Overheating in a 1999 Ford 3.8

Iskandar Blogger 10:26 PM

An overheating engine is a serious problem that can be very dangerous. The 3.8 liter V6 Ford engine is known for head-gasket failure, and overheating is one of the symptoms along with white smoke coming out of the tailpipe and the engine misfiring. This engine was used in a number of Ford vehicles in 1999 including the 6 cylinder Mustangs, the Windstar van, and the Windstar wagon. If your overheating is not accompanied by the other symptoms you have another issue. Determine the problem to see if you can resolve it yourself or not.

Instructions

    1

    Turn off your car as soon as you pull off the road. Pop the hood and turn the key one click. This will enable you to roll down the windows and turn the interior fan to the highest heat setting to remove as much heat as possible from the engine.

    2

    Open the hood using gloves so you are not burned, and secure the hood open with the bar located at the front of the engine.

    3

    Allow the engine to cool. This could take more than an hour if it is hot outside and you continued to drive when your engine began to overheat. If it is cold out, the process might only take 20 minutes. While you wait look under the engine for green coolant fluid dripping. If you see coolant, you have a leak.

    4

    Examine your upper and lower radiator hoses for leaks. The hoses are about 2 inches in diameter and run into the radiator located at the front of the engine. Go underneath the car to check the lower hose. If a hose has a leak you will need to replace it. Add more coolant to your reservoir with a funnel and drive to somewhere the hose can be replaced if the leak is not too severe.

    5

    Start the engine with the hood open if there is no coolant leak. Squeeze the upper radiator hose to see if there is pressure inside of it while the engine idles. If there is no coolant moving through the hose you may have a stuck thermostat inhibiting the flow of the coolant. It is quite a job to replace a thermostat and you may consider having a mechanic take care of it.

    6

    Close the hood and get into the car if there does not appear to be a leak in the coolant system and the thermostat seems to be operating properly. If the car overheats within five minutes you likely have a defective water pump. This is also a more involved project that may require a mechanic and a tow truck.