Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Coolant System ( New Radiator? )

Originally posted by Kremithefrog:

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a overheating detecting/shutdown device would be good, until it failed.

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Now that I think about it, overheat auto-shutdown would be something that could be done purely on a software level, in the ECM. The already existing hardware of the ECM could easily perform the task. They could possibly even flash the overheat shutdown program right into the stock EEPROM chip.
But, the odds of some system like this failing, is no more likely to happen than a failed ignition module, or a bad fuel pump, which are both more likely things to cause a stall, than a software glitch in the shutdown software. Any system on a car can fail. Mechanical systems are always more likely to fail than electronic systems. Whenever electronic systems fail, it is usually due to mechanical reasons (i.e. a sensor, which is a mechanical to electrical converter, or an actuator, which is an electrical to mechanical converter).

I believe this has already been implemented in some cars. I believe Caddies have this system, so if you dump all of the coolant, the computer only lets fuel and spark go to each cylinder 50% of time it normally would, using air and the engine oil to cool the engine for a specific period of time. You have much less power, but you may be able to get to the next exit at a slower speed without cooking the engine.

I'm sure Ford has implemented this in some cars as well. But, probably not on the Contour.

TB

The overheating strategy includes being able to alter the ignition timing for each individual cylinder. Ford has done this on several engines. To do this, the engine must have individual coils for each spark plug. This became somewhat common with Ford about the time that the Contour went out of production.

By the way, I'm still laughing about the melted radiator fins.

I'm glad some one can find humor in this story...

I still have not heard from the dealership - probably wont until after Christmas.

Hmmm, maybe I should give them a call.

Eurythmian

OK, my car is still at the dealership... been there all week.
I'm getting the run around by this jacka$$ Service Assistant Manager.

He didn't have them flush out my radiator like I told him I wanted done. After having the car in there for two days for new cats and this coolant system work... I called him. Asked what was going on with the car - he didn't know where it was or if the work had been done to it.

After he put me on hold for three minutes he told me the cats were still not in but it was looking like Thursday before my car would be ready. Of course Christmas being Wednesday - I understood. I then asked about the radiator (again). He said the coolant system is working properly. I asked again... did anyone flush out the radiator like I asked? He said no... because the test shows no problem.

I was furious!!! I kept my composure and raised my voice a little. I think he got it that time...
I also told him to call me and keep me posted - I wanted to know if the cats came in or not.

I called this afternoon at 2:00pm to see if everything was schedule - since he never called... I was thinking everything was close to being finished.

Again - he didn't know if the parts came in and put me on hold.
A few minutes later, he tells me the cats are still out and should be there Friday.
I couldn't believe this...
I then asked about the radiator... he said he had them flush it out. I asked him if there was any debris in it from the old pumps... he didn't know. What he said was, of course there was gunk that came out of it... all radiators have this. I asked him if he knew for a fact that my radiator was pump debris free... he said no - but would find out and give me a call.

He never called.

Tomorrow I am calling and asking for the Service Manager... not the assistant. I'm getting to the bottom of this. This guy is a total jacka$$... and now I'm pissed.

He couldn't even give me a good reason why the cats didn't get there last Tuesday...

Any advise on what I should do next?

Eurythmian

I don't know how they could tell if the cooling system is water pump debris free. It sounds like you are asking for something he cannot deliver short of a full field strip of the engine and a lab analysis of the coolant. Even then I don't know how much you would be able to really learn. Give it up and move on to something more productive.

look in the flushed coolant, if it has impellar parts than it's not water pump debris free.

Well, I know I'm preaching to the choir here - but I need to be able to bounce things off people who at least take some interest in helping me.

Here is the latest news.
I call the dealership and asked for the Service Manager this time.
I explained my concerns about the work I had asked to be done had not been performed and that my car was waiting on parts that should have been delivered a week ago.
I also explained how the guy I left my car with was a bit too care free and had left me greatly less than thrilled with his attitude and lack of urgency.
(I didn't want to come off as an idiot or someone who was just ranting and raving - I even told him I didn't want to complain but felt like I wasn't being handled correctly.)

He took everything down and told me he would get right back to me.
Which he did.
Turns out, the cats had not been sent yet.
The parts had been ordered - but there was a mix up at the warehouse and they never got put on a truck.
The jacka$$ Assistant Manager never called to see why the parts had not arrived.
That's all he had to do... what an idiot!

Now the cats have been reordered and should arrive Monday - if not, this guy will call the warehouse and jump on somebody.
I feel better now that the Service Manager is handling my car... I know it will be put on a top priority list.

This guy was surprised it had been there all week and his assistant had not looked into it any further.
He was also surprised that I had put in writing the work I wanted done and he had not done what I asked for.
I explained why I wanted the radiator flushed and he agreed with my reasoning. Said it made perfect since. When I told him his assistant told me my problems could be from melted radiator fins, he was silent. He came back with, "I doubt your car would be running if you had melted the radiator - besides we would have noticed it when we installed the new water pump. You would have done serious damage to the rest of the engine with temperatures that high."

Finally, someone with some brains! I asked if I could leave both my vehicles with him every time I brought them in. He said yes.

Well, now I have to wait for Monday. He tells me the work should be completed by the end of the day.
I will let you know how my baby runs and if all the cleaning they did to just about everything was worth the price.

Anxiously waiting,
Eurythmian

good to hear it's working out better,,, now if you just avoided the dealer, you would never have had to wait a week and deal with a stupid assistant.

I hate dealerships. The only one I go to is Burns Motor in Hawley, small little dealership that has awesome service, or atleast they do when the manager is there. The other dude, whoever he is, is a total jerk. Brought my car in to get a new alternator a few months ago (Barely made the 45minute drive down there, Voltage lamp came on at every stoplamp) anyway, I get down there, the jerk dosen't have the part, expects me in the Mystique to drive back to Fargo with a car that's half dead to go get one! Then the manager came, told Jodie (the jerk) that he was crazy to tell me that, and gave me a 1999 Taurus SE to get the part in, and to use until my car was ready. Now today I called the dealership because of my heater problem and I got Jodie again. No part, not going down there. I'm waiting until Monday when the manager is back, atleast that way I'll get some service.