2002 7.3 Coolant Temp runs hot with load

[mark6403av]

Hello everyone I just joined. I have a 2002 F250, 7.3, Auto, 4x4, and 35inch tires. Truck is all stock. I pull a 12,000 pound trailer and live in Phx Arizona. last year trans running really hot shut the truck off once and the engine temp comes up. I installed a 6.0 trans cooler and the trans problem is fixed now. Under load only climbing with the trailer the engine temp gauge starts to come up on long grades. Trans temp never gets hot again. Fan clutch does lock up. I'm thinking that a got a lot of heat from the huge cooler in front of the rad has anyone had this problem thanks Mark

 

[JRJ04]

is the coolant level good? when is the last time it has been changed? Thermostat ever been replaced? any coolant leaking from around the water pump?

my guess is, your radiator could potentially be clogged, or your waterpump is going south. adding a coolant filter would not at all be a bad idea either...

 

[mark6403av]

is the coolant level good? when is the last time it has been changed? Thermostat ever been replaced? any coolant leaking from around the water pump?

my guess is, your radiator could potentially be clogged, or your waterpump is going south. adding a coolant filter would not at all be a bad idea either...

New coolant,new water pump and t-stat 8 mouths ago, new fan clutch. I hurt my back so I had to get a auto trans. Never had a problem with my 95 F350 7.3 std. I was thinking of just replacing the rad. Do you think I should have left the small cooler and added one with a fan under the truck thanks Mark

 

[JRJ04]

it might be worth installing a coolant filter. i would try and have the radiator cleaned out first before i replae it. there is a chance it might be partially plugged and it might be only badly plugged enough that when theres a load on it, you see overheating.

 

[mark6403av]

Thank you I do have 185,000 miles. Would you pull it and have it checked. Or just replace it with OEM. The truck never runs warm other then A/Z heat pulling my trailer up the hill. Never a problem on flat or even small hills. Do you think that big cooler 6.0 trans cooler I put in was a good Idea ?

 

[Tail_Gunner]

I've never heard of a radiator problem on a 7.3.

Did you have any over heat problems prior to replacing the t-stat? I suspect your "new" t-stat might be bad and possibly not fully opening. Especially if it's a generic brand, I've had problems with Autozone parts before.

I'll 2nd the comment about the coolant filter. If anything, it'll prolong your waterpump life by removing the abrasive casting sand that wears the water pump shaft & seals.

One last thoguht, how is your "radiator" cap? If it isn't holding pressure, it can cause a coolant boil-over/ over heat condition.

I've had one of them go bad, I didn't really over heat. But I was loosing coolant because of its bad seal.

 

[BIG JOE]

OEM gauge

If the Trans temp gauge doesn't climb, on a hard pull.. but the engine temp gauge does ?.. But you've never over-heated.. I'd suspect the OEM (Ford) engine temp gauge.

They aren't known for being trusty and/or accurate.

Joe

 

[mark6403av]

I bought this truck 1 1/2 years ago. It had a coolant leak at the water pump so I replaced the t-stat also Ford parts. I have pulled my trailer on small grades in A/Z back and fourth to the sand dunes no problems. I went to Cal last year with the family. The toyhauler empty (-2500 pounds) there is a big long hill off the 8. The trans got so hot it shut the truck down coolant temp was not that hot. I replaced the trans cooler with a huge one out of a 05 6.0 the trans has never got hot again. Know after a few pulling a big hill the coolant temp starts to come up and it will set the check gauge light again the truck is stock other then 315 tires. There is no garbage or dirt in front of or back of the rad. I put that trans cooler in because I heard guy's doing it. It was a simple install but know I'm wondering if my problem is that I caused more heat up front. I've pulled lot's of trailers in my 40 years of life and have always had a STD trans. I never saw any heat problems. I thank you and anyone else that has a Idea.

 

[JLDickmon]

8 and the trans got so hot it shut the truck down coolant temp was not that hot I replaced the trans cooler with a huge one out of a 05 6.0 the trans has never got hot again but now after a few pulling a big hill the coolant temp starts to come up and it will set the check gauge light again the truck is stock other then 315 tires there is no garbage or dirt in front of or back of the rad I put that trans cooler in because I heard guy's doing it it was a simple install but know I'm wondering if my probl

I think it's lugging the engine because of the oversized tires..

you could either put the stock tire back on it, or get a chip/tuner to mover the powerband..

 

[mark6403av]

Thanks again my old truck with the STD ran the best pulling at 3300 RPM never would hit the govener. I can never get 3000 rpm pulling down into 2nd. Do you think I should slow down untill I can get 1st. I don't know the shift points but I thought of the truck overworking in a higher gear and causing heat. I would have never let the rpm in the std trans go below 2500 and pulled the best and kept cool at 3300 RPM. The stock tires would be somthing esle to try