ford 1.9 overheating

[dgopetactical]

94 ford escort 1.9

ive been trying to figure this out and i figure this is the best place to ask since this is the best forum out the even though this is a car question.


1994 escort 1.9

My daughter had this car for a few week and all was well. I drove it for a few miles yesterday and noticed the temp was hot. I looked under the hood the fan was NOT running the coolant resivor was full to the top(was never like that before). I shut the car off to cool, then restarted the car I let it idle for 5 min it started to get hot again. I looked under the hood and the fan still did not come on and the coolant level was back down to normal in the resivor but car was still running very hot. Doing research I have been told it could be the stat/waterpump/fan relays/bad head/ head gasket and so on.. I dont know where to start.
Thanks,
Denny

 

[mike243]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

sounds like a relay or a bad fan motor,better get it cked before it ruins the engine,trace the wiring if possible to the sensor/relay & see if power is there if not to the fanmotor first,most of the parts are cheap & not to hard to replace,identifiying them can be a pain on some auto's though.mike243

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

Jumper the fan motor to see if is functional.
Great time to check and replace the stat as well.
Do the free and cheap things first unless there is something obvious and expensive.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

thanks guys
i will replace the stat, I thought about running a jumper to the fan to make sure its working the issue is,, there is I think (4 wires) pluged into the fan and im having a hard time finding the proper diagram so i dont make things worse when I put power to the jumper....also would a sticking stat prevent the fan sensors from turning the fan on. thanks for the help at least were moving in a foreward direction.
Denny

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

Maybe the sensor got disconnected that sends the signal for the fan? I do believe the fan is controlled by the eec module.

Peek at the water pump too to see if the weep hole is clear.

 

[DavidW2009]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

One thing for sure, don't let that 1.9L overheat or you will be pulling a warped alum. cylinder head for some machining.

I have used Tauri for business cars for (20) years. Periodically, the fan would quit and the engine would start to get hot. As long as you are driving over 45 mph +, the engine will stay normal temp. It's stop and go traffic, when they overheat.

What fixed the fan problems (any one or all):

1. Cleaning the connectors to the fan motor
2. New temperature sensor
3. New fan motor
4. New fan control module (the built-in relays burn out)

If your fan has (4) wires, it's probably a multi-speed fan.

In a bind, I have disconnected the fan motor and wired it to a 40 amp relay. The relay was then controlled by a 25-30 amp toggle switch mounted under the dash. For city driving, I'd leave the fan on all the time (fan motors are cheaper than a major engine repair). For highway, I'd flip it off. The toggle switch got its 12V power from a key-on source, so the fan cannot run with the key off.

On one Taurus the fan control module went bad. $260 for the part. So I just left the shadetree relay in place and used that for years.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

One thing for sure, don't let that 1.9L overheat or you will be pulling a warped alum. cylinder head for some machining.

I have used Tauri for business cars for (20) years. Periodically, the fan would quit and the engine would start to get hot. As long as you are driving over 45 mph +, the engine will stay normal temp. It's stop and go traffic, when they overheat.

What fixed the fan problems (any one or all):

1. Cleaning the connectors to the fan motor
2. New temperature sensor
3. New fan motor
4. New fan control module (the built-in relays burn out)

If your fan has (4) wires, it's probably a multi-speed fan.

In a bind, I have disconnected the fan motor and wired it to a 40 amp relay. The relay was then controlled by a 25-30 amp toggle switch mounted under the dash. For city driving, I'd leave the fan on all the time (fan motors are cheaper than a major engine repair). For highway, I'd flip it off. The toggle switch got its 12V power from a key-on source, so the fan cannot run with the key off.

On one Taurus the fan control module went bad. $260 for the part. So I just left the shadetree relay in place and used that for years.

Did a direct hook up to the fan many years ago to get me home from vacation. Hooked right in to a live with the ignition on. It ran all the time the car was running but it sure got us home.

 

[DavidW2009]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

The fan/fan module/connectors on those 80's and 90's Ford products were a problem.

Ford imported the Merkur from Germany. I owned (4) of them. One I sold a couple of years ago had over 250K miles on it. Never had fan or overheating problems with any of them. Never had to put a radiator or heater core in them, either.

Yet the Merkurs used the same EEC IV. The wiring and electrical components were to ISO standards, though. Apparently it made a difference.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

The fan/fan module/connectors on those 80's and 90's Ford products was a problem.

Ford imported the Merkur from Germany. I owned (4) of them. One I sold a couple of years ago had over 250K miles on it. Never had fan or overheating problems with any of them. Never had to put a radiator or heater core in them, either.

Yet the Merkurs used the same EEC IV. The wiring and electrical components were to ISO standards, though. Apparently it made a difference.

Mine was a Ford Granada when I was still in England. Built in Germany.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

THANKS FOR THE INPUT!!!

UPDATE:
I went out today to play with it and this it what happened: on a cold engine i took the radiator cap off level was to the top I left the cap off and ran the engine to see if the stat opened at temp. I started the engine and let it run for 10 min temp was where it is suppose to be then the stat opened up and the water started circulating and the fan came ON at the same time. I never expected that to happen. I took it for a run about 12 miles or so on the highway temp was normal and back roads it was a little higher in the normal range. Since it works now it will be hard to find what happened. I plan on swapping out the stat and try to find where all the sensors are etc. If anybody has a wire diagram i would appreciate it. If it happens again i will be doing a toggle for the fan unless I can figure out the electronics. This is my daughters first car so it is just a $400 beater car if we get a year out of it I will be thrilled. I have read on other sites that this is a common problem with this engine there was no answers to the problem but everbody put switches to manualy operate the fan like sugested in the above posts.
thanks for all the help.
Denny

 

[hrdwrkingacguy]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

does it have one fan or two???...Does turning the AC on in that car make the fan come on automatically??? If it is supposed to and doesn't it could be the motor or relay...if it does come on with the ac on I would run it to see if the temperature is stable....That could tell you if its electrical with the cooling system or the system not holding pressure and overheating...

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

does it have one fan or two???...Does turning the AC on in that car make the fan come on automatically??? If it is supposed to and doesn't it could be the motor or relay...if it does come on with the ac on I would run it to see if the temperature is stable....That could tell you if its electrical with the cooling system or the system not holding pressure and overheating...

it has one fan..come to think of it yesterday the ac was NOT on when I had the overheating issue...I know today i ran the a/c and the temp was stable and the fan ran....not sure if i had the a/c on at the begining when I checked to see if the stat was opening. I will run it tomorrow without the a/c on to see if it overheats.
Thanks,
Denny

 

[DavidW2009]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

On that vintage Ford, when the a/c is turned on (whether it works or not) it by-passes the temperature control and the fan stays on all the time.

That will tell you the power circuit and the fan are okay and the problem is with the temperature sensor, the control module or the wire connectors in that circuit.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

On that vintage Ford, when the a/c is turned on (whether it works or not) it by-passes the temperature control and the fan stays on all the time.

That will tell you the power circuit and the fan are okay and the problem is with the temperature sensor, the control module or the wire connectors in that circuit.

THANKS ALOT,
now I have to figure out where everything is located
Denny

 

[kmk_7110]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

A good place for ford escort questions of any sort is FEOA.net Ford Escort Owners Association

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

One thing for sure, don't let that 1.9L overheat or you will be pulling a warped alum. cylinder head for some machining.

I have used Tauri for business cars for (20) years. Periodically, the fan would quit and the engine would start to get hot. As long as you are driving over 45 mph +, the engine will stay normal temp. It's stop and go traffic, when they overheat.

What fixed the fan problems (any one or all):

1. Cleaning the connectors to the fan motor
2. New temperature sensor
3. New fan motor
4. New fan control module (the built-in relays burn out)

If your fan has (4) wires, it's probably a multi-speed fan.

In a bind, I have disconnected the fan motor and wired it to a 40 amp relay. The relay was then controlled by a 25-30 amp toggle switch mounted under the dash. For city driving, I'd leave the fan on all the time (fan motors are cheaper than a major engine repair). For highway, I'd flip it off. The toggle switch got its 12V power from a key-on source, so the fan cannot run with the key off.

On one Taurus the fan control module went bad. $260 for the part. So I just left the shadetree relay in place and used that for years.

I think like you do when trying to keep my beater on the road.

 

[dgopetactical]

Re: ford 1.9 overheating

A good place for ford escort questions of any sort is FEOA.net Ford Escort Owners Association

I tried that route and I have got better help/responces from this thread. A few responces from the ford site were saying its a water pump issue and to replace the waterpump, I think I will go with you guys right now thinking its an electrical issue. I just dont want to replace the pump for no reason, I can get one at pepboys for $20 but from what I see and heard you have to take half the engine compartment apart to get to it/ complete it,,,I think I will do a wait and see on that task! + with waterpump issues I have had in the past with other cars I had leaking/noise etc, that is not the case here.

I have been slowly tracing all the connections that I can find and inspecting/cleaning them I still have not found any areas of concern. I have noticed that this car has had alot of backyard jery rigging over the years but none that lead to this issue as of yet.

The fan/ overheating situation still seems to have curred itself and the car runs fine as of now as i stated in above threads, but you know as soon as I start forgetting about it it will happen again.

Im still looking for electrical diagrams and it seems impossible to find one for that year (94) I went to all the parts stores in my area and even finding a car repair book for that car is like pulling teeth. every year escort but none for the eairly 90"s.
I will keep checking it out but i gotta get my gears switced over to my boat and tweek a few things with her, Its just about time to hit the water!

again I would like to thank you all for your input/help...I would still be totaly in the dark without your responces.
Denny