Engine running hot?

Tiny
MIKE053620
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 128,518 MILES
I have a 99 ford taurus. When driving I can smell raiditor fluid, but the car DOES NOT overheat. When I stop I have steam coming everywhere and fluid will be on the ground. Car runs stong with no overheating or loss of power. It appears the fluid is coming out of the reservoir.
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Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 AT 9:35 AM

67 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
HI:
I would get a new radiator cap. With the engine COLD, remove the radiator cap. Start the car. If coolant starts spraying out, it sounds like you have a head gasket problem. Keep an eye on the coolant for air bubbles. This guide should help us fix it

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-overheating-or-running-hot

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Thursday, January 15th, 2009 AT 6:46 PM
Tiny
CBLANTON
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 FORD TAURUS
Engine Cooling problem
1999 Ford Taurus 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

this car runs hot only when u run the A/C
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Check coolant level
check belt and tensioner
check coolant fan operation
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DEQUITA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1999 FORD TAURUS
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 149,000 MILES
My wagon was running hot. I took to mechanic, they replaced waterpump. Then drove next day and car started acting like it didnt want to drive(kept sputtering) But when I pulled over and waited few minutes it would drive again. Took it back to mechanic and he said now its a fuel pump. How can that be? Does a fuelpump need to cool down before you drive it lol?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
The pump could be bad, but that isn't causing the engine to overheat. Have (you) checked fuel pump pressure?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CROWBAR15
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 90,000 MILES
The radiator recovery tank was leaking so I replaced it the engine runes cooler and the heater runs hot and cold since replacing the tank thank you
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+1
Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
HI:
Is the engine running at a normal operating temp? Also, is the coolant full?

Joe
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CROWBAR15
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
[quote="Jacobandnickolas"]HI:
Is the engine running at a normal operating temp? Also, is the coolant full?

Joe[/quote to jacobandnickolas the coolent is full and the engine is operating a little cooler
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,005 POSTS
Hi:
If the coolant is full, engine is running cooler, and the problem started since you repaired the overflow, my guess is the t-stat needs replaced.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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-1
Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KPOOH
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1997 FORD TAURUS
1997 Ford Taurus 6 cyl

why when I drive my car it runs hot? When I drive with the heater on it doesn't run hot, the temputure stay in the middle. Why is that?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,938 POSTS
HI there,

I would be checking the thermostat and also for a partly blocked radiators, start here.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KPOOH
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I had the thermastst removed, so could it be my radiator cap needs to be changed.
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,938 POSTS
Radiator & cap will have to be checked, is it using coolant?

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KPOOH
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I put coolant in & it still runs hot, bt I can drive it with the heater on without it running hot. Why is that?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,938 POSTS
As I said, get the radiator cleaned by a radiator shop as it may have a partial blockage.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:46 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PEACHES43
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1996 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 18,800 MILES
My car is running hot in freezing temperatures. The other morning on my way to work, my car ran hot, I pulled over and parked it. Later that afternoon, I put some antifreeze in it and drove it home (11 miles) and it done fine. This morning I started it up to get it warm and drove down the road and before I could get a mile down the road, it runs hot again. What could be the problem?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:47 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TAURUSWHEEL
  • MECHANIC
  • 718 POSTS
Any heat? If not, thermostat should be replaced. May be good idea to do it anyway. Make sure no leaks and rad is not plugged up. Do NOT overheat the motor, worst thing you can do, usually causes some sort of collateral damage to motor.
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:47 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ALWAYSLEARY
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
  • 1996 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 113,000 MILES
I just bought a second hand 1996 Taurus GL with a 3 litre V6 Vulcan engine. The water pump innards were non existent. I had the water pump changed, but the in cabin temp gauge keeps reading between 1/4 on the gauge then up to 3/4 on the gauge and I can hear the fans kick in and the temp goes down again, but it's a constant thing. It never finds a happy median unless the car is sitting idling, then it will keep itself at halfway on the gauge.

Also, when I drive at speeds of 45-50 it seems to hold a halfway mark on the temp gauge, going up and down very little, but still does. When driving at normal highway speeds of 60-70 MPH the gauge does a seesaw, but what gets me is that the gauge will go all the way down to 1/4 again and then back up.

So my question is, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? LOL. Please, I don't want to have to keep driving this car with one eye on the gauge and one on the road. Should I pull the thermostat out and run it with no thermostat for one day to see if that helps?
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:47 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Replace the thermostat and test the engine coolant temperature sensor.
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:47 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ALWAYSLEARY
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I actually think there "IS" something wrong with that coolant temp sensor. The cabin temp gauge sticks. When I turn the car off the gauge stays where the car temp was when I turned it off. Even after I start the car back up again, the gauge sticks where it's at until the thermostat opens up, then it climbs up 3/4's of the way up and the fans come on. Odd. I'll replace both thermostat and coolant temp gauge. Is it ok to use a 180 degree thermostat? OE is 192 degrees.
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Monday, August 24th, 2020 AT 9:47 AM (Merged)

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