Car keeps overheating

Tiny
CHEVMAN421
  • MEMBER
  • 2015 FORD FUSION
  • 1.5L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
Hi, having the same overheating problem as some other people. Drives great but all of a sudden it hit hot in a couple of seconds. Pull over shut car off and I hear it bubbling out of fill tank. Hook scanner up to it and delete the code for overheating and it's back to normal temperature in a matter of seconds. Replaced thermostat. Don't think its the water pump? I have to drive it for an hour before it will overheat. It wont overheat just idling I need to be driving it for 45 minutes or more for it to overheat. I let it idle in my garage for 2 hours and it never overheated and no leaks. Any ideas would be great.
Tuesday, January 7th, 2020 AT 1:59 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Let's start with using a laser temp gauge when it says it is overheating around the engine to see if the engine is actually overheating. The noises that you are hearing are typical of a cooling system on a turbo engine. However, the fact that it overheats so quickly sounds like a sensor issue or possibly a head gasket issue. If the head gasket is beginning to push out it would go pretty quickly like you are seeing because it is putting hot combustion chamber gases in to the cooling.

I would suggest getting the chemical test kit shown below and then getting the vehicle to the point you are describing and then performing this test to see if there are gases in the cooling system.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-infrared-temperature-meter
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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 6:32 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
Hi,

I agree. If the gauge is moving from cold to hot and opposite that quickly, I suspect it is the engine coolant temp sensor.

Here are are couple links you may find helpful:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-a-coolant-temperature-sensor-works

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-coolant-temperature-sensor

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

If you decide to replace the coolant temp sensor, here are the directions specific to your vehicle. The attached pics correlate with the directions.

_______________________________________________

2015 Ford Fusion FWD L4-1.5L Turbo
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor

ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE (ECT) SENSOR
303-14A Electronic Engine Controls - 1.5L EcoBoost (118kW/160PS) 2015 Fusion
Removal and Installation
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor
Base Part Number: 12A648
Materials

Name Specification
Motorcraft Orange Prediluted Antifreeze/Coolant (U.S.)
VC-3DIL-B (U.S.) WSS-M97B44-D2
Removal

NOTE: Removal steps in this procedure may contain installation details.

NOTE: When releasing the cooling system pressure, cover the coolant expansion tank cap with a thick cloth.

Loosen the coolant expansion tank cap.

Loosen: 2 turn(s)
Tighten the coolant expansion tank cap.
Torque : 2 turn(s)

Pic 1

Remove the air cleaner outlet pipe.
Refer to: Air Cleaner Outlet Pipe (303-12A Intake Air Distribution and Filtering - 1.5L EcoBoost (118kW/160PS), Removal and Installation) .
NOTE: Have the new component ready to install to reduce coolant loss.

NOTE: Be prepared to capture escaping fluid with a shop towel.

Disconnect the ECT electrical connector.
Release the retaining clip.
Remove the ECT sensor.

Pic 2

Installation

To install, reverse the removal procedure.
Check the coolant level in the degas bottle and add coolant as necessary.
Material : Motorcraft Orange Prediluted Antifreeze/Coolant (U.S.) / VC-3DIL-B (U.S.) (WSS-M97B44-D2)

Pic 3

________________________________

Let us know what you find.

Joe

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Wednesday, January 8th, 2020 AT 6:59 PM
Tiny
CHEVMAN421
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Would a temp sensor actually make it overheat out of reservoir. Thats the only place it leaks that I can tell. Its just weird how it jumps up and back down that fast. Yesterday coming home from work(about 45min drive). I was about a min from home. It spikes hot. I pull over and here it coming out of reservoir and leaking on the ground. Plugged in my obdII scanner and it said temp 252. Code p1299. So I clear the code and bammm gage is back to normal and it read 188 on scanner. This was all in less than a min. So last night after it cooled off. Topped off coolant and let it run in my garage for about two hour door open of course. Then about a hour in no leaks so I started the burping process hoping its a pocket. Never over heated at all would get to about 220 and then drop as when fans kicked on( when reving it up to 3500) but was about 180 to 200 most the time. Did compression test today. All about 110 psi and hold pressure constantly. Gonna do a radiator pressure test as soon as I go into town and buy one. Any other suggestion would be great. Also I checked all hoses they all feels hot and pressurized evenly.
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Thursday, January 9th, 2020 AT 12:19 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
No. A temperature sensor will not cause coolant to overflow. I did not understand that this was happening. If you have coolant boiling out then you are actually overheating and this is not a sensor issue. That means we have heat coming from somewhere. Did I understand that the fans only kick on when you rev the engine? If the temp is getting to 220 the fans should be running.

It is odd that the temp jumps so quickly which makes me think there is a flow issue. Meaning the coolant in the radiator is getting cooled but not moving much. Then when you clear the code, it circulates and the temperature sensor picks up the cooler coolant and the gauge drops.

Can you check and see if you have a clutched coolant pump as described in the attachments? Reason is, it says the clutched water pump will be switch to a conventional pump in later production.

Along with getting a coolant pump, I would get this test kit and just make sure there are no hydro carbons in the coolant. The more I am hearing about this, I doubt that is the issue but it is cheap and easy to test.
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Thursday, January 9th, 2020 AT 6:18 PM
Tiny
CHEVMAN421
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Well did a pressure test on cooling system and it drops a pound about every 5 mins. Then turned and let it create its own pressure by running and it went up to 25psi. Which my system is only for 21psi. So guessing blown head gasket. Will get the tester kit just to make sure.
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Friday, January 10th, 2020 AT 12:45 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,896 POSTS
Hi,

Here is a link to help check for a head gasket issue:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

Please keep in mind, if you had the pressure tester attached, you removed the rad cap which releases pressure at a designated point. That may be why you built so much pressure.

Let us know.

Joe
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Friday, January 10th, 2020 AT 3:53 PM

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