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FIXED: (Cracked Nylon intake) Ford 4.6 temp gage normal at cruise cold when stopped?

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Slacker

Slacker

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2000 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor 4.6

Just started this evening on the way home, crawling in traffic for half an hour and noticed the temp gage said cold even though the heat was working.

I watched it for the rest of the way home in stop and go driving, while cruising at 50+ the gage read normal temp, when stopped it would slowly go down to cold, and then when accelerating it would climb steadily back to normal.

My first thought is corroded impeller on water pump.

Would love it if it was a cheaper quicker fix 🙂
 
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Even though the temp goes up while cruising and down when stopped? seems like an open thermostat would have the opposite effect.

though it would make sense considering it was a sudden onset and not gradual.
 
When stopped, your engine is idle and making less heat. That's when the thermostat is supposed to be closed to keep the temp up.
 
Slacker said:
Even though the temp goes up while cruising and down when stopped? seems like an open thermostat would have the opposite effect.

though it would make sense considering it was a sudden onset and not gradual.
Click to expand...


Like Ferzerp said.. When you stop, the engine cools way down. You have a huge radiator, probably oversized since it's police equipped, designed to handle the engine running 100%

When you stop at a light you don't need that huge radiator circulating heat off the engine, so the thermostat closes a bit to restrict the flow. If it's stuck open that doesn't happen, and the engine gets too cold.
 
Ferzerp said:
When stopped, your engine is idle and making less heat. That's when the thermostat is supposed to be closed to keep the temp up.
Click to expand...

If the engine has a mechanical fan that is always pulling air through the radiator then maybe. With an electric fan it isn't going to run cooler at idle since there is no air flow. Going down the interstate with a working radiator and an open thermostat will usually make the engine run cooler than it is suppose to because of the massive amount of air flow.

My guess would be air pocket as well but I doubt one would just suddenly show up unless you have a leak. Check the coolant level. If the heater temp feels normal despite the gauge you could just have a flaky coolant temp sender.
 
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Well, it is finally fixed.

The intake manifold had cracked at the thermostat housing.

$150.00 for a Ford Racing intake (oem stock part would have been around $400.00)
$300.00 to have it installed

Dropped it off Tuesday morning and got it back Wednesday night.

The Ford Racing part was not a direct bolt on for the Crown Vic, a performance shop did the work with a referal from a friend at a Ford dealer.

They mentioned needing to re-route a coolant line under the stock manifold, tapping a hole for a sensor and some other holes for brackets, they also had to slightly modify the alternator top bracket where it attaches to the intake.

They also had some trouble with the EGR stuff they needed to remove for the swap, seized/rusty, but they handled it and stuck to their quote.

They did plugs, and cleaned the throttle body and air flow sensor.

I also had them install front pads and rotors that I provided.

It is running quite nice, the new thermostat might be a higher temp than the previous because the temp gage is about 2 ticks higher on the symbol on the gage than it usually was, like before it would run normal temp at the 8:00 mark it is now at 9:00 or just about exactly halfway up in the normal range.

They tell me I should get a bit better throttle response and better acceleration, but really the thing hauled ass just fine with the original manifold.

Was well worth it to me to have a shop do this, just the time savings alone was worth it, not to mention the modifications needed, even if it was a direct bolt on I wouldnt have wanted to try to rush through it in the little free time I have, it is also a scary looking mess of stuff to tear apart everything that is piled on top of that motor.

a pic for reference, not my car

img_6078-(large).jpg
 
Huh, think i have a couple of those at my house from when i worked at the plastics shop!
Wish i would have known, i would have given you one!
 
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