Started overheating yesterday?

Tiny
SONOSKAE
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 FORD MUSTANG
My 96 3.8L V6 Mustang started overheating yesterday. I put a new thermostat on because the temperature would fluxtuate between the L in normal and the A in normal. The new thermostat did not solve the problem, so I removed and checked the hoses, flushed the radiator and ran water through the block. No debris came out of either the radiator or the block, and the fluid is flowing unrestricted from the reserve coolant tank into the radiator. There are no fluid leaks, but the engine is still running hot. Once I realized the thermostat didn't fix the problem I removed it completely just to see if maybe the new thermostat was perhaps faulty. After the last test drive I took it on after having checked the hoses and flushed the radiator there was smoke coming from the oil dipstick and a bit of oil spewed out from the dipstick, the engine was running hot during the drive however and I'm not sure whether or not that was the cause for the oil. I should also note that even when the engine is running temperature is running very near to the red line if I turn the heater on only cool air blows out from it. The engine has 139k miles on it, but I have replaced all the pullies, water pump, ac clutch, spark plugs and distributor cap.
Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 AT 10:57 AM

1 Reply

Tiny
SQM
  • MECHANIC
  • 6,383 POSTS
Hello,

This overheating can be due to a faulty water pump.
If the impeller of the water pump is broken it will be unable to circulate coolant thru the engine and that will make it over heat.
Also as you mentioned you are not getting any heat out of the heater. That could be due to no coolant flow through the heater core. It can be for a clogged heater core or could be for the water pump not circulating coolant.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/water-pump
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-water-pump
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/water-pump-replacement

I have attached the diagrams for your reference.

Please let me know of any questions.
Thank you.
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Thursday, September 16th, 2021 AT 1:33 PM

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