coolant spilling from overflow bottle. please help.

AutobotGears

Registered User
1994 4.6l V8
224000km

The car is not overheating, but coolant comes flowing out from beneath the overflow coolant reservoir cap. I replaced the cap,(from ford), added coolant, but it still overflows.

I have a new thermostat from ford I will replace tonight, but any other ideas?

Could it be the water pump?

I don't know if it's related or not, but the a/c stopped working about 1 hour before the coolant overflowing happened. Maybe a seizing/sticking a/c compressor or pully??

Thanks for any help/suggestions
Trevor
 
most likely headgasket failure between your combustion chamber and the coolant passage. is the coolant murky looking, or smell like gas?
 
get yourself a block tester to see if you are get gases into you coolant system, this will help determine if its your hg.
 
OK, I installed the new thermostat and gasket. I idled the car for about 20 minutes. It did not overheat and it did not spill collant out of the rad overflow bottle cap. I did not drive the car yet though.

Then I turned on the a/c and I got cold air from the vents for a few minutes and the car was not overheating or spilling collant.

Then the air vents were getting warm and I was watching the engine. I watched the a/c compressor go on and I could hear the motor strain a bit(more than usual when the a/c is normally on).

Then the a/c compressor would shut off after a few seconds. Then it would try again and the same thing would happen.

I think the bearings are gone in the a/c or something along these lines is happening. What do you think?
Trevor
 
OK, I installed the new thermostat and gasket. I idled the car for about 20 minutes. It did not overheat and it did not spill collant out of the rad overflow bottle cap. I did not drive the car yet though.

What do you think?
Trevor

20 minutes might not be long enough if you are just idling the engine. Did you feel if the upper radiator hose was warm to see if the thermostat opened up ???

Could be a leaky overflow bottle also.

- Dan
 
I put it in at Ford and after looking at it they said it was a big main relay that was bad. The service advisor said this big relay had a lot of little relays in it. They will put in a new one and I'll pick it up tomorrow. I asked them to keep the old part so I would know exactly what was replaced. They did mention that the rad fan was not coming on so hopefully this will fix it.

When I drove it to Ford this morning about a 10 minute drive, The temp gaugewas creeping slowly into the normal zone, but then it crept in the cold zone again. It did not overflow today.
 
that is a fair point. could cause excess pressure in the system due to overtemp. ought to change your radiator cap too..

get an obd tester on it to see if your lo and hi speed fans come on when itsin diag mode.
 
also figured i would throw this out ther.. when i sc started to fail the gasket one of the times:rolleyes:it would only make the bottle over flow or bubble when i got on the car hard and alot in a time.

turned out to be headgaskets could be your case also:eek:
 
Picked up the car today and it is working good. It was the integrated relay control module. It cost me $561 total, the part itself was 318 + tax and labour etc. A/C is working well also.

The temp gauge is not working though, but I think it was on its way out because I always seem to run below the normal, even when towing my trailer up hills. Mecanic said it is probably the sending unit and not the actual gauge.

Does any one know if the "CHECK GAUGES" light will still come on if I start to overheat even though the temp gauge is not working?

Trevor

P.S. I have a good story to tell:

Where I broke down was in a residential area after taking a wrong turn while visiting a friends house. When I pulled over with the smoke coming out, the owner of the house came out and helped me out. He had a 1990 SC in the garage. What are the odds of breaking down in your thunderbird in a strage city right in front of a house with a thunderbird in the garage(which was closed at the time)?
I never got his name and he was on his way to work so he couldn't stay long but, a big thank you to him.
 
318 for a ircm dang..

i couldnt get rid of my used one one here for $20 but thats used.

glad its figured out for you


Picked up the car today and it is working good. It was the integrated relay control module. It cost me $561 total, the part itself was 318 + tax and labour etc. A/C is working well also.

The temp gauge is not working though, but I think it was on its way out because I always seem to run below the normal, even when towing my trailer up hills. Mecanic said it is probably the sending unit and not the actual gauge.

Does any one know if the "CHECK GAUGES" light will still come on if I start to overheat even though the temp gauge is not working?

Trevor

P.S. I have a good story to tell:

Where I broke down was in a residential area after taking a wrong turn while visiting a friends house. When I pulled over with the smoke coming out, the owner of the house came out and helped me out. He had a 1990 SC in the garage. What are the odds of breaking down in your thunderbird in a strage city right in front of a house with a thunderbird in the garage(which was closed at the time)?
I never got his name and he was on his way to work so he couldn't stay long but, a big thank you to him.
 
keep it in the trunk in case yours ever goes.
I've got coolant, oil, power steering, tools, a serpintine belt, an overflow cap, a themostat and gasket etc in my trunk, and that fake gas if I ever run out.
 
keep it in the trunk in case yours ever goes.
I've got coolant, oil, power steering, tools, a serpintine belt, an overflow cap, a themostat and gasket etc in my trunk, and that fake gas if I ever run out.


i did end up selling it but i go to junk yards and pick up all kinds of parts i have an extra one for my car already that was just another one i got my hands on and just didnt need it:rolleyes:
 
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