Battery and OverHeating?

[windryder]

My 2001 LS 3.9L overheated about 2months ago. it pegged the temp gauge, and the reduced power light came on. I pulled over and let it cool about 5-10minutes.When I started it again the gauge was at the halfway mark, where it is normally.
Thinking it might be the hyd.fan, I got on the interstate and drove at 70-75mph hoping the fast air flow would keep it cool. It did for a couple of miles,then started gettin hot again, but would cool down on its own.
Ever since then it would get hot about twice a week, no matter where or how I was driving.Now it gets hot about every time I drive it! I tryed it with or without the A/C. No change, it seemed to get hot when it wanted to!
I found that when it showed that it was hot, I could pull over turn it off wait a second then restart it. The gauge would go to the half way mark, and all seemed ok. Sometimes it would remain cool, and sometimes it would show hot again, and I would pull over and restart again.
It acted like the thermostat wasn't opening, but as soon as I restarted it it would cool down!
After reading one of the posts in this forum about how over loaded the electic system is in these cars I started wondering if the battery could be causing false sensor readings!
Someone had installed a smaller 400CCA 500CA battery instead of the larger battery that it should have.(650-750CCA). Idid a load test on the small battery and it dropped like a rock!
I bought the right battery, which was hard to find, and installed it. I also checked the ground connections, and the main pos. to the fuse box, and cleaned the terminals.
It's been 3 days since I installed the right battery, and it hasn't gotten hot once!
I never would have thought the battery might be why the car was overheating! But so far It hasn't gotten hot. I will keep you updated as I drive the car more..

[shorod]

As sporadic as the gauge was acting, the weak battery may have been playing games with the coolant temperature sensor circuit.

Interesting post, keep us updated as you get a few more miles in.

-Rod

[windryder]

Update: After about 3 months the overheating problem returned. I replaced the de-gas bottle, installed an after market electric fan and control, and found a cheap OEM New cooling fan, and installed it. I power washed the radiator, and A/C evaporator. The electric fan helped somewhat, but on real hot days it overheated. Great car for the winter, but I parked it all summer.
I was ready to sell the LS as scrap!I really think I would have, but my parents had given me the car, so I only had the cost of the parts invested.Plus I had to solve this problem or go crazy.
About the only part I didn't change was the fan pump, but I was looking for one! I found that the pump was controlled by an Actuator! I bought the actuator(which is a bitch to install), and it fixed the problem. After 3 years of hell the LS is finally driveable again. I have put a couple of thousand miles on it so far, and it's doing great. I hope this will help someone before they start throwing parts at their LS. The actuator cost me $130..

[shorod]

Wow, that's good information. Thank you for following-up with a long-term update! Very glad you got it fixed.

-Rod

[danielsatur]

The early LS had problems with both the thermostat + water pump impeller.
Once you weed out all the problems you can change the name to MKZ!

Thanks for the follow -up &, don't forget about the salvage yards for cheap parts.

[shorod]

Originally Posted by danielsatur

Once you weed out all the problems you can change the name to MKZ!

Well, there's very little commonality between the LS and the MKZ....

-Rod

[Jasongruven]

I am having the same problem in my 01 LS! Can u explain where the actuator is located, and where u found a new one.


Jason

[danielsatur]

LS died & MKZ took it's place!

May Crown vic, LS, T-bird, and Windstar rest in peace.