Hey guys, I bought a '93 LX 'vert back before Christmas and I absolutely love it. However the previous owner was a little less than kind to this car so there were a few issues (the struts were shot beyond all belief, the radio was trashed, rear glass was broken, tires were trash etc.). I've fixed pretty much everything but there is one major thing that is still bothering me. My father (who has owned several foxbody cars both new and used) said that the temp should stay between the line above the 130 mark and the next line above that. When I am driving the temp stays really cool 9at the bar above 130), but when I am sitting at a light it begins to climb up to the next bar and if I get stuck at multiple lights it can and will go higher. This worries me greatly as I lost my previous car in a fire, and I don't want any heat related problems occuring with the Mustang. I replaced the waterpump which was shot and that helped greatly. It is no longer leaking coolant, and the temp doesn't skyrocket like it used to. However it still somewhat slowly rises up at lights, which worries me as I live in AZ and it is going to get very hot outside very soon. Now, I am pretty sure that the fan clutch is going out. So I will replace that. Could there be an issue with the thermostat? I checked the coolant level this last monday and everything was good, but I checked it yesterday and it was a bit low. On another (possibly related) note, do any of you experience any sort of white wispy smoke coming out of your interior cowl vents when driving at roughly 65 mph? I did not notice this when I bought the car, but I did notice it yesterday when I got on the freeway. I don't normally drive on the freeway, which is why I didn't notice this sooner.
Temp. Issues
- Thread starter Alan David Hudson
- Start date
The "white wispy smoke" is an indication that you are going to be doing a heater core on your car sooner rather than later.
From your description, it sounds like your car was severely neglected. Yes, you should replace the thermostat "just because". Also, I'd bet that your radiator is all full of rust and sediment. The symptoms you have fit that diagnosis to a T. Go to Vatozone and invest in a new radiator. You should then be good to go. The clutches are not something that goes out that often, so don't invest the money unless you're sure.
From your description, it sounds like your car was severely neglected. Yes, you should replace the thermostat "just because". Also, I'd bet that your radiator is all full of rust and sediment. The symptoms you have fit that diagnosis to a T. Go to Vatozone and invest in a new radiator. You should then be good to go. The clutches are not something that goes out that often, so don't invest the money unless you're sure.
Not looking forward to shelling out the cash for a new radiator... Oh well, the car is well worth it. I got it for a decent price and it runs awesome otherwise (B cam, GT40 heads-- the P heads unfortunately 1.6 RR)and it has a full eibach suspension (along with a totally flawless body and the paint is immaculate), so I'm gonna suck it up and call it good. I do think that the fan clutch is going mainly because right after I shut the car off, I am able to freely move the fan. I shouldn't be able to do this, should I? Aside from that, do I have the temp area right? Also, is it safe to drive at highway speeds with the heater core going out? Or should I just bypass it until I get a chance to replace it?
pearlnotchback
5 Year Member
Being able to turn the fan with the motor cut off is normal. Driving with the heater core going out wont hurt the motor just keep an eye on the coolant but it will leave a funky film of antifreeze on your windshield if you run the defroster and if the leek gets bad enough it can leak onto the floor on the passenger side so if it were me I would bypass it.
The stock temp gauge is known to be inaccurate. I wouldn' trust it's readings at all.
The fan should spin, but not freewheel. In other words, with the engine off, if you grab the fan and give it a spin, it should't spin at all after you release it. There should be resistance. If the fan does freewheel, then the clutch is on it's way out.
Simple things to do right now, inspect fan clutch, straighten out radiator fins, clean debris from fins, perform fresh coolant swap (perhaps tstat change, stock 192 or 180 degree) and inspect the inside of the radoator while it's draining. If you see deposits, plan on a new radiator at some point.
If your heater core is going out, you will usually see a residue begin to deposit itself over the passenger side windshield defrost vent. Will look hazy and feel sticky if you rub your finger. Also, if you look in the engine bay, there is a drain hole in the firewall near the passenger header. You may see coolant dripping from here
The fan should spin, but not freewheel. In other words, with the engine off, if you grab the fan and give it a spin, it should't spin at all after you release it. There should be resistance. If the fan does freewheel, then the clutch is on it's way out.
Simple things to do right now, inspect fan clutch, straighten out radiator fins, clean debris from fins, perform fresh coolant swap (perhaps tstat change, stock 192 or 180 degree) and inspect the inside of the radoator while it's draining. If you see deposits, plan on a new radiator at some point.
If your heater core is going out, you will usually see a residue begin to deposit itself over the passenger side windshield defrost vent. Will look hazy and feel sticky if you rub your finger. Also, if you look in the engine bay, there is a drain hole in the firewall near the passenger header. You may see coolant dripping from here
Thank you guys for the help. The fan does spin somewhat freely after I let it go, so I will be replacing the fan clutch. The Heater Core definitely needs replacing. The coolant will drop after a couple days use and I'm tired of burning money refilling it. If I don't replace it this weekend I'll just bypass it. It is warm enough here in AZ as it is. Hopefully this will also eliminate the slight burning smell that pops up while driving. I can't smell it as my nose is plugged, but my sister swears that it's there.
HuskerNation
Member
OP, if your going to fork out the cash in doing a fan clutch, why don't you look into doing an electric motor set up? More beneficial down the road as well. There are some threads and write ups on here that will tell you how to PROPERLY do it. Such as upgrading your alternation before you do this mod.
Good luck!
Good luck!
txstang84
15 Year Member
Even after you replace the heater core, the smell will take quite a while to go away. Once it leaks, the coolant soaks everthing downwind and below the core to include all the foam pieces in the heater box. If you have the time and motivation, just take out the whole HVAC unit and flush it out with warm soapy water and rinse as necessary. That helped mine out immensely...sucky job though.
+1 for the radiator flush n fill at least until you can swing getting a new radiator...
+1 for the radiator flush n fill at least until you can swing getting a new radiator...
It isn't the smell of antifreeze that I'm worried about so much as a wonderful burning smell that I encounter every now and then on the way to and from school. On a half hour (ish) drive it happens two or three times. I lost my last car to a fire, so I'm just a little freaked out when it comes to heat problems.
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