Ecoboost overheating
07-19-2017, 11:33 AM
#11
I have the same situation. 2012 SCREW, 3.73 rear, pulling ~7000 lb trailer. Just had stock t-stat and radiator flush done. Seemed to help some, but I still need to pull grades in second gear at 3500-4000 rpm. The minute I get on it to attempt a shift into 3rd, the temp gauge moved like the speedo, so I back off, and it instantly drops back down. So I have the cooling there at high rpms to a point, but pushing harder just gets it into a heat soak situation. I am considering:
1) Water pump (would like to know if this helped anyone?)
2) FR large radiator
3) Wagner IC
4) Tow tune
Not sure what to attack first. The dealer that did the flush said everything checked out on the vehicle. This was the second dealer to say this to me. So I hope it isn't a "competency" issue with Ford dealers!
1) Water pump (would like to know if this helped anyone?)
2) FR large radiator
3) Wagner IC
4) Tow tune
Not sure what to attack first. The dealer that did the flush said everything checked out on the vehicle. This was the second dealer to say this to me. So I hope it isn't a "competency" issue with Ford dealers!
I pull a 7,700 lb TT and do not experience over heating. I also back off the speed on inclines though. I usually pull 70-75mph on flat road too. Do all if you use the tow/haul mode and lock out 6th gear?
07-19-2017, 01:08 PM
#12
I use the tow/haul and had 6th locked out. It seems like on my truck it won't downshift until I really get on the pedal. As thought the downshift is triggered by a mechanical position rather than RPM. Otherwise if I gradually depress the pedal, it tends to bogs down in too high of a gear typically 5th, which causes the temps to rise leading to the overheat condition. I have to manually drop it down to anticipate the hill.
Papa Tiger suggested in a similar thread going on right now on the same subject to have the trans/torque converter checked. I haven't quite figured out how this plays in to it. My trans temps are fine. Strictly coolant being heat soaked which higher RPMs seems to lower it quickly. Could the torque converter be getting stuck in the locked position preventing a downshift when RPMs are low?
07-18-2018, 03:40 PM
#14
Seems like there is no easy fix. There are lots of suggestions, but no one thing solves this completely for everyone.
1) Remove some of the burden off the radiator (External transmission cooler, decoupling trans cooler.)
2) Increase the ability to remove some of the heat. (Upgrade the radiator, Upgrade the CAC, adjust water/coolant ratio, engine oil cooler, etc.)
3) Improve your fans ( Buy a tune to turn the fans on sooner, install a manual switch to turn on high when hot, etc.)
Overall, slow down, drop it a gear or two and try to minimize boost. The boost will skyrocket the temps under hot/heatsoak conditions.
1) Remove some of the burden off the radiator (External transmission cooler, decoupling trans cooler.)
2) Increase the ability to remove some of the heat. (Upgrade the radiator, Upgrade the CAC, adjust water/coolant ratio, engine oil cooler, etc.)
3) Improve your fans ( Buy a tune to turn the fans on sooner, install a manual switch to turn on high when hot, etc.)
Overall, slow down, drop it a gear or two and try to minimize boost. The boost will skyrocket the temps under hot/heatsoak conditions.
07-18-2018, 04:01 PM
#15
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Overheat on EcoBoost
These are all great suggestions. I bought the truck BRAND NEW and never had this issue until this summer. It overheats if it's very hot outside going over 70mph with ac on. I know I can turn ac off or slow down but my point is IT DID NOT DO THIS LAST SUMMER. I flushed system and replaced with new coolant. Fist 50% now 75%. Changed thermostat to ALTERNATE 170° and still doing it. The only difference from last year is i changed the water pump. Unfortunately i used the duralast autozone one. I'm thinking that i need to change it to a motorcraft unit or a racing high performance one. What do you think?
07-18-2018, 07:40 PM
#16
Unfortunately I still have not got this fixed or figured out. I don't tow a lot but when I do it is up steep long grades which I have found my Ecoboost does not like. I have done a coolant flush, which didn't help. I did find that by putting it into manual and down shifting a gear before I started to heat up helped a little as well as slowing down to around 45mph while climbing steep grades. I have yet to put much money into it since I don't tow all that often and it seems like a lot of other people have done the radiator upgrade, 170 thermostat, upgraded the CAC, etc. And it didn't help.
The last time I towed was the 4th of July weekend and I put a WiFi OBD2 adaptor in my OBD2 port to read the exact temps of my coolant while towing. I use the four-stroke app to read the wifi adaptor. The hottest I got was 252 deg and I was almost pegged into the red. Fortunately I had a long downhill stretch of road after that which cooled it off superfast. The outside temp was around 80 deg. And I was pulling my trailer that weighs in around 6,500Lbs.
The last time I towed was the 4th of July weekend and I put a WiFi OBD2 adaptor in my OBD2 port to read the exact temps of my coolant while towing. I use the four-stroke app to read the wifi adaptor. The hottest I got was 252 deg and I was almost pegged into the red. Fortunately I had a long downhill stretch of road after that which cooled it off superfast. The outside temp was around 80 deg. And I was pulling my trailer that weighs in around 6,500Lbs.
08-20-2018, 01:31 PM
#17
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I have a 2013 FX4 and I have been dealing with the same issues. I have figured out a way to reproduce it regularly and can do it towing on a light hill as long as there is a constant grade. The trick is to have constant pressure on the throttle and keep the RPMs above 3000. This keeps the turbos constantly engaged. after a couple minutes it will spike. As soon as the RPMS drop down to around 2500 the temp immediately drops. I was experiencing this on long hard hills and my 16 year old son is actually the one that tied it to the constant RPMs above 3000. I was trying to overthink it. I just had the turbos replaced (for other reasons) and to test I just tried towing my 36' TT on a mild but really long hill. as long as I kept it just at 3000 RPMs without letting off the gas to release the turbos I was able to reproduce it. It's harder to reproduce with my smaller trailer as I need a steeper hill. However, I have been suspecting but haven't tried yet that I can reproduce it without a trailer on flat ground by limiting the upper gears so that I could just run 3000 RPMs in a lower gear for a long stretch. I don't think its so much the RPMs as it is keeping the turbos engaged but that's the lowest point that I can reproduce it regularly.
And for the record, I have had it to two different Ford Dealerships and they have no idea.
And for the record, I have had it to two different Ford Dealerships and they have no idea.
08-20-2018, 02:54 PM
#18
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So my 2016 with a 3.5 eco started doing this yesterday. Same thing as most others in the forums, I have been towing with this truck for a couple years now and never had a problem with overheating - in the last year, had a turbo, manifold, and throttle body all replaced and now the truck is overheating on grades while pulling our 6K lbs travel trailer. I've been reading a lot of threads on this, and find it completely unreasonable for folks to suggest that my truck rated to tow 11,500 now requires me to swap out the entire cooling system to handle just over half that capacity. This was in 82 degree weather at 55 mph. If the truck can't handle this stock, Ford should seriously consider revising their numbers.
08-20-2018, 04:08 PM
#19
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So my 2016 with a 3.5 eco started doing this yesterday. Same thing as most others in the forums, I have been towing with this truck for a couple years now and never had a problem with overheating - in the last year, had a turbo, manifold, and throttle body all replaced and now the truck is overheating on grades while pulling our 6K lbs travel trailer. I've been reading a lot of threads on this, and find it completely unreasonable for folks to suggest that my truck rated to tow 11,500 now requires me to swap out the entire cooling system to handle just over half that capacity. This was in 82 degree weather at 55 mph. If the truck can't handle this stock, Ford should seriously consider revising their numbers.
1. Overheating while towing (and it doesn't need to be a heavy trailer)
2. MPG are averaging between 11-12 combined in town/hwy without towing
3. Severe hesitation from a stop when warmed up (about 4 seconds). Just enough to idle it's way across 3-4 lanes without giving enough power to get out of the way
I do still love the truck though
08-20-2018, 04:18 PM
#20
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That stinks. I was having the same problem with the vehicle going into limp mode and it ended up being my throttle body. Mine was throwing codes when it started failing though and was an easy diagnosis...I would have to think maybe that could account for your issue with MPG and acceleration issues? And no, not covered under the powertrain warranty :/
Hope they get your deal figured out. I spec'd my truck specifically for towing our travel trailer and have been very happy with the performance of the truck when it wasn't in the shop for an issue!
Hope they get your deal figured out. I spec'd my truck specifically for towing our travel trailer and have been very happy with the performance of the truck when it wasn't in the shop for an issue!
