Have you checked to make sure the flaps are open fully?

Debris in the fins blocking air flow?

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Yes I did check and they are clear.

 

You are the second fella reporting these Temps over 220 while running empty. (not towing)

The other guy has been fairly tenacious in recording the parameters VS speeds, gear, boost, etc

I think he's just about fed up enough to address a possible thermostat and/or water pump issue. You might do a search and follow that thread too?



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Don't the new trucks after 14 have those louvers in front of the rad that are controlled by the "computer"?? That would be the first thing I'd be getting rid of... ha, ha... Even if they are working as "programmed"... Why would you ever want to reduce airflow thru the rad??? Oh, that's right... To reduce climate change... Which has been occurring over the last couple of million years long before any of us humans was even a single cell thingy.. Or that teenage gal from where ever that says we are killing her generation... ha, ha.... Mitch

 

If I’m hammer down in my 18 3.5 on the interstate I can hit 230 .
There are a few shallow grades that take me to 8-9 LBS . When I crest the hill and back off the temp numbers will appear .



-Brian

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"Hammer down" on my 18 will QUICKLY turn into 100+mph.
Since I'm not willing, I'm unable to get those Temps when I'm not towing.

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I understand that . I was referring to 80-85 mph
I should have been more clear


-Brian

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I've been suffering hot temps for a while as well.
Last fall I installed the 170 deg t-stat and today I towed for the first time up steep grades.
Never got over 214 where historically that same hill I would touch 235 super easy

However, I don't attribute all of the drop to the t-stat.
I learned that if I manually shift down to 3rd at the base of the hill and hold the rpms about 4300 it stays cool.
At that load/rpm I'm running a little less boost.
I also installed EGT probes in both manifolds last time they warped and before the rpm drop it would run 1700 deg on this same hill.
At the above mentioned load/rpm it stays about 1400 +/-.

Let's see what happens when it's 100 deg out instead of the 50 it was today.

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Not only does it lower boost, but higher RPMs circulates the coolant more as well. This approach has worked well for me, however, a few times I was caught working the transmission too hard. Especially if it's a gradual, but very long grade. So do what you must to keep the motor cool, but definitely keep an eye on your transmission temp.

 

Good point.
I installed a trans cooler off the 6.0 diesel trucks.
It's 6 times larger.
Damn near the same core dimensions as the radiator.
I'll see if I can find the install pictures.

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The good news about monitoring your tranny Temps while making decisions to keep your ECT's lower during a tough towing situation, is that if you did get the tranny hotter than you are comfortable with, you can just schedule a tranny fluid change.

I know that might sound to some like the opposite of good news, but compared to possibly damaging your motor from overcooked coolant Temps, a tranny flush is no biggie. Even while out on the road.



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I haven't had any issues since upgrading to the larger Saudi cooler. It's the perfect compliment to a hot truck. Gives you a crutch to takes things low and slow.

 

I am having the same issue. You just described exactly to a tee what mine is doing. So far I've replaced thermo stat, cylinder head temp sensor, intercooler, flushed radiator. Took it to ford dealer he said there was an air bubble. (Purged system). When I picked it up I got 1 mile outta town and it immediately started over heat. I had to drive 40 mph back home. Any ideas?? Water pump isn't leaking so they won't change it.

 

Any updates on this. Mine has been in the shop like 6 times for warranty work since I’ve owned it. I’m about to start to do a buy back for this truck. I thought Ford was quality like my past ecoboost were but evidentially they’ve went to crap.

 

They have rotted out the radiator, changed thermostat (again). Put a new water pump in, now they are replacing head gasket. This is my first ecoboost and will probably be my last.

 

How does one rot out a radiator?

 

Huh, you learn something new every day.

 

My truck has the same problem as described here. Did not start the overheating till after the second timing chain replacement. Towed a 24ft car trailer over 18,000 miles and never got a high temp. Now towing the trailer empty the temp stay up on the 230-235 range half the time.

The dealer change the water pump and thermostat and on the way home I got the temp spike again. Going back to the dealer again for this.

 

You've had 2 timing chains replaced on your 18 King Ranch?
I just don't get how these 3.5EB motors have such a variance of reliability from one to the next. It's crazy.

There has to be a legitimate explanation for how a modern mass production product can have that kind of disparity.

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235 shouldn’t be too hot for theae engines.
Is it ?

 

When I took it to the dealer they said the oil cooler line was loose. Then said they drove it 70 miles no over heating. I pick it up drove 3 miles when it started over heating. So I took it to an old school mechanic to solve the problem. The radiator was clogged full of debris so he Rodded out the radiator and ended up replacing head gasket.

 

You let the dealership drive your truck over 70 miles, that's a heck of a road test.

 

Mechanics got to get to work too.

 

I don't want to say that's an exaggeration but ..that has to be the world's longest road test.

 

2018 F150 Lariat 3.5 ECO Boost

Outside temperature was 45 F. Called Palmetto Ford in Charleston, SC and the head of the service department called this “normal” 10th Gear at 2,000 RPMs???

I’m going to visit the dealer again and suggest they start by looking to see if the radiator inlet/ outlets are blocked with debris from the radiator.

Sounds like this has been a very common occurrence?

 

It never ceases to amaze me what these dealers will call “normal”. I swear they want your engine to blow. Your definitely not crazy, I’ve never seen temps that high just cruising at any ambient temp. Highest temp I’ve ever seen on my NGauge was 227 and that was after wringing out the engine a few times on the highway, I’m talking approaching or exceeding 100mph and turbos screaming along at 21psi. Even 227 had me nervous and I backed off. I’m told they go into limp mode at 250 degrees, anything close to 230’s or higher seems like cutting way too close for me.

 

I have the same problem. So far it has a new intercooler, radiator, water pump, thermostat, head gaskets, new turbos. I have disconnected louvers. Still runs hot! It's a 2015 F150 4x4 King Ranch. I'm seriously at my wits end.

 

I've changed out all the same things, except for the head gasket and my mechanic said the only other thing it might be is the ecm, I really debating on if I want to keep sinking money into this issue

 

Change out the temp sensor ?

 

I changed my temp senor and it did nothing

 

Been dealing with same issue since September. Started doing it after cam phasers replaced. I've been to 3 dealerships and they are saying it's normal which it is not. My truck never ran this hot prior to the tsb being performed. 4 guys at work have f150 3.5L EcoBoost from 2017 to 2020 and none of their trucks run this hot. Basically your truck needs to actually overheat before Ford will do anything. I plan on borrowing a trailer once it warms up and running it until it overheats. I'm fed up with dealing with it.

 

I have the same problem with my 2017 with 3.5 ecoboost. For the first 3 1/2 years, I never saw numbers on my temperature gauge. I have pulled trailers in the middle of summer at 115 degrees Arizona heat with the AC on going up into the mountains and back down to the scorching desert with no temperature gauge numbers. Then 6 months ago, in the wintertime, with no AC and no trailer, and on fairly flat land, the gauge read 226 and went as high as 236.

I took it to the dealer and they replaced the water pump. The next day I had to drive to the mountains - no AC and no trailer - and it did the same thing. I called the dealer and they said that was normal. I told him that for 3 1/2 years it never happened and now in the last 6 months it happens all the time. That does not seem normal to me.

So I took it to another dealer and they replaced the thermostat and a hose they said had a pin hole size leak. I took it to the mountains 2 days later, and the same thing. Temperature gauge starts showing numbers up to 236. However, it does not go over 236.

One interesting sidenote, sometimes when I am going up a hill and the temperature starts climbing, as I continue the climb, the temperature starts to go down to the point of having no more numbers show up. I think I am going to give up on this and just wait till my engine melts.

 

Man I feel ya! This has so aggravated to say the least. I'm on Dealership number 4. If they can't find the problem they can buy back the ##$%^& truck!

 

Yup, I've been dealing with this issue since September, been to 4 dealerships and they are saying it's operating normally. They said that until it actually throws a code or hits 270° they won't do anything. I've called Ford corporate to try and open a case and both times they said they can't do anything until it actually throws a code.

 

After 5 dealers 1 mechanic shop and 8,000.00 later. I finally fixed my over heating problem. The issue was the water pump. You have to go back with OEM water pump. The O'Reilly version will not move enough fluid to keep the 3.5 ecoboost cool enough. I hope this helps.

 

Thanks. My water pump was changed by the very first dealer I took the truck to. But it never fixed the problem, which as I now know, is not even considered a problem with Ford. After they changed the water pump, I was on the road the very next day with the very same results as though they never did anything. To be sure, this is frustrating. Here in Arizona we are coming into the summer months and going up into the mountains pulling a trailer is going to be an adventure.

There is a curious but consistent thing that happens when going up hills. As I go up the hills, even a slight grade, the gauge begins to show the numbers at 228, then climbs to 230, 232, and up to 236. But when I punch it uphill, where the truck kicks into higher RPM's, the temperature starts to drop, sometimes dropping all the way back down to where the numbers are gone. That seems very counterintuitive to me: lower RPM's = higher temperatures; and higher RPM's = lower temperatures.

Has anyone else had this experience with the RPM's?

 

yes that's why we all say when towing lock it out of 8,9,10th gears, you want to keep the RPMs 2500 or a little above (2750 RPM is where it makes max torque) but don't go revving the piss out of either, when I tow I try to keep it around those rpms at all times