Is there a consensus why the zetecs run so hot?

mine normally sits right at R/M in normal, on hot days in traffic it will get to L but that is when the fan kicks in

now of course the duratec just sits steady all day

maybe it has something to do with the design of the system and the one vs two fans to help with the cooling

My old Zetec ran between the M and A when I first got it, then after changing the water pump (preventive while doing the timing belt), did the same until it overheated one day and the timing belt cover was spewing with coolant out of every crack. I guess the new WP had a leak... only overheated once after that (summer with the A/C on delivering pizza), but it would run just under the red to just on the red (which is when the fans would kick in). I figure the WP had a small leak and wasn't able to pressurize the system, which caused it to run real hot.

So yeah, I was always on the edge of overheating the 1.5 years I had it after the WP change.

My duratec is very erratic in the gauge operation too. it will go high in traffc with AC on and will stay cold cruising on a cool day. I wonder if my gauge is good?

Originally posted by LocoSCZ:
Mine sits right in the middle (between O and R). Never changed from the day I got it.

I'm thinking that the cause may be the cooling system not being flushed/ maintained.

I am not sure about that. I just replaced my radiator not to long ago, maybe three years. we flushed the sytem out then and filled with new coolant. my guage reads a bit higher like I said before. it did the same thing before but the normal running temp was a touch lower

My kid's first Contour (Zetec) always ran between the "a" and the "l" (closer to the "l"). It used to freak her out, she was always thinking that it was going to overheat.

The WP, thermostat and radiator were changed as was the coolant so I'm not sure of the reason.
She's much happier now that she has a V6 because it doesn't run as hot.

Originally posted by LUCA:
My kid's first Contour (Zetec) always ran between the "a" and the "l" (closer to the "l"). It used to freak her out, she was always thinking that it was going to overheat.
The WP, thermostat and radiator were changed as was the coolant so I'm not sure of the reason.
She's much happier now that she has a V6 because it doesn't run as hot.

At least she paid attention to the temp gauge, alot of people don't notice and overheat their car to death.
-Peter

Originally posted by TravisN1:
My duratec is very erratic in the gauge operation too. it will go high in traffc with AC on and will stay cold cruising on a cool day. I wonder if my gauge is good?

I would check the thermostat. It could be stuck on close (high in traffic) or stuck on open (cold cruising) on a cool day.

Read this thread.

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=1021265&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1

Originally posted by beyondloadedSE:
Whats the deal?

IMHO, whomever designed the guages was on something that a little trippy that day.

After my AutoMeters went in, I found that L in my car was 195 degrees.

i always thought my car was the only contour with a messed up temp gauge. is there anyway to install a after market temp gauge?

Mine does the same.
Sits around R during normal driving but in stop and go traffic, it will creep up to the L but never goes past it.

Had the WP replaced, Coolant flushed, 180 thermostat installed, Temp Gauge sender replaced. No change on temp gauge. Heater also blows hot air.

Also, coolant level stays the same(no change) and fan does kick on if it sits around L for about 10 minutes.

Originally posted by bigworm:
i always thought my car was the only contour with a messed up temp gauge. is there anyway to install a after market temp gauge?

Buy one of the pillar pods from one of the vendors online. Pick the AutoMeters or whatever brand you like and install. Very oversimplified instructions, but you get the idea.

An ex-girlfriend had a '96 Zetec Mystique; its temp gauge was erratic and would jump to the upper range of "NORMAL" all the time. It seemed like the needle would move around wildly in response to minor temperature changes.

On the other hand, the needle on my '99 V6 Contour never moves. It's always just below the middle. Even when it heats up enough to kick on the fan, the gauge never budges.

I wonder if Ford made the temperature gauge less sensitive in later or V6 models. I know on many other cars, they designed the gauges so they just sit right around the middle in any normal temperature range.

Overall I'm not much of a GM fan, but I sure prefer prefer their gauges. They actually tell you what the temperature is, using actual numbers. What a concept!

I might be losing it, but I'm sure someone mentioned that the Zetec runs better at hotter temps, not 195 but not like N or O.

I noticed considerable change with new coolant, 180 thermo, so I think if some of you still have a high temp, check if the fan works and if the guage is functional. Remember, get phosphate-free antifreeze.

dummy gauges

Originally posted by microtonal:
Mine does the same.
Sits around R during normal driving but in stop and go traffic, it will creep up to the L but never goes past it.

Had the WP replaced, Coolant flushed, 180 thermostat installed, Temp Gauge sender replaced. No change on temp gauge. Heater also blows hot air.

Also, coolant level stays the same(no change) and fan does kick on if it sits around L for about 10 minutes.

Mine does exaclty the same. I had a coolant leak and lost all my coolant once... still didn't change. I think I'll be getting an aftermarket gauge w/ real numbers.

Bump. A few months ago my Duratec guage started running awfully warm in city traffic or just after getting off the highway. It would run around R normally, and creeped up to/past L and back down again as soon as the low-speed fan turned on. We installed a new WP (white impeller), thermostat, ECT sensor, coolant and WP belt, and then the car started definitely running hot (gauge maintained stance between M and L, no coolant flow, low and high speed fans on within 15 minutes). Brapple's OBD-II scan showed fans turning on at appropriate temperatures and that the engine was hot. Dealer installed new radiator, did a coolant flush, second WP (back to black this time) and thermostat, and finally $1300+ later the car is again appearing to be running hot only in city traffic - now reading between O and R unless in traffic when it creeps up to past M and the fan turns on (occasionally going back down and then back up again, sometimes not). An expensive venture on my part. Mechanic #2 noted I am missing an air dam, if it matters.

I'm basically thinking now that my gauge decided to become erratic or oversensitive. Not quite sure why, perhaps buying an aftermarket gauge (or an OBD-II cable) would show what the engine is really doing. It could just be my sending unit and the engine is fine; the engine could possibly be running warmer than it should; .. at this point I've given up and am ready to run the car into the ground. I am planning to replace it next year post-graduation anyway; I don't care anymore!

FWIW - 99+ Contiques don't have "NORMAL" in their gauges, IIRC.

Originally posted by 98 SE:
Mechanic #2 noted I am missing an air dam, if it matters.

Yes, it matters. The lower radiator deflector forces the air to go to the radiator and cool it. Put it back and see if it helps.

Originally posted by Tony2005:

Originally posted by 98 SE:
Mechanic #2 noted I am missing an air dam, if it matters.

Yes, it matters. The lower radiator deflector forces the air to go to the radiator and cool it. Put it back and see if it helps.

removed from 98 and on contours, only svts get em at this point, beleive all pre98 have the air dams

Originally posted by brapple:

Originally posted by Tony2005:

Originally posted by 98 SE:
Mechanic #2 noted I am missing an air dam, if it matters.

Yes, it matters. The lower radiator deflector forces the air to go to the radiator and cool it. Put it back and see if it helps.

removed from 98 and on contours, only svts get em at this point, beleive all pre98 have the air dams

I stand corrected! Thanks brapple.

Am I thinking about the same thing? The big plastic cover that covers the empty space behind the bumper, between the rad and engine?

Originally posted by Cris'pus:
Am I thinking about the same thing? The big plastic cover that covers the empty space behind the bumper, between the rad and engine?

yes, this deflector/sheild fills in the space between the bumper and the subframe from wheel well to wheel well

Ok, but you're saying 98's didn't have one? Mine was made in june 97 (as a 98), maybe that's why I have one.

Originally posted by Cris'pus:
Ok, but you're saying 98's didn't have one? Mine was made in june 97 (as a 98), maybe that's why I have one.

that could be the reason, not 100% on the dates. all I know is both our 95s have them and the 99s do not

My car runs in between the M and L mostly toward L, but during cool days like a night like last night say, maybe 55 degree weather it'll get up to about the M or A max and stay there until I'm done driving it, I love that the car runs excellent. My WP and all the belts were changed last year about this time (maybe a week from now) so the coolant and all that was changed. I do keep a close eye on my temp guage tho.

Originally posted by Mystique97:
My WP and all the belts were changed last year about this time (maybe a week from now) so the coolant and all that was changed. I do keep a close eye on my temp guage tho.

Check the coolant strength just for peace of mind (buy a tester from Advance or Autozone for $5).