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

starstruck106

New Member
Apr 6, 2019
27
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1
Idaho
I have a 95 Mustang Convertible it is not a 5.0 I was running the AC yesterday but it was hot enough in Nevada that I pulled over to take the top down (the AC and car were both still running), I took off from there and not even five minutes latter I heard a rattling in front when I pushed on the gas (almost like rocks in the wheel, which is what I thought it was at first due to stopping at a gravel pit to take the top down). It stopped rattling when I let off gas and would start again if I pushed on it. I noticed my temperature gauge would hit the red when I pushed on gas and would drop back a bit when I let off the gas so I pulled over. The engine started steaming when I shut the car off so I popped the hood and it looked like it might be coming from the left side (passengers side) of the car. I let it cool off but had my hazards on which drained the battery. When I went to put water in it (there was coolant showing outside the motor) the reservoir was completely full to the top with coolant. I had replaced the thermostat last winter but took it out to see if it may be bad and put some water in the car which had to be jumped. The car will not turn over now it cranks like its about to but will not turn over. I am at a loss. There is no oil in the water or vice versa so I don't think the head gasket blew, but do not know if it is the ac and if it would cause it not to start or if water could have gotten into something that caused this problem. I had to leave the car on the side of the road and get a ride 30 miles to the closest town from a truck driver ( I am a woman so this was a bit scary) I had the car towed home but cannot afford to have it put in a shop so need to do this myself. Any idea why it will not start? I might add that about 75 miles before it overheated a piece of wood flew off a motorhome and hit my car and went under it about the right drivers side tire area it looked like part of one by four about 18 inches long. I stopped and checked car but did not look like it did any damage. I am including the pics that show what they antifreeze and water look like in the reservoir which was at the right level when I started the trip but full up when it overheated and one showing where i saw a small amount of antifreeze when I stopped the car. it was on the center of the rim of the second picture. My car only has 100,000 original miles and maintenance has been done on schedule with a recent serpentine belt replacement (8months), etc. . .
 

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Pull the dip stick and see if the oil is over full.
Well considering it is still on the dolly it may not be totally accurate but it did seem to be a bit over the full mark and the oil looked really dirty. On another note the water in the reservoir seems to have gone down a bit. Also I forgot to mention when the car was moved onto the dolly there was a trail in the very center on the ground that smelled like transmission fluid but wasn't tranny fluid.
 
Well considering it is still on the dolly it may not be totally accurate but it did seem to be a bit over the full mark and the oil looked really dirty. On another note the water in the reservoir seems to have gone down a bit. Also I forgot to mention when the car was moved onto the dolly there was a trail in the very center on the ground that smelled like transmission fluid but wasn't tranny fluid.
 
I had overheating issue back in April and I purchased some parts for installation namely thermostat, housing & fuse. My car overheated this weekend and now won't start. My son pulled the thermostat that was supposed to be new (pics below); The replacement part I purchased for 1995 Mustang Convertiible 3.8 was as shown on the receipt a Pre T THM PM195-0025 from Napa. What was taken out this weekend was a MotorRad 91C 195F pics below with name printed on the side. Is this the part I purchased or was it never changed in April? Is this the same thermostat on the receipt as in the pictures? IMG_20190826_223857.jpg IMG_20190826_223927.jpg IMG_20190826_224055.jpg IMG_20190826_223857.jpg IMG_20190826_223927.jpg IMG_20190826_224055.jpg IMG_20190826_224211.jpg
IMG_20190826_224211.jpg
IMG_20190826_224211.jpg
 
"Is this the part I purchased or was it never changed in April?"
Maybe.
"Is this the same thermostat on the receipt as in the pictures?"
Maybe.

It sounds like you may have purchased parts for someone else to do the work...if so, did you receive your old parts back as a method (not surefire) of ensuring installation? Also, I've mentioned this before on other posts..many parts manufacturers supply parts to multiple distribution chains, so finding a part "branded" as something else in a Napa box (or even a Ford box) would not surprise me...I saw a lot of it while working in auto parts for many years. You may try heating water on your stove with a cooking thermometer in it to see when/if the thermostat opens, or try to take it back (some are sold as lifetime guarantee, although your receipt does not indicate that being the case) or buy another one, install and get down the road.
 
From your description the starter is cranking the engine over but it will not start.
does the engine sound different cranking now?
pull the plugs and crank it over, does liquid shoot out the plug hole?
The liquid in the puke tank didn't look like antifreeze, it may have been the camera shot though.
 
1566906007525.png
This is what I purchased 4 months ago and should have been installed in my car.
Thermostat - Premium - Alternate Temp
Logo for Thermostat - Premium - Alternate Temp
Part #: THM PM1950025 Product Line: NAPA Thermostats


I need to know if this one here looks four months old or is this the stock brand or an older one that maybe was not changed out? I could not find where Napa in Idaho carries the MotoRad as a brand name on anything in the store. Am I wrong? I think this person is having me buy parts that they are returning for money and saying they put on. I may no longer have an operating vehicle because of this and it is a family member so its important that I figure this out. I think they are different and that Napa does not carry the one that was just taken out. It looks like it has been in longer than 4 months as well. these are three pics of one taken out that says MotoRad on the side and has 91C 915F FD? on the center piece.

IMG_20190826_224037.jpg IMG_20190826_223908.jpg IMG_20190826_224016.jpg

I am not trying to do anything more than determine if this person should be working on my car now and if they are being honest without bringing it to them in the event there is a simple explanation and I am completely wrong.
 
It was shadowed and water had been added to it. It does not sound any different trying to crank now. I did find a hose that had worn through to the AC unit that I need to pick up another one to replace. I will try to pull the plugs as soon as the sun comes out here. Is there some kind of reset or something to start the car if the AC has issues and the car overheats? The reservoir was full where it was not full before it was to the full line but not full to the top before it overheated which I do not understand and now it looks like the guy who was supposed to put n a quart of oil a short time ago may have put in almost two quarts instead of just under a quart. This should not be happening the car ran great except was starting to have sloppy steering over 50 recently which may have been due to it being dropped off the jack when they were changing my front tires recently or my running over an unseen curb. It only has 100000 miles on it and its a 95. I am so frustrated and the thermostat that was taken out says MotoRad with other numbers and it should have been a Napa one that I purchased in April installed. I don't think Napa carries anything that says MotoRad for my car in thermostats but I am checking on that as well.
 
1566906007525.png
This is what I purchased 4 months ago and should have been installed in my car.
Thermostat - Premium - Alternate Temp
Logo for Thermostat - Premium - Alternate Temp
Part #: THM PM1950025 Product Line: NAPA Thermostats


I need to know if this one here looks four months old or is this the stock brand or an older one that maybe was not changed out? I could not find where Napa in Idaho carries the MotoRad as a brand name on anything in the store. Am I wrong? I think this person is having me buy parts that they are returning for money and saying they put on. I may no longer have an operating vehicle because of this and it is a family member so its important that I figure this out. I think they are different and that Napa does not carry the one that was just taken out. It looks like it has been in longer than 4 months as well. these are three pics of one taken out that says MotoRad on the side and has 91C 915F FD? on the center piece.

IMG_20190826_224037.jpg IMG_20190826_223908.jpg IMG_20190826_224016.jpg

I am not trying to do anything more than determine if this person should be working on my car now and if they are being honest without bringing it to them in the event there is a simple explanation and I am completely wrong.


I'm not sure that any of this matters unless the thermostat is the thing that is responsible for the overheating. Have you dropped it into a pan of boiling water to see if it opens and closes? If it does, it's a waste trying to pin it on the thermostat.