My friends 90 continental 3.8 V6 has some issues. There is coolant literally POURING out the tailpipes. There is no smoke just the "running water" syptom. It doesn't want to idle and suddenly cuts off. Could this be a head gasket or a cracked block? Please help!!

 

Most likey a head gasket.. that must be a pretty funny site though.. like a fountain.. lol

Patrick DeGrosse Jr.

 

Pull the #4 cylinder spark plug after its been sitting for a while, and crank it over with the ignition disabled.

Watch for water.

REAL common problem with the 3.8s is they blow the head gasket in #4. Usually will smoke though.....

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

[This message has been edited by Engineboy (edited November 09, 2001).]

 

Early to mid 90's ford 3.8's have bad head gaskets and ford has to change them for you for free. It was in the paper a couple of days ago.

 

I KNEW there must be a good reason to have a Ford - free head gaskets!

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Later,
Vader
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If you want to beat the World, it might reach up and pull you down...
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Man, this is really just a common problem with the 3rd gens. First off you need to check your fuel filter, then you need to check the PSI comming from your fuel pump. With the fuel pump, they die, they just dont kill over, they slowly die. I had the same problem about a year ago and vader told me to check the fuel pressure coming from my fuel pump, so i did and WHAM there was my problem. Good luck.

 

OOOOOPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSS, my freagin bad!!!!
Wrong post board, damn i hate when that happens. Sorry, yeah i aahh ahh ahhhh ahhh, yeah it sounds like a head gasket to me, but do you expect anything better from fords :-)

 

I thought it would be the heads gasket, but the amount of fluid that was coming out concerned me. My friends EXACT words were "Figures.. a Ford would **** coolant out the tailpipe!!!"

Whats the deal with the head gasket? I assume this is a TSB and that all 3.8's are subject to this? That would be awsome!!


Thanks all.

 

Only certain years and certain models are included in the head recall.

You should check with your local Ford dealer and see if your car applies.

Sometimes they want the another shop to do the repair (because they are backlogged with REAL paying jobs) and they will re-imburse the consumer.

Like I said, check with Ford first, I had a customer tell me to "just fix it" cause he thought Ford would pay for it....he still doesn't have his money.

Good luck

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

I know the car is in the shop as we speak. I can't even get a hold of the family.. they turned their phone off (long story) I will pass on the news though, thanks