sidewinded_idi
Full Access Member
Yes I do, my previous clutch gave out and I simply re filled it with heavy silicone oil. That made it work much better but I ended up finding a receipt for a lifetime warranty fan clutch from the po. So I decided to throw a new one on and it's been so nice not to have to be a gauge hawk
You guys may have missed one thing here and maybe it doesn't matter. If you are getting smoke in the cab and the tunnel is too hot to touch do you have an exhaust leak? Is it turboed?
As for cooling. Guys swear you will hear the fan but I really have never heard mine. I put a brand new motorcraft fan clutch on it before the rally. Water temp ran 230-240 a good bit but I was pushing hard with camper in tow. My autometer gauge is intge normal factory spot so it should be the hottest part of the system. My factory sender is now over in the head. It would rise but never really got past the "NORMAL" range. Whatever that is. I'm pretty sure the over-temp warning light is at like 265 which seems really hot to me but I might be wrong about that.
I also have a water cooled turbo dumping heat into my cooling system.
Remember your gauge is measuring block water temp not the radiator temp. The gauge sending port is at the end of the flow path right before the water goes into the water pump so in theory that should be the hottest spot in the system.
So long as it drops quickly after pushing it hard, you probably are not heat soaking the radiator. I am thinking about putting a sensor somewhere else in the system to watch for heat soak.
I apologized if I missed it but not running a motorcraft/IH thermostat can cause problems too. The parts store cheap replacements don't pass enough water.
As for cooling. Guys swear you will hear the fan but I really have never heard mine. I put a brand new motorcraft fan clutch on it before the rally. Water temp ran 230-240 a good bit but I was pushing hard with camper in tow. My autometer gauge is intge normal factory spot so it should be the hottest part of the system. My factory sender is now over in the head. It would rise but never really got past the "NORMAL" range. Whatever that is. I'm pretty sure the over-temp warning light is at like 265 which seems really hot to me but I might be wrong about that.
I also have a water cooled turbo dumping heat into my cooling system.
Remember your gauge is measuring block water temp not the radiator temp. The gauge sending port is at the end of the flow path right before the water goes into the water pump so in theory that should be the hottest spot in the system.
So long as it drops quickly after pushing it hard, you probably are not heat soaking the radiator. I am thinking about putting a sensor somewhere else in the system to watch for heat soak.
I apologized if I missed it but not running a motorcraft/IH thermostat can cause problems too. The parts store cheap replacements don't pass enough water.
