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I just bought a 1988 Fleetwood Jamboree Class-C 27 foot. The temperature gague usually sits near mid-range but quickly goes to near the top end of normal when I go up a long hill at highway speed (outside temp only 75 F, not a hot day !) Is this normal ??
I pulled the radiator and had it flushed, shop said flow is good (but I think it is the original radiator). Also put in a new thermostat from Ford 192 F) and new hoses - good spring in lower hose. Good belts, good belt tension. Timing 10 BTDC per spec.
Does anyone know if this is normal for these units ? If not any ideas on what to do. I'm a pretty good mechanic but don't have much experience with Class-C RV's.
I also have the problem of overheating pulling up long hills. It sat in a field for several years before being resurrected! I'm thinking of having the radiator flushed or replaced and wonder if there is a bigger radiator that will eliminate the problem?
I just bought a 1988 Fleetwood Jamboree Class-C 27 foot. The temperature gague usually sits near mid-range but quickly goes to near the top end of normal when I go up a long hill at highway speed (outside temp only 75 F, not a hot day !) Is this normal ??
I pulled the radiator and had it flushed, shop said flow is good (but I think it is the original radiator). Also put in a new thermostat from Ford 192 F) and new hoses - good spring in lower hose. Good belts, good belt tension. Timing 10 BTDC per spec.
Does anyone know if this is normal for these units ? If not any ideas on what to do. I'm a pretty good mechanic but don't have much experience with Class-C RV's.
I use a 180 degree thermostat in my 460 Ford and a 7# radiator cap. I use this '84 F250 to pull a 26' travel trailer and don't experience overheating, and believe me, I've made some hard pulls in very hot places. From your description I'd say your fan clutch is defective or you are experiencing inadequate spark advance. I more lean to the fan clutch. When the rig is running along on the flats the engine is lightly loaded, burning less fuel= less heat produced, and the "ram air", (air rammed through the radiator by the vehicle's forward speed), is adequate to carry away the heat from the radiator. Going uphill, more gasolene is burned=more heat produced, vehicle speed drops off= less ram air= temp goes up. Do this to check the fan clutch, starting with the engine cold and off.Remove engine cover if class A. Grab a fan blade and attempt to spin the fan, you should feel resistance. Start engine and listen, fan should turn, producing a roaring sound, after 1 1/2 to 2 minutes roaring should stop. Let engine warm up to operating temp. Partially block airflow into radiator, leaving the area in front of fan clear.Run engine at 1,500 RPM or so. Fan clutch should re-engage at around 210 degrees or so, producing the roaring sound and moving heated air behind it. If fan clutch doesn't pass these tests, replace it with a Hayden heavy duty thermostatically-controlled unit.
I just bought a 1988 Fleetwood Jamboree Class-C 27 foot. The temperature gague usually sits near mid-range but quickly goes to near the top end of normal when I go up a long hill at highway speed
You need to have your shop put a scanner on this and drive it under the conditions that make it rise. It will give a readout on the scanner of what the temperature actually is. It may be that the high end of the guage is only 210. If such is the case this could be normal for your vehicle. Do not use a 180 or colder thermostat in a Fuel Injected vehicle. They need a 195 to operate like the computer wants them to. If it doesn't get passed 210 degrees in the radiator, the fan clutch may not ever lock up as most of them, especially OEM need at least 225 before they start pulling(you can thank the government for that one,,fuel mileage you know)
I just bought a 1988 Fleetwood Jamboree Class-C 27 foot. The temperature gague usually sits near mid-range but quickly goes to near the top end of normal when I go up a long hill at highway speed
You need to have your shop put a scanner on this and drive it under the conditions that make it rise. It will give a readout on the scanner of what the temperature actually is. It may be that the high end of the guage is only 210. If such is the case this could be normal for your vehicle. Do not use a 180 or colder thermostat in a Fuel Injected vehicle. They need a 195 to operate like the computer wants them to. If it doesn't get passed 210 degrees in the radiator, the fan clutch may not ever lock up as most of them, especially OEM need at least 225 before they start pulling(you can thank the government for that one,,fuel mileage you know)
I'm a little confused by your statement of needing a 195 degree thermostat. All the FI engines that I've scanned have sensors that put them into closed loop at 140-150 degrees F. That high 195 degree thermostat and 5w-30 weight oil are OE for another reason, and it's not to promote engine longevity.
Interesting discussion - Thanks to all - I agree the first thing I need to do is put in a "real" temperature gague! Also I did find a small note in the Ford service manual that said it was ok to use a "lower" thermostat if you were not going to use permanent antifreeze - anyone know what that is ? That statement however seems to imply that a lower thermostat is OK. Also I will try to check out the fan clutch - do you think it would make a difference though with a 55 MPH wind blowing into the radiator at crusing speed ? I just don't know - perhaps it does. Also I think the radiator is original 1988 so I decided to replace it on general principals.
Again thanks to all, I will post my progress.
You need to have your shop put a scanner on this and drive it under the conditions that make it rise. It will give a readout on the scanner of what the temperature actually is. It may be that the high end of the guage is only 210. If such is the case this could be normal for your vehicle. Do not use a 180 or colder thermostat in a Fuel Injected vehicle. They need a 195 to operate like the computer wants them to. If it doesn't get passed 210 degrees in the radiator, the fan clutch may not ever lock up as most of them, especially OEM need at least 225 before they start pulling(you can thank the government for that one,,fuel mileage you know)
I'm a little confused by your statement of needing a 195 degree thermostat. All the FI engines that I've scanned have sensors that put them into closed loop at 140-150 degrees F. That high 195 degree thermostat and 5w-30 weight oil are OE for another reason, and it's not to promote engine longevity.
That high 195 degree thermostat and 5w-30 weight oil are OE for another reason, and it's not to promote engine longevity.
Yes it is. :-)
Would be most interested in hearing the explaination and reasoning behind this statement to validate it.
I would like to know your source of info also. I have been looking for info - I did find something in the Ford service manual that said a lower thermostat could be used with certain types of antifreeze but it was sort of vague.
Interesting discussion - Thanks to all - I agree the first thing I need to do is put in a "real" temperature gague! Also I did find a small note in the Ford service manual that said it was ok to use a "lower" thermostat if you were not going to use permanent antifreeze - anyone know what that is ? That statement however seems to imply that a lower thermostat is OK. Also I will try to check out the fan clutch - do you think it would make a difference though with a 55 MPH wind blowing into the radiator at crusing speed ? I just don't know - perhaps it does. Also I think the radiator is original 1988 so I decided to replace it on general principals.
Again thanks to all, I will post my progress.
The "permanent" antifreeze is comparable to Ford's current factory fill, supposed to be good for 5 years. I don't trust it for that long, so change mine with conventional type every 24 months. You're right, the fan clutch has the fan disengaged at cruising speed, it will re-engage the fan should the radiator discharge air reach 205-210 degrees. The fan clutch is there for reduced noise and a trifle more fuel economy.
You need to have your shop put a scanner on this and drive it under the conditions that make it rise. It will give a readout on the scanner of what the temperature actually is. It may be that the high end of the guage is only 210. If such is the case this could be normal for your vehicle. Do not use a 180 or colder thermostat in a Fuel Injected vehicle. They need a 195 to operate like the computer wants them to. If it doesn't get passed 210 degrees in the radiator, the fan clutch may not ever lock up as most of them, especially OEM need at least 225 before they start pulling(you can thank the government for that one,,fuel mileage you know)
I'm a little confused by your statement of needing a 195 degree thermostat. All the FI engines that I've scanned have sensors that put them into closed loop at 140-150 degrees F. That high 195 degree thermostat and 5w-30 weight oil are OE for another reason, and it's not to promote engine longevity.
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