Another Driveability problem with my 94

94IVGT · Jun 16, 2011

Driving car monday about 95 degrees out. Car is running about 180 degrees like always. All of a sudden temp jumps to 240 and blows antifreeze out my catch can. It cools off and I drive it home(2 miles). I figured it was a headgasket being the pms was reading crazy numbers on the o2 on driver side but 1ideband on passenger side was normal. I run the cometic mls gaskets that aren't supposed to blow too. So I pull plugs and they are black with brown tips they normal aswell. I check compression and all 110+psi. I clean the plugs start it up and it idles perfect, I let it sit and run for 20-30mn and it sounded great. I back out of driveway and it stalls. I start it up and start pulling away in 1st gear and start to go around the block and has no power at all. I do not smell anything and the car sounds different than normal when driving. What could be the problem here? I am lost at this point.

Dr Fildo · Jun 16, 2011

Do you have the original fan setup? I had a simiar problem not too long ago and it ended up being the CCRM. The fan hs 2 speeds. Low speed was working fine but when I would stop after driving a little, the temp would shoot up; power loss; etc.

94IVGT · Jun 16, 2011

No i am running the mishimoto radiator and dual fan setup.

extreme_21 · Jun 16, 2011

94IVGT said:
No i am running the mishimoto radiator and dual fan setup.

Did you "just" install the aluminum rad or any part of the cooling system?? Sounds like the cooling system is either not bled correctly or the thermostat is not opening, or installed upside down. Also have you checked what temp does the fans come on? Can you get hot heat out of the interior vents??

If all these are good, there shouldn't be any reason of overheating..I have the same rad with a 195F stat, in traffic with the a/c on(fan on), the temp gauge is just alittle shy lower of the mid point. On a cool nite driving at 100kph(60mph) on a highway for a long duration, temp gauge will stay on the 1/4 mark.. and I only have the original fan, hense why I still have the 195F stat..I did notice I had to clamp the small hose from the top of the rad to the overflow, coolant would piss out the small hose from the spouts, vs the original rad didn't have any clamps on the small hose with no leak..though this did not cause overheating, just leaking when at operating temps which made me think it was the rad cap for a while

BIGDATOWN · Jun 16, 2011

Use the pms and read all the sensors, ECT/ACT/TPS ect. There will be a problem somewhere

94IVGT · Jun 16, 2011

The cooling setup is the same as last year and same I've been using the year.

ProKiller · Jun 16, 2011

how long was the car running before it started to overheat? was the fan running when you pulled over? did you do a leakdown test?

side note:
do you have any pics with the mishi fan setup? How do you like it? was thinking about picking it up.

94IVGT · Jun 16, 2011

The car was running for about 30mn of driving. Yes it was on when I pulled over. I will check and see if I have any pics for it. If not I'll get some for you.

extreme_21 · Jun 16, 2011

94IVGT said:
The car was running for about 30mn of driving. Yes it was on when I pulled over. I will check and see if I have any pics for it. If not I'll get some for you.

If the car just started overheating and nothing was touched..I'd check to see if the thermostat is opening..run the car till it gets to operating temps, bet keep feeling the temp difference of the upper and lower rad hoses..you should feel the temp change when the stat opens

94IVGT · Jun 17, 2011

Ok I will check the thermostat again and see if that's the culprit. Also as of yesterday the O2 on the driver side is reading more than 1v at idle. If you sit there and hold it at 2500 or rev it and fluctuate the rpm is works properly for a bit.

extreme_21 · Jun 17, 2011

94IVGT said:
Ok I will check the thermostat again and see if that's the culprit. Also as of yesterday the O2 on the driver side is reading more than 1v at idle. If you sit there and hold it at 2500 or rev it and fluctuate the rpm is works properly for a bit.

If your using a small hand held tester to datalog the O2, ur tester might now be switching fast enough to see the sensor changing. If you want to rule out the O2, you can swap banks..I'd shoot for the stuck close stat first..

94IVGT · Jun 18, 2011

Ok stat is getting changed and see what happens. I can't swap o2s cause passenger side has the wideband so I picked up new o2 as well just to make sure.

DFG_magic · Jun 18, 2011

The ECT could have crapped out and it's stuck reading hot or cold at all times. I would test that sensor like a guy said earlier.

94IVGT · Jun 18, 2011

The sensor is reading correctly. You can watch it go up as the temp rises and when the fans come on it brings it back down.

hottwheels04 · Jun 18, 2011

One prob is the radiator, stay clear of the junk mishimioto chinese knock off's,do research this is common with them, I had the same problem with 3 of them, so I gave up and bought a be cool radiator and couldnt be happier, buy a new ford racing tstat and new radiator and flush the system with new coolant.