Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches New England SVT OVERHEATED

very possible. I had an 84 jeep with a GM 2.8 V-6. Had a head gasket leak. same problem.

Mark,
It sounds EXACTLY like my car 2 months ago when I lost the water pump. I'd be willing to bet a lot on it. I would start it up cold and it would take about 10 minutes for the temp to skyrocket. Fan wouldn't slow it down. It would build up enough pressure to blow coolant out the overflow. If you shut it down quick enough you probably saved the heads. My impellar was broken in two places. By the way, my mileage was 39,800 when it went. Good luck. Roy

I don't know what Techs you have been taking to but they need to get their heads out from under the hood and get some air.

1st - I don't know ANYONE who pressure tests a COOLING SYSTEM with the ENGINE RUNNING !!!
A Certified ASE Tech would be LHAOROTF at the sound of that.
Cooling Systems are pressure tested COLD, with the engine OFF.

2nd - If you car overheats in 10-15 minutes, it is because there is ABSOLUTELY - NO COOLANT CIRCULATION.
Even with the Thermostat STUCK, it would take longer than 15 minutes to overheat
just because the coolant IS circulating throughout the engine block.

3rd - If the Head and/or Gasker IS cracked/warped/whatever you want to call it,
when you put the pressure gauge on the Radiator while the engine was running,
the needle *may* jump all over the place, and you *might* not be able
to give us an EXACT pressure reading.

If this doesn't make any sense to you or your Techs,
then I suggest you all get out from under the hood before someone gets hurt,
and take it to a dealer for repairs.

for one i thank you for your help...second you the f%^k do you think you can talk to like that...certainly not I..ok one your not over dealing with my problem nor have to pay to have it fixed...ok and if you reread the posts we did test it cold..then started the engine and tested it that way..and to find a cracked or blown head gasket if it builds to much pressure while running its a sign of bad things to come..i'll be putting in a new water pump either tomorrow or sunday and go from there..i know for a fact the water pump is junk but the car overheated bad enough that there could be a Much bigger problem..so hold your critisism to your damn self..thank you..later..mark

i thought you said you knew it WASNT A water pump?

MTOSVT,

I am sorry that you see my post as criticism. We are dealing with a VERY SERIOUS MATTER.
I don't know who is telling you how to diagnose this Head/Gasket problem, but doing it with a pressure tester is WRONG.

When you put a Pressure Tester on the Radiator, start the engine, and let it run, it WILL build up pressure, and it is capable of building up MORE PRESSURE, then the Radiator cap can regulate.
Putting the testor on your radiator is like locking the lid on a pressure cooker.

YOU WILL GET PRESSURES GREATER THAN 15 PSI ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE WITH THE PRESSURE TESTER INSTALLED IN PLACE OF THE RADIATOR/COOLANT CAP.
This is not even overheating yet !
Once it starts to overheat, you could blow a HOSE, or even your radiator.
There is a great potential here for someone to get sprayed with VERY HOT coolant !
This is NOT funny.

If you are looking for pressure leaking from the cylinders, past the Head Gasket, into the coolant, here is what you do...
Run the engine with the radiator cap OFF.
As the engine gets warm to hot, you will see the fluid in the radiator/coolant jar bubble, as if someone was blowing bubbles in it. This is the pressure escaping past the Head/Gasker into the cooling jacket.
You do not need to pressure test the radiator for this.
There also should be a thin slick/film of grease present in the coolant jar, and if coolant is leaking into the engine oil, your oil will turn a chocolate brown color.

At this point, I hope that the Coolant Pump solves your problem, because it sounds like this is your only problem.
You only complaint so far has been the high temperature, no misfires, smoke or fluid leaking, no oil in the coolant, or coolant in your oil, so there is NO EVIDENCE of a Gasket/Head Failure at this point.
With the number of people on this site who are EXPERIENCED with automobiles, OTHER THAN FORD, and WITH FORD, we are putting our collective thoughts together and speaking out loud to you.

You posted here for help. Yet you are listening to TWO Technicians, and eight CEGers, including myself, are diagnosing your problem as a Coolant Pump.

Please post your results, after you have swapped out the coolant pump.


Pete...