Help...sos...help

[Big House]

The wife called me today and told me the Darkside's temp gauge pegged above the H. I verified this when I got home this evening as it was still there. She also said she smelled burning plastic. I started the car and the temp rose to normal. I put a little light load on her and the needle started creeping up. I also smelled what could be something burning. Also, the heat doesn't work at all. No heat, fan works well, but no heat blows. I am taking all possible causes. Help please.

[RoyLPita]

Any traces of coolant anywhere?? It could be a air bubble in the cooling system or a faulty t-stat.

[Big House]

Roy,

Not a drop anywhere. The resivour(sp) is filled up to the cold fill line.

[RoyLPita]

When the engine is cold enough, check the filler pipe for any air that could be in the system. If there isn't any, then the t-stat is bad.

[Big House]

Roy,

The filler pipe, would that be the round thing with the square peg like hole in it?

[SergntMac]

Yup...Stuck/broken T-stat, air bubble in cooling sys, or, bad cooling fan.

I'll pick bad cooling fan first, only because of the "plastic odor" wifey detected. Something jammed the fan blades, the motor fried, something on that order, could leave a burnt plastic impression. Could be an intermittent lose connection, get it checked out?

T-stats go bad, yeah. Some folks get air bubbles in their system, yeah. But, I think we over talk this stuff, and leave behind a feeling of unsureness in the product, or, the system involved. Guess this is a side affect of troubleshooting via the 'Net.

What ever the actual repair will come to be here, proper burping of the cooling system after the fact will bring that topic up again. It's not a sign of anything wrong, more like a correct proceedure.

Good luck, House, keep us posted.

[jgc61sr2002]

Yup...Stuck/broken T-stat, air bubble in cooling sys, or, bad cooling fan.

I'll pick bad cooling fan first, only because of the "plastic odor" wifey detected. Something jammed the fan blades, the motor fried, something on that order, could leave a burnt plastic impression. Could be an intermittent lose connection, get it checked out?

T-stats go bad, yeah. Some folks get air bubbles in their system, yeah. But, I think we over talk this stuff, and leave behind a feeling of unsureness in the product, or, the system involved. Guess this is a side affect of troubleshooting via the 'Net.

What ever the actual repair will come to be here, proper burping of the cooling system after the fact will bring that topic up again. It's not a sign of anything wrong, more like a correct proceedure.

Good luck, House, keep us posted.


IMO the Sarge has covered all the bases.:D

[merc6]

You still running lidio tune?

[Logan]

Just run the motor until it's normal, when it starts to overheat, see if the fan is on or not. If not, fan's bad. If so, bad tstat or air bubble, or possibly jammed seized waterpump. Check the main accessory belt for signs it's been sliding or slipping.

[Big House]

Yeah I am running L's tune and Z, what would be the tell tell signs of belt slippage?

[jgc61sr2002]

Just run the motor until it's normal, when it starts to overheat, see if the fan is on or not. If not, fan's bad. If so, bad tstat or air bubble, or possibly jammed seized waterpump. Check the main accessory belt for signs it's been sliding or slipping.


Shouldn't the fan come on in the A/C detent?

[Big House]

Ok...I let her run for a few minutes and she didn't peg but the needle went way up. Thing is though, only the very top hose got hot and that was only after the car was turned off? Also the fan does work.

[FordNut]

After it cools down a bit, pull the plug in the coolant crossover tube and see if it's full. If not, you are low on coolant (air bubble). If it's full, start the engine and see if water flows past the open plug. If so, the pump is working ok. If no flow, water pump isn't working. Final step, replace thermostat and follow the radiator rerfilling insteuctions posted many times around here (gotta get rid of them pesky air bubbles).

[Big House]

Ok...next run of tests...Fan works....I think...is it supposed to speed up as the car gets hotter. I think it did....as I noticed the needle approach the H, I heard the fan speed up. But needless to say it works...and the metal pipe heats up but on that one and the top hose going into the radiator.

[Big House]

Gent's,

Thank you all for the solid advise but I think I am going to leave this one up to the pros...just got off the phone with USAA and They are going to come get her in the morning. I just hope I don't get taken to the ringer by the stealership.

House

[spiders]

Gent's,

Thank you all for the solid advise but I think I am going to leave this one up to the pros...just got off the phone with USAA and They are going to come get her in the morning. I just hope I don't get taken to the ringer by the stealership.

House

Guess we won't get to see you on Sunday then...?:(

[RoyLPita]

Roy,

The filler pipe, would that be the round thing with the square peg like hole in it?


Yup, that is it.

[merc6]

what dealership is it going to? the one by me(koons) fixes everyones cars to include Fairvax, Arlington, Falls Church, and MPD. Being you are in D.C. the closest one most likely is orisman.

[spiders]

Don't know about the MM work, but Koons screwed up my TA several times, even had a complaint to Pontiac about it...

[Big House]

The closest LM dealership is in Temple Hills Md. Not very far from me. I will be calling the roll back first thing in the a.m....the service dept shortly afterwards.

[merc6]

Don't know about the MM work, but Koons screwed up my TA several times, even had a complaint to Pontiac about it...fuel sender issue is now fixed, spinning stud removed, and hood opens again. not shure about the ta but 1/3 of their lot is LE cars which makes me feel more confident they have a clue on basic panther work.

[Big House]

I decided to do the job myself and I have boiled down the problem to low coolant and a darned air bubble. Working that part out is the hard part. Got a new stat from FLM this morning. and pump is working because it shot water and coolant everywhere when I opened that little hole with the car running.

[Big House]

a constant temperture gauge that sits at the 20mph mark and heat that blows hotter than ever and most important....NO OVERHEATING. My hats off to the cats on this Board. I could not have done what I did today without you guys help. My deepest thanks.

Big House

[mtnh]

Let's hope that the aluminum engine tolerated that heat cycle intact. You may want to conduct a cooling system pressure test to make sure that the system is not compromised in any way (head gaskets, cracks anywhere in the water jacket, etc.) Better to find out close to home or in a dealership than out in the boonies. At a minimum, you may want to keep a very close watch on your coolant level and take a whiff of exhaust during warm-up and at temperature to examine the potential presence of anti-freeze. Are you past warranty? Any recent cooling system work, to explain the air pocket? I'm at a loss to explain where an air pocket would come from with a sealed, previously air-free cooling system. That could indicate gasseous emissions within the cooling system, prior to the melt down. I mean, overheating. The fact that water shot out of that purge port would also indicate possible loss of engine gasses into the coolant. I'm not sure you are out of the woods yet on this one. :(

[Shora]

The one the only MercuryMarauder.net.

[merc6]

warenty is comming up unless you passd the big 36K.

[cyclone03]

Nice job doing the fix yourself.


In an above post you said you pulled the bleeder plug off with the engine running and coolent went everywhere, was that before or after you bled off the pressure with the cap? If you didn't bleed the pressure first I bet you did have a heck of a mess....


Now for the next few days when the engine is COLD and OFF pull the bleeder cap and refill,about a cup of coolent a day. In three days or so it will stop taking coolent and actually be full.

[Big House]

Cyclone,

That was before I started relieveing pressure, and yes what a mess it was. All went well with this one and I am please with the outcome. Again, I can attribute my success to the help and advice I got here.:beer:

House

[Cheeseheadbob]

Very cool. The CAM meet is back in play. We look forward to seeing you Sunday!:beer:
Cyclone,

That was before I started relieveing pressure, and yes what a mess it was. All went well with this one and I am please with the outcome. Again, I can attribute my success to the help and advice I got here.:beer:

House

[DEFYANT]

Good job BH.