[NeverLooseHope]

I have a 1994 Ford Escort Wagon, 1.9 Liter, Automatic, AC, and PS.

I recently purchased it for $550.00, with the plans of getting it in tip top shape to have a fuel efficient vehicle to drive back and forth to work.

Upon purchasing it I had to do the following to not only fix a rough idle issue, but give a general tune up.

New Motorcraft Plugs, and Plug Wires.

New Motorcraft Oil Filter, and Castrol 10w30.

New Motorcraft Fuel Filter.

New Motorcraft PCV valve.

New Intake Manifold Gasket, and Many Many new vacuum lines!

Upon starting it after the general tuneup, I could tell right away that it helped.

Not only did replacing the manifold gasket help the rough idle, but it now idles so smoothly you can barely tell its running

8)

But one problem:

When I had everything tore apart, I decided to go ahead and change thermostat, and Gasket.

So I continued on about changing it with a Motorcraft OE thermostat. I did manage to break 2 of the housing bolts. But was able to pull one with vice grips, and use an ez out on the other. I ended up using a self tapping screw on one of them with a heavy dose of RTV. There are no leaks, and everything is running fine.

BUT ONE PROBLEM.

On the Temp gauge on the dash, The gauge is reading that it is running cool. It is only getting to a little before the N on the Normal reading on the gauge.

The heat will run you out of the car. It works great.

The hoses are hot to the touch.

MPG is around 34 on curvy state hwys.

The thermostat, housing gasket, and pressure cap have all been replaced.
When I filled back up with antifreeze I balanced out a 50/50 mixture, and it tested good to -45 degrees F.
The connections on both of the the coolant temp sensor, and sender appear to be tight.

I have searched and searched and Here is what possible problems could be:


Radiator--Radiator appears to be clean and free flowing
Pressure Cap--The cap is new, and has been replaced.
The coolant mixture has been tested several times, and results show that it is balanced right.


Any advice???

 

[Jeffescortlx]

Read the "common problem" sticky thread.

 

[LOWETGT]

Maybe there is air in the system and needs to be burped out. Or the temp sensor is faulty. Try grounding gauge wire and watching the reaction of the gauge to determine if it is at fault. There are two temp sensors, one for gauge and other for computer.

 

[NeverLooseHope]

Maybe there is air in the system and needs to be burped out. Or the temp sensor is faulty. Try grounding gauge wire and watching the reaction of the gauge to determine if it is at fault. There are two temp sensors, one for gauge and other for computer.

What exactly do you mean "grounding gauge wire"...Sorry Im just a little ???

I searched every post that had ANYTHING to do with the subject of over cooling...

It seems like the housing is a hit and miss...Some replaced it with improvement, and some, well to no avail.

The thermostat was replaced with a motorcraft. I know it is functioning properly. I am thinking it is something more on the lines of one of the sensor.

 

[silverton]

The gauge on my second gen GT climbs up to between the R and the M, and then drops like a rock down to the N and sometimes just a little below it. I have no problem with this, seems normal to me.

 

[LOWETGT]

I meant grounding wire to test if gauge is working and responding correctly. Grounding appropriate wire should cause gauge to go full hot or full cold, showing that issue is most likely not the gauge.

 

[escortrestorer]

sounds like the temp sensor is bad.

what LOWETGT said about grounding gauge wire is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Take a small wire, and jumper between a ground source and the coolant temp sensor. You jumper the sensor to ground with the pigtail still partially on the wire, your gauge should shoot all the way to either the hot side or the cold side. I cant remember how these temp sensors are set up.

IIRC, the sensor you are looking for should be the one with only one wire to it, but I could be mistaken or thinking of something else. Someone else should confirm this or if you are in doubt, just check both sensors.

 

[NeverLooseHope]

My temp sensor is the one wire with the little elbow that pushes down onto the end of the sensor.

So what you all are saying, is pretty much, to test the sensor:

Take a wire and ground it to a solid ground on the car(I.e. Frame rails...etc.), then go to the sensor, and what???

 

[LOWETGT]

remove wire from sensor, gauge should sweep one way. Ground wire to engine or chassis and gauge should move other way. If this happens, then wire and gauge working.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

You should still look this over:
http://www.feoa.net/modules.php?name=Fo ... ic&t=34817

 

[racethisescort89]

my 94 EGT is at normal op temp just above the C here in Canada its winter. and it barely warms up i turn it on and i still get a slight chill even if the car is at normal temp. however idling at a light it will climb up as far as the m in normal but after acceleration it goes back down to above the C.. Could my heater core be slightly plugged?

 

[escortrestorer]

my 94 EGT is at normal op temp just above the C here in Canada its winter. and it barely warms up i turn it on and i still get a slight chill even if the car is at normal temp. however idling at a light it will climb up as far as the m in normal but after acceleration it goes back down to above the C.. Could my heater core be slightly plugged?

Read Jeff's link

 

[NeverLooseHope]

UPDATE: RE-Checked up on everything. What I got. Radiator hoses are NOT HOT to the touch. They only get very warm. But not hot. Gauge seems to be ok. Reccomended manufacturer brand of Water outlet???

 

[denisond3]

The top radiator hose should be too hot for you to hold your hand on - if the car has been on the highway, not just idling in a cold location. There is a valve inside the thermostat housing that is supposed to close once the water is warm, to let the thermostat do the temperature controlling. If that valve fails or sticks open, it will let hot coolant flow into the heater core, instead of going through the radiator.
I dont know anything about makers of the thermostat housing, but would figure on getting one from a junkyard. They seem to hole up fairl well, aside from maybe lots of corrosion between the housing and the head. When I changed mine I used a new gasket, scraped the corrosion from the thermostat housing and head, and put a thin coating of RTV gasket maker on both side of the paper gasket.
For damaged threads in the engine head, I use the steel thread inserts, such as 'helicoil' (which is one of several brand-names). I have 3 Escorts, have had to use threaded inserts on two of the engine heads at the thermostat.
Also, on my 3 Escort LX's; the temperature gauge points to a different location on each of them. On the 94, the needle never pointed above the letter "C", until I replaced the temp sensor, the one that has only a single wire to it. I think they used a sensor with a different resistance on earlier 2nd gen. Escorts, but Im not sure.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

Your local parts store should bebale to get you a new housing or even have one on the shelf.
But IIRC there kind spendy, over 100 bucks.

 

[Snax]

Did you replace the old thermostat with a 192 or 195F unit? Many parts stores will slip you a 180F if you are not careful.

 

[hpmax]

My 95 never actually seems to get warm. It doesn't have NORMAL on the temp gauge, but when its cold out, it'll get about to where the "N" is within 5 minutes of highway driving, but then never really goes higher. The air out of the vents doesn't feel particularly warm (to the point that if you are cold you don't want it blowing on you, although it is definitely warmer than the ambient temperature).

I was initially thinking it was a failed wax pellet, but as far as I know the car has never overheated, and I think if the pellet failed, it would take forever to get up to temperature and it doesn't. Makes me wonder if its either got a low-temp thermostat or a failed thermostat (do thermostats ever fail by lowering their temp?)

However, after pulling a thermostat housing off a junk car, I'm a bit scared of trying to remove mine (two of the bolts snapped on me).