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Hello all,
I just noticed tonight that my 95 contour 4 cyl zetec was running very hot again, I have replaced the temp sensor twice now in the last six months, it seems now that the fan is still coming on but just at a much higher temp. When the temp goes up the coolant in the resovoir climbs well above max, the fan comes on (about the l) the coolant and temp drop. Any suggestions? p.s. just had the timing belt and idler arms changed.
thanks all
Mike Cole
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 2,408
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: Oct 2002
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Idler arms ???
Which temp sensor was changed, the one for the guage or the one for the PCM?
Has the thermostat been changed since 95?
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" -George Santayana
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Joined: Jun 2003
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Thermostat was change about eight months ago, the sensor I am refering to is the coolant sensor.
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,168
I am Canuckian
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I am Canuckian
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,168 |
Originally posted by mcole:
Thermostat was change about eight months ago, the sensor I am refering to is the coolant sensor.
You had one in your ztec? 
Green 96 mystique gs 4cyl mtx
16.9 in the 1/4 mile @102500 miles
95SE in Midnight Red MTX
MSDS headers and y-pipe
SVT exhaust
SVT UIM
Optimized se TB.
Full pre 98 SVT body kit
15.741 @ 87.73mph :)
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Joined: Jun 2003
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engine coolant sensor, on top of the thermostat housing?
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 888
Veteran CEG\'er
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Veteran CEG\'er
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4 cylinder, i guess you did remove the coolant bleed bolt to get all the air out the coolant system???? if not hat would let you run hot with air in the coolant system...
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Joined: Mar 2002
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Originally posted by dbird:
4 cylinder, i guess you did remove the coolant bleed bolt ....
Not aware of this device. Where is this bleed bolt located?
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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After driving the car to and from work and around town I have noticed this; It generally runs between the r and m, goes just to the end of m, the fan kicks in and volia, back to the middle. Four times in the past two days it has gone up to the l, I pull over turn the car off, pull the temp sensor harness, reattach it start the car and I am good to go. The one thing I have noticed is that when this happens the resovior is much higher than normal and the hose leading into the thermo is hard. Could this be a sticky thermostat?
Thanks again
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 160
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Originally posted by mcole:
After driving the car to and from work and around town I have noticed this; It generally runs between the r and m, goes just to the end of m, the fan kicks in and volia, back to the middle. Four times in the past two days it has gone up to the l, I pull over turn the car off, pull the temp sensor harness, reattach it start the car and I am good to go. The one thing I have noticed is that when this happens the resovior is much higher than normal and the hose leading into the thermo is hard. Could this be a sticky thermostat?
Thanks again
One other possibility is that the LOW speed circuit (resistor) for the cooling fan might have bitten the dust. The way it's supposed to work is that the fan should come on at low speed at a lower engine temp before it kicks in at high speed at a higher temp (with A/C off). When you're moving at 25 or so MPH, it's like the fans are running at low anyway, so the temps are going to stay reasonable. It's when you stop that they'll climb.
If you have your A/C on, the cooling fan should run at LOW speed all the time and only go to HIGH if the pressure in the A/C system rises above 285 psi or so (or the engine temp climbs to the HIGH speed value). That's a way you can test to see if the low speed circuit is working. If the fan doesn't turn on, at LOW speed, almost immediately after selecting A/C, then the LOW speed RESISTOR is prolly open. It looks like the resistor module should be replaceable, however, knowing Ford, you might have to replace the whole fan shroud just for the resistor (or see if you can find a good resistor at a salvage yard) - it ain't gonna be fun in either case.
On my '95, with NO A/C on, the fans turn on at LOW at just above the "R". That's usually sufficient to cool things back down to "O" then they turn off. If I disable the LOW speed ckt (yank the green relay, I think) the temp gauge climbs almost to the "A" before the fans turn on at HIGH and then they run until the temp returns between the "O" and the "R". The cooling system on mine has just been "rebuilt", new fans, new water pump, new t'stat, cleaned & refilled, so it should be acting as though it were new. When my LOW speed resistor was shot, the temps and fans behaved almost exactly like you described.
Good luck - Kurt
Last edited by KurtD; 06/18/03 03:04 PM.
'95 Contour SE, MTX, Champagne
'03 EB Expedition, Med Wedgewood Blue
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I tried the test you suggested and you are correct, it does not go into low speed with the air on nor did it go to low speed whith the temp around R. Now my AC hasen't worked in over a year ( I assumed it needed charging and didn't bother having it done) so I don't know if that would have an efffect on the test or not? Even assuming that the low speed portion of the fan is not working, the high speed obviously is, it should still not rise above the high speed temp while driving or am I missing something here? Also the issue of reseating the temp sensor seems to clear up the high temp? I wish I new more about these things.
Thanks for all your help.
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