Fox 1986 v6 overheating

[nesnej]

1986 v6 3.8 L. I am having trouble with what started as a coolant leak. Took it to a mechanic and he 'changed the thermostat' and one section of rubber tubing. I am wondering if he put the thermostat in upside down. mine is a mount on top of intake that faces up (not the side mount). Should the long end point up or down? if that is right, what would cause the car to go from no temp registered to pegging out in seconds and then having the overflow boil antifreeze everywhere? I started to go after the head gasket and am wondering if I am overthinking it and is is something minor. when I released the stopcock on the radiator, nothing came out...so what if the radiator was blocked? any help? thanks in advance.

 

[90sickfox]

A blocked radiator will cause those symptoms. The long part should always face the block. A head gasket could cause coolant to push out the overflow but usually it'll be before the coolant temp pegs out. If no coolant in the oil it probably isn't a head gasket on a 3.8. ( still could be but highly unlikely ).

Depending on how hot you ran the motor previously it could have a cracked head.

Does it run rough ?

 

[General karthief]

I would take it back to that mechanic and tell him to fix it right!
in reality I would not have taken it to a mechanic, I can't afford to pay their rates.
Oh, have it towed and make him pay the tow bill because you can't drive it like that.

 

[nesnej]

A blocked radiator will cause those symptoms. The long part should always face the block. A head gasket could cause coolant to push out the overflow but usually it'll be before the coolant temp pegs out. If no coolant in the oil it probably isn't a head gasket on a 3.8. ( still could be but highly unlikely ).

Depending on how hot you ran the motor previously it could have a cracked head.

Does it run rough ?

thanks for the reply. A bit rough on running and doesn't start well. Have to turn it over sit for a couple of seconds then do it again. I see a bit of white in the exhaust but not alarmingly. It smells like antifreeze when I follow in a chase car but it is spitting it all over the engine bay. But it also sat for over a year and supposedly (based on odometer and condition likely is) 89k original miles so didn't move much. I figured change oil and get a tank of gas through it but we drove it like 3 miles and this happened.

 

[nesnej]

I would take it back to that mechanic and tell him to fix it right!
in reality I would not have taken it to a mechanic, I can't afford to pay their rates.
Oh, have it towed and make him pay the tow bill because you can't drive it like that.

thanks for the reply. In best case, agree. It was the seller of the car and based on what I have seen, take my lumps and pay a diff mechanic or finish myself seems better. is a good car overall, think he just didn't know what he was doing and my trust is not there.

 

[nesnej]

also, dumb question but learning, there are three 'radiators' on this car, the one in the front looks to be AC, the second the main coolant, the third has small lines coming in and is either oil or transmission but I don't see how the smaller radiator (one right by fan that I am guessing is oil) mounts to the main radiator. if I replace the radiator, do I need a special kind of radiator to deal with the small radiator? I see two black things on the smaller radiator that look like they may be mounts but I have not gotten the radiator out yet. I think if I take those small lines off, it will let the smaller and the main radiator out but then I think it will dump whatever fluid all over so was holding off on that. thoughts?

 

[90sickfox]

A picture would be helpful. That sounds like an aftermarket cooler ( the little one ).

 

[nesnej]

pics as good as I could get. thanks for help

 

[90sickfox]

That's an aftermarket transmission cooler. To release it from the radiator the plastic mounting thingies will need to be cut. Usually, not much fluid comes out when those lines are disconnected....just enough to make a mess.

 

[nesnej]

thanks 90sickfox. if I cut it off the old one, advice on how would I attach it to a new radiator? do I need anything special or just a standard radiator? sounds like stock would do.

 

[90sickfox]

Standard radiator will do. Most new radiators come with the fittings for the transmission cooler built into them. That radiator looks like it was made for a manual transmission car.... on an automatic radiator there are two fittings facing the engine between the radiator cap and the lower radiator hose.

I noticed that the overflow bottle hose is disconnected in the other picture. I'm sure you know it goes to the nipple below the cap.

 

[nesnej]

Standard radiator will do. Most new radiators come with the fittings for the transmission cooler built into them. That radiator looks like it was made for a manual transmission car.... on an automatic radiator there are two fittings facing the engine between the radiator cap and the lower radiator hose.

I noticed that the overflow bottle hose is disconnected in the other picture. I'm sure you know it goes to the nipple below the cap.

yes, I have it unhooked to pull it out but stopped when I found the extra cooler. good tip.