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car is overheating and smelling like old people

  • Thread starter Thread starter will_95gt
  • Start date Start date Aug 4, 2006
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will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
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Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#1
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #1
yeah so today was a scortcher.... i'm driving to work bumper to bumper trafic and i stop at the store... now as i was driving the car it seemed fine and the engine wasn't too overly hot (circumstanced in concideration) but as i had the car at idle while waiting for my friend to get out of the store i hear a squeeking noise and some klunky noises and also start to smell burnging...and sence its windy it was hard to tell but there was also some smoke.

i popped the hood only to find a little more smoke and some stink :-(((

i thought maybe the belst were rubbing...thats kind of what it smelt like.

I have a cracked head...i know, don't tell me i'm an idiot....i just don't have the money to fix it... anyway i've been in worse conditions before and the car still has never overheated.

So tonight i drove it home a couple hours later and its dark outside and not near as hot and the car seemd to have ran fine... but after i parked it i let it sit at idle for a while and it seems like if i keep it above 1000 rpms its ok but once it drops below a grand the squeeky noise sporadically comes as does the smoke and bad smell....


WHATS GOING ON


Also, in an (seemingly) unrelated story, my steering wheel is jacked. THe power steering still works cuz it only takes so many rotations to make the turn but its really sticky steering and doesn't return to center at all....

related?? idk

THanks guys
 

bill302

Active Member
Nov 2, 2005
2,131
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46
alabama,gadsden
Aug 4, 2006
#2
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #2
remove belt and turn the waterpump pulley and power steering pulley post results the bearings might be beginning to seize post results....
 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"
Founding Member
Sep 24, 2002
3,464
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Syracuse, NY
Aug 4, 2006
#3
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #3
my car got pretty hot today too but thankfully nothing happen :hides:
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
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Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#4
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #4
bill302 said:
remove belt and turn the waterpump pulley and power steering pulley post results the bearings might be beginning to seize post results....
Click to expand...

ok...i get the "remove belt" part... but u mean turn the waterpump pulley and power steering pulley off? beacuse i don't understand what u mean when u say "turn it post results"

sorry i'm retarded
 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"
Founding Member
Sep 24, 2002
3,464
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Syracuse, NY
Aug 4, 2006
#5
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #5
i think he means just turn each one by hand to make sure their spinning freely
 

bill302

Active Member
Nov 2, 2005
2,131
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alabama,gadsden
Aug 4, 2006
#6
  • Aug 4, 2006
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i should have said spin if you spin the pulleys post if it spun freely or if its binding or squeaking...
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#7
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #7
ahh ok, how do i remove the belt?
 

bill302

Active Member
Nov 2, 2005
2,131
1
46
alabama,gadsden
Aug 4, 2006
#8
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #8
there is a tensioner under the alternator look at the tensioner toward the bottom of the tensioner theres a square hole insert a ratchet into this hloe and push down that will relieve the pressure off the belt enable you to remove the belt and to reinstall you should have a belt diagram under the hood on the radiator cover...
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
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Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#9
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #9
ok will do, be back in 10 minutes with results
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#10
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #10
ok i loosend it and was able to spin the top middle and top right but couldn't reach the others without burning myself lol...

i don't want to take it all the way off tonight cuz i doubt i'd get it back on but tomarrow after work i'll see what i can do... if i Do take it off and they all spin freely i'll probably end up taking it to ford
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 4, 2006
#11
  • Aug 4, 2006
  • #11
i have breaking news....

I just started the car and did mor diagnostics... it only stutters and putts around like that at idle when the AC is on....


SOOO which one of those little spinny things is for the AC?
 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep
Mar 30, 2005
1,940
3
36
North Carolina
Aug 5, 2006
#12
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #12
Look for the power steering pump on the driver's side of the car (where you put the fluid in). The AC compressor is the one below the power steering pump, still on the driver's side.
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
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16
Austin, TX
Aug 5, 2006
#13
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #13
ok, i know some cars can drive without their belt on... ours cannot right? and the ones that can...why can they?
 

urban96

bubb rubb says:"woo woooooo"
Founding Member
Sep 24, 2002
3,464
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69
Syracuse, NY
Aug 5, 2006
#14
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #14
because our belt drives the alt and water pump.

search for running a short belt and bypassing what you need to bypass as a temp fix if you need to drive the car
 

SeventyMach1

Keep it lubed .... keep it straight .... and keep
Mar 30, 2005
1,940
3
36
North Carolina
Aug 5, 2006
#15
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #15
If you determine it is the AC compressor .......



You can DO THIS as a temporary fix by just buying a shorter belt. You'll just have to do without AC for a while.
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 5, 2006
#16
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #16
yeah

thats what i figured i was going to do... but can't i just turn the AC off?? The car doesn't seem to have much trouble when i do that
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
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129
Aug 5, 2006
#17
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #17
You're right - as long as the AC clutch isnt starting to drag, you should be able to leave the AC off and be fine.

Justin's method is nice if you think it might start to lock up.

Good luck.
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 5, 2006
#18
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #18
ah ok cool, well i suppose thats what i'll do untill i can afford to get it fixed... i also think i'm going to get a shorter belt anyways, for a winter configuration...

how much added power is derived from the ac compressor bypass??

also i was able to remove the belt today and the AC compressor seems to spin freely when the car is off... so i guess its just when in use that it causes problems...



oh yeah, and do y'all have any insite as to why my steering wheel is getting stuck mid-turn?? its kind of dangerous lol
 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
31,179
34
129
Aug 5, 2006
#19
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #19
A sticky steering wheel sounds gross.

Did you spin the PS pulley while you had the belt off? A slipping belt or seizing PS pump can lead to issues like you're having (with the 'stickyness'). A lack of return to center can be line pressure or alignment. How's the fluid level?

You can spin the AC compressor pulley with the belt off and feel how little power it takes to spin it (with the clutch disengaged). I doubt there'd be any way of noticing the difference.

MHO. Good luck.
 

will_95gt

Member
Jul 27, 2004
298
1
16
Austin, TX
Aug 5, 2006
#20
  • Aug 5, 2006
  • #20
yeah they both spin equally easy... and fluid level is fine. I was thinking maybe i had to get it flushed or something.

So that means u think its either line pressure or allignement? How can i diagnose which is the problem?
 
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