My Windstar overheated on the road and I pulled.

Tiny
MIKE21138
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 90,700 MILES
My Windstar overheated on the road and I pulled off asap, it cooled down and had plenty of fluid. It would not start again.I got it towed home and it still won't start. It turns and trys bit it just sounds like something isn't firing or something just turns the motor it seems like. Any suggestions?
Saturday, December 15th, 2012 AT 2:04 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
FREEMBA
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,152 POSTS
Sounds like the cylinder heads have warped to the ponit where the engine is losing so much compression that is can't start. However, that's a big jump to a conclusion without running any tests; so here goes:

The first thing to do is to check for a spark (assuming that the vehicle has gas). Here's how:
1. Disconnect a spark plug wire at the spark plug end.
2. Connect the plug wire to the spark tester and ground the tester to an appropriate location on the engine. (If you don’t have a spark tester, put a screwdriver into the spark plug end of the wire and lay it on the engine so that there is at least a  inch gap between the metal part of the screwdriver and a metal part of the engine)
3. Crank the engine and check for the presence of spark, and also the intensity at the tester. (Or a spark between the screwdriver [metal part] and the engine)
4. If spark exists at the tester (or screwdriver), the ignition system is functioning properly.
5. Repeat the procedure on at least one of the remaining spark plug wires.

Once the presence of a spark is established, use a compression guage to check engine compression on all cylinders. Be sure to write down the readings you get for each cylinder.

Cylinder numbers and location:

Cylinder numbers:

1 2 3
Passenger
Side 4 5 6

Front of vehicle

Please post the results of these two "tests."
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Saturday, December 15th, 2012 AT 2:35 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
You may have damaged the head gaskets from the overheat and water is now trying to burn instead of fuel.

Get a leak down test performed to verify.

Roy
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Saturday, December 15th, 2012 AT 4:09 PM

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