The plastic tank on the passenger side of my 1991 Ford Explorer XLT radiator started leaking several months ago. Since this happened on a weekend while I was on a trip, It was suggested to me to add pepper to the coolant, which would swell and plug the small crack. That worked for several weeks. Then the leak started again and continually got worse. I added radiator stop leak to the radiator. That did not solve the problem, so I got the radiator replaced at a local auto mechanic school. When I picked up the vehicle to take it home, I drove the vehicle approximately 5 miles and the engine temperature gauge on the dash went from cold to hot and the check engine light came on and stayed on. I called the school and the instructor assured me that the students ran the engine and added coolant/water while purging the radiator of air bubbles. Since this was the last day of school he suggested that I wait until the engine cooled enough to remove the radiator cap and add water. I did and the temp gauge dropped slightly. I turned on the heater to help dissipate the heat through the heater core and drove another 7 miles and the engine ran hot again. I stopped at a business where I got access to a garden hose and sprayed water through the radiator externally to try to cool the water in the radiator. The temperature gauge dropped some but continued to remain on the hot side of the gauge. There was no evidence of steam in the exhaust. There was a lot of oil smoke coming off of the engine block from the water, which I sprayed through the radiator. I turned off the engine and checked the oil and found no evidence of water in the oil. I allowed it to cool down for a couple of hours. I returned and cranked the engine and drove another 3 miles to get the vehicle home. The engine was running hot when I got home. I researched the problem on the internet and talked with several mechanics and came to the conclusion that the vehicle had an air lock in the engine. After the engine cooled sufficiently I followed the procedure to resolve the issue of a possible air lock, (ran the engine with the radiator cap off the radiator and added replacement water after the air bubbles escaped from the radiator fill spout). This did not solve the problem. The next day I removed the thermostat and tested it in a pot of boiling water. It did not open so I replaced it with a fail safe thermostat. I added water to the radiator and repeated the air purging procedure and road tested the vehicle and it ran hot again. I turned on the heater again and this time no heat came out of the vents into the vehicle passenger compartment. I checked the heater hoses and noticed that only one of the hoses was warm. Now I’m wondering if the heater core is clogged up from the radiator stop leak or if the water pump is not working. I’m planning to disconnect the heater hoses and reconnect them to each other and test again. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks
Check for blown head gasket if there is steam coming from the exhaust,also check that the theremostat is opening.
SOURCE: 1996 ford contour gets hot , no hot heater or temp guage movement
Is your temperature gauge working now? That is of more concern then your heater as you wouldnt know if your engine was overheating until its too late. Your heater core could be clogged, they get clogged quite easily. You can flush them or replace. The part is inexpensive but on some models you have to take out dash to replace them, but on other models it only takes about 30 mins and a few bolts.
SOURCE: Cooling system in my 1993 Ford Explorer over heats
change the water pump and check for a blockage in the waterjacket
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