WTF?????? Help please...

Topic: WTF?????? Help please... (Read 1996 times) previous topic - next topic

WTF?????? Help please...

July 21, 2009, 04:56:51 PM

Im outta ideas and its getting pretty frustrating.. If you didnt already know I have a 88 3.8 that recently blew the head gasket.. Finished it up last night started it up and it actually sounded real good.. It ran for a while and all of a sudden heard a loud pop and lost alot of coolant ( not a big problem I just forgot to tighten the lower rad hose).. LEft it for the night..

Today topped off the rad again and started it again let it warm up only problem it really dint stop warming up. Before all my problems gauge would read between the O and the R all the time never moved not it kept going up I took it for a drive and it kept going up. Didnt actually overheat but came close. Got back home and smelt coolant on the passsenger side but can not see any,...

New parts I have installed:

Head gasket and every other gasket that comes in the kit
water pump
fan clutch
thermostat 180 degree
Coolant temp sensor (busted it on accident so had to replace it)
I also relplaced the other sensor for the cooland temp with the single post sticking out the top cant think of the name.

Only old parts are the radiator and the hoses??? Can anyone give ne a little insight on why the car would still be running hot????? WHen I got back I also checked the overflow tank and it was empty wasnt when I left so I refilled it and the rad was a little low also topped thta off. Sorry this is long but I am trying to type everything I can think of so maybe someone will see somehting I missed. ALso the car has heat that works great which it ddint really before the head gasket change???????:punchballs:

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #1 – July 21, 2009, 05:46:18 PM

Did you purge the air out of the system? Newer 3.8's have a nipple on the thermostat housing to let the air out. Older ones I'm not sure, but if not you can usually purge the system by running the engine with the rad cap off until the thermostat opens (you see coolant circulating in the rad).

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #2 – July 21, 2009, 06:08:00 PM

Sounds like air in the system. Go to harbor freight and pick up a $2 Touchless Thermometer (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93983 There are cheaper ones too) and see what your upper Rad hose temperature is running at. Could be the wrong temp sensor too.

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #3 – July 21, 2009, 09:11:55 PM

niether of my 3.8s had a vent nipple.
along with the purging, did you test the new thermostat before you put it in? thats where i would start with the reason being there are soo many that fail out of the box nowadays(stant brand junk )

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #4 – July 21, 2009, 09:21:57 PM

Like I said, I dunno if older ones do. The one in my '91 T-Bird did, and it had a big plastic ring around it stating something like "WARNING: PURGE AIR OUT OF COOLING SYSTEM AFTER REFILL" or something to that effect.

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #5 – July 21, 2009, 09:22:12 PM

I dindt test it but I will try the purging tomorrow and if that dont work I gues ill pull the stat and check it...This si furstrating...

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #6 – July 21, 2009, 11:38:01 PM

maybe the cats are clogged from the blown gaskets?? too much back pressure???? or a clogged up radiator......
did you use any headgasket in a can???

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #7 – July 22, 2009, 07:46:16 AM

Usually filling one with the heater hose disconnected at the intake manifold, will allow the block to fill... Then run it without the cap till you're sure it's OK...

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #8 – July 22, 2009, 09:52:08 AM

My SC has a similar problem (developing cooling bubbles). So When I fill it. I jack the front driver tire way in the air. This makes the filler neck on the radiator the highest point. Then i fill it with as much as it will take. Start it and bubbles will come burping out the rad for a few mins. After a while it wont take any more coolant and it will begin expanding out the rad cap opening. Then I cap it, lower it, and its done.

I found this works better than my vent cap as the vent cap still left me with bubbles trapped in the system.

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #9 – July 22, 2009, 06:34:49 PM

Ok well I went out side today probably 75ish out and I started it w/o the rad cap it was let it run thermostat opened up and I got two big bubbles out and it seemed fine after that.. Let it run about half hour after the burps and never went up past o it hovered around the N. Put the cap back on after I was sure no more bubbles were gonna come out.. Let it run about another half hour with the rad cap on and again didnt go up.. The 40 minute ride to work should see if its ok.. I will let you know how things went tomorrow night after I get home..

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #10 – July 23, 2009, 12:56:49 PM

Ok well the forty mile trip to work went smooth needle never moved higher than the O most the trip stayed right between N and O. I think I got it ironed out I do need a new radiator though any sources for a good one??

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #11 – July 24, 2009, 11:36:50 PM

Re-Check the thermostat and make sure it is in right. Pill towards the block. If you accidentally put it in backwards it will overheat and have the problem you mentioned.

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #12 – July 25, 2009, 02:36:35 AM

Quote from: cougar1car;283434

I do need a new radiator though any sources for a good one??

The local parts store should be able to get you one. Also Now would be the time to Upgrade so to speak sounds like a DD car so maybe just a Factory mustang Rad. I know the one I got was twice as thick as my stock 84 T/c unit. It came from the parts store 88 mustang 302 unit. I also opted for the Heatbuster Copper brass unit none of this Aluminum core plastic tanks to go bad.

Stuckman

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #13 – July 25, 2009, 03:12:11 PM

Quote from: TurboCoupe50;283239

Usually filling one with the heater hose disconnected at the intake manifold, will allow the block to fill... Then run it without the cap till you're sure it's OK...

good one tom,, nice tip.

WTF?????? Help please...

Reply #14 – July 26, 2009, 11:05:12 PM

Yeah it is a DD and has been 4 days of 80 mile trips with no problems....Thanks to all who suggested the air in the syatem somehting I dindt think of...