Car overheated and now it won't turn over - help PLEASE

RioRed95Cobra · Aug 30, 2019

So it's cranking.. not firing... sounds a lot like a PIP sensor.. oh joy.

General karthief · Aug 30, 2019

It's a V6, I think those do not have distributors. Crank sensor maybe?

starstruck106 · Aug 30, 2019

General karthief said:
Are you going to be working on this car?

'I was now don't know - the oil pan was full of water but it did not show on the dipstick. Car has no dents 100000 miles is a 95 and ran like a champ but not sure if anything other than a blown head gasket is the problem and I am on a fixed income so can't afford a shop or another car for that matter. Most likely it will be parked or sold.

starstruck106 · Aug 30, 2019

starstruck106 said:
'I was now don't know - the oil pan was full of water but it did not show on the dipstick. Car has no dents 100000 miles is a 95 and ran like a champ but not sure if anything other than a blown head gasket is the problem and I am on a fixed income so can't afford a shop or another car for that matter. Most likely it will be parked or sold.

It is actually a beautiful car good paint and interior just a shame that this happened to it.

trebor3170 · Aug 31, 2019

starstruck106 said:
It is actually a beautiful car good paint and interior just a shame that this happened to it.

I have the opposite problem, 95GT, 5.0 5spd, 180,000+, looks like crap, runs great,

Ok, I don't have any diagnostic advice, but kinda sounds like it could be a blown head gasket, water in the pan is a serious concern. How mechanically inclined are you? I have NEVER had any auto mechanic training, but the only time any cars of mine have been in a shop, ever, was for something I didn't have the equipment for, or, something I didn't feel like doing myself, ( alignment, and a clutch installation, because I didn't feel like crawling around on the ground, (he had a garage, I don't)). but honestly, between you tube videos, and a manual, almost anybody mechanically inclined can fix their car. I assume you have a repair manual? I have both Chilton, & Haynes, and a factory manual on CD rom, something not fully explained in one, could be clarified in another. Do you know anybody who is, not necessarily a mechanic, mechanically inclined, who could help you? I wish I could help more, most of my experience is with these cars my 95GT 5.0.

I would hate to see a fellow Mustang owner get rid their ride due to mechanical problems.

Do you have alternate transportation?

Not much help here I know, more of a pep talk I guess.

When you get it worked out, let us know.

96pushrod · Aug 31, 2019

starstruck106 said:
'I was now don't know - the oil pan was full of water but it did not show on the dipstick. Car has no dents 100000 miles is a 95 and ran like a champ but not sure if anything other than a blown head gasket is the problem and I am on a fixed income so can't afford a shop or another car for that matter. Most likely it will be parked or sold.

If the oil pan was full of water that engine will most likely need to come apart.

General karthief · Aug 31, 2019

I went back over your posts, with the description you give on what has happend to it, especially noting that you rattled the engine a couple times, and now you find water in the oil pan, I would start shopping for a replacement engine. I'm not saying this engine cannot be fixed but economically speaking I would replace it.
good paint, good interior, tires, brakes, that stuff in good shape, and it being a convertible adds to it. Those engines were made by the tons and installed in various ford cars.
Your other choice would be to sell it and by another car to scoot around in.
Look at the car and your bank account, call around to see what a replacement engine would cost, then you can make a decision.

Don A · Aug 31, 2019

1) Take uber to parts store and buy a cheap volt meter to insure the battery is fully charged. 12.6 volts or over. If not either charge to 12.6 or above and try cranking the engine again. (You said the flashers made the battery weak and needed a jump)

2) If thermostat is opening when tested forget the T-stat all together.

3) Has the radiator and cooling system been flushed?? Does the radiator show any signs of leakage? If so take it out and have repaired or replace yourself. Do any of the engine hoses or heater hoses show any sign of leakage? If so replace them. This is a good time to flush the engine. Remove the thermostat and wrap a rag around a garden hose and place in the t-housing. remove the lower water pump hose and turn on the water. continue to flush until all brown gunk is gone and coming out the bottom clean. Best to do over a city drain since I saw not antifreeze in the system. Don't forget the overflow hose that that connects the cap or radiator neck to the overflow bottle. That must not leak in order to deal with high pressure after you stop the engine and then replaces coolant in the radiator during cool down. good time to replace the cap too.

4) Your car probably has a fan clutch. If it not working properly at high temperature it will not cool properly at low speed and idle (inadequate air flow) where this problem began. I think you stated the car ran fine going down the highway but overheated after you stopped to drop the top and both engine and air were still on. As the air and coolant heats up your fan clutch engages at lower RPM's and increases the air flow to maintain good cooling.

5) The biggest concern at this point is the brown water pictured. Worst case is it indicates oil in the cooling system which would be warped head, cracked head, or blown head gasket. Lets hope that goes away with the system maintenance. At this point everything should be working properly.

None of this is rocket science but a little understanding of how all the pieces work together and if still having a problem it's mechanic time.

General karthief · Aug 31, 2019

@Don A you missed the part about the water in the oil pan and that it was over heated to the point of spark knock when trying to accelerate.

RioRed95Cobra · Sep 1, 2019

General karthief said:
I went back over your posts, with the description you give on what has happend to it, especially noting that you rattled the engine a couple times, and now you find water in the oil pan, I would start shopping for a replacement engine. I'm not saying this engine cannot be fixed but economically speaking I would replace it.
good paint, good interior, tires, brakes, that stuff in good shape, and it being a convertible adds to it. Those engines were made by the tons and installed in various ford cars.
Your other choice would be to sell it and by another car to scoot around in.
Look at the car and your bank account, call around to see what a replacement engine would cost, then you can make a decision.

Why did you erase my posts with good info in them?

General karthief · Sep 1, 2019

RioRed95Cobra said:
Why did you erase my posts with good info in them?

i didn't erase nothin
at least not intentionally

starstruck106 · Sep 1, 2019

RioRed95Cobra said:
Why did you erase my posts with good info in them?

I did not erase any posts?????

General karthief · Sep 1, 2019

starstruck106 said:
I did not erase any posts?????

pay no attention to him.
he was pointed to the exit sign.

starstruck106 · Sep 1, 2019

Okay so water did not show in oil on dipstick but there was substantial water under the oil in the pan. As I said in my original question before I checked the pan I ran over a board that flew off a motor home in front of me and in the left lane next to mine. It went under the car and I heard it hit underneath at least three times before exiting the opposite side. Is there anything that it could have hit that could have damaged anything under the car that would cause the water to go into the pan like it did and the car to overheat. I am not sure what to look for under the car to see if it damaged anything or knocked anything askew enough to cause this problem. I don't want to have someone tear into the motor to find out it was caused by this board hitting under my car. The board was about (I only saw it for a flash of a second) 4" wide 2' long and 1/2 thick maybe just had a brief glimpse then it was under the car no way to avoid it.

General karthief · Sep 1, 2019

I doubt the board was the cause of the overheating unless it impacted the radiator, then the coolant would have leaked out onto the ground and not into the oil pan.
you likely have a blown head gasket and/or a cracked head. Add to it the rattling you heard I believe that engine would be toast. You didn't mention the miles on the car that I recall.
Like I said in a previous post I would check on a used engine for your car.
BTW, oil will sit on top of water, that is why it did not show on the dipstick. I mentioned looking to see if the dipstick showed the oil was over full mark I think.

jozsefsz · Sep 2, 2019

I agree unfortunately, the 3.8's are notorious head-gasket-blowers. After a single overheat episode (thermostat, radiator, coolant leak, hot day running the A/C in traffic, all the usual causes), the torque-to-yield bolts simply yield, and the head gasket is done-for.

With that said, the 3.8 is an amazingly strong engine, I've had bad head-gasket issues and after a repair and oil-change the engine ran fine for years after. You might be able to get away with a head-gasket replacement (do not start or crank the car until the oil is changed and the head gasket - and whatever caused the initial overheating - is repaired). Oil is lighter than water, so the coolant pools at the bottom of the pan (as the General mentions a high oil level can be a symptom) and the oil pump sucks up nothing-but-water when this happens (the oil pickup is at the bottom of the pan) and it will destroy your engine quickly.

If you're mechanically inclined, I'd try the head-gasket and hope for the best. If you're planning to pay a mechanic, a used 3.8 is probably the better / cheaper option (check the oil for water before buying a used one too).

starstruck106 · Sep 3, 2019

No alternate transportation
104,000 miles with recent change to serpentine belt
now the next question could the board have caused the fan to stop working and caused this problem? It was running just fiine and had full power.

General karthief · Sep 3, 2019

Don't know what board you are referring to.
and what is meant by 'change to serpentine belt'?

ravenofpoe · Sep 4, 2019

Sounds like two things to me. One you’ve lost compression so the engine can get running. So get a tester and perform compression test. Reason for lost compression is over heating has damaged motor. Reason for over heat was either your thermostat or water pump.

Just my two bits.

starstruck106 · Sep 5, 2019

I changed or had the serpentine belt changed back in March. The board I was referring to is the one that flew off of a travel trailer and hit under my car loudly about three times before exiting the otherside about 30 min before my car went kaputt.

Car overheated and now it won't turn over - help PLEASE

Active Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

New Member

New Member

mine usually gets hard with the car on

I think they're a little easier to get off

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Active Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

New Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

New Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

New Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Member

New Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency