[DeathBlow]

I've noticed lately when I was on somewhat of a hill my temp. needle likes to go almost all the way up to overheating. Has anybody else had this problem happen to them. I have an 02 Focus SE

 

[penguin]

When's the last time you flushed the cooling system and replaced the coolant?

 

[DeathBlow]

About 4 weeks ago.

 

[penguin]

Did you have the same temperature gauge behavior before you did the cooling system flush and fill, or is it something that only appeared afterwards?

 

[focusedintentions]

did you replace your thermostat?? if you don't replace your coolant on a reg basis...then flush it out.....for some reason it messes with them and can make them stick.

 

[DeathBlow]

It happed afterwards because I had to replace my temperature gauge housing. We the car was able to sit for a little while and cool down the ring inside the housing contracted enough to let all the antifrezze out.

 

[Blurvfocus]

When you drained and refilled the cooling system, did you allow the engine to reach full operating temperature before you put the radiator cap back on. You have to do this so the cooling system is not under pressure when the thermostat opens. Otherwise, air pockets which invariably form when the system is refilled cannot escape.

 

[viney266]

Agreed ^^^ sounds like you have an air pocket in there somewhere...open the cap and run it for a while, you should get some bubbles here and there...see if that takes care of it.

 

[DeathBlow]

I'll give it a shot, Thanks

 

[PDQEagle]

If you've run it a few cycles, all the air should have been pumped out. If you let it idle, how hot will it go. Try that and check if the fan comes on.

 

[DeathBlow]

I took the radiator cap off and run it up to normal temp. and then when I was installing some Amps and testing them, it was sitting on a little hill going down and this the the needle reached the red.
Any other sugguestion?

 

[ztecpower]

The thermostat sounds like it's failed, I just replaced mine too, Do you get fan activation or do the fans only kick on high ?? If that's the case then you need to replace your fan harness.
My car just went through this VERY SAME THING.
So to recap, I replaced my fan harness (Burnt connector at resistor pack) and after that I was driving the car (1 week later) and the thermostat guage was acting wierd, I would rev the engine when it was about to overheat and the temp guage went DOWN !! That could mean only 1 thing, the thermostat was bad (stuck closed)

Replace the thermostat make sure the air bleeder valve on the thermostat is facing up and
try that, it fixed mine.

Troy.