98 Ford Contour overheating problem

[Christopher Quast]

Today when I got home home from school I noticed my car temp was close to redline and normally it never goes above the O on Normal, so I let it idle in my driveway for a few and then it dropped down to the R in normal and then ran right back up to redline. I opened the hood to check everything and the level was good, so to me it seems like the thermostat acting up.

Usually when one has acted up on me in the past it usually goes all the way back down to the normal operating temp when it finally opens up.

Am I on the right track and if so where is the thing located on my car, so I know where to start looking for it (Gotta love the new stuff) Thanks

[Scott K]

Do you hear the fan running at all? It maybe a fan, or a fuse for the fan? These have also been known for a bad water pump as well.

[deadeye]

T-stat for sure. I had one acting like that in one of my cars last year. I doubt the fan would do anything at this point. [note from airjer, the fans will come on (especially when the vehicle is parked) no matter what the temp is outside if the vehicles engine temp gets over the fan threshold, which in this case it sounds like it did!] The cold weather keeps that in check for the most part. I dont even have a rad fan in my car right now and the temp stays right where it should. It will be located in on the motor end of one of the radiator hoses. I havent been under the hood of a contour for a while and am not sure which one it is, maybe the upper hose on that car.

[Shack]

It very well could be t-start, but this is the model and engine I have seen the impeller come loose from the shaft inside the water pump.

I guess T-stat is where I would start and go from their.

[Jeremy airjer W]

If the temp went past half way than the fans should have come on. Shack is on track with this one with the bad impeller on the water pump. It is plastic and they will crack and literally fall off as they get older. If its the 4 cylinder than its a fairly labor intensive job to replace the water pump. It wouldn't hurt to start with a t-stat.

[Christopher Quast]

Just finished replacing the T-stat and after looking how to get at the water pump I am crossing my fingers, I completely understand the labor intensive part guys. Now it wont start, taking the chevy today

I think at one point when I had to take my glove to replace the bottom bolt I might have had my hand exposed for most 2 min and it was already starting to burn, It is very flippin cold out today.

[deadeye]

Good note airjer. I guess I was thinking that it was more of a intermittent problem. I meant that even if the fans were not coming on it should not be overheating with the ambient temp out there. If the stat was openeing properly, just making it through the radiator should bring the coolant temp back to normal without so much fluctuation. I guess I shouldnt be trying to think that hard at 2:00 am.

We have sold quite a few of those water pumps too so that could very well be the problem. The t-stat is for sure the easier fix and worth the little effort if it is the problem.

[Christopher Quast]

T-STAT took care of it this time

[Scott K]

Thats great, cheap and easy!

[Jeremy airjer W]

Somebody got lucky!!

[zamboni]

I had a 98 Contour with the 4 banger. Comfortable car and great gas mileage.

[Christopher Quast]

Knock on wood it has been a great car for me thus far, and still going strong and gets 30 MPG Who am I to complain, I have to admit things like this usually work against me in most cases LOL!!!!

[Christopher Quast]

Well guys tonite it redlined again and come to think of it I never hear the fan run at all, what could be the cause of this?

[zamboni]

Faulty wiring on the fan?

[deadeye]

Were you driving the car or sitting still when it overheated?

I would check and make for sure that the fan isnt coming on. If it isnt then there are a couple places to look. First would be the coolant temp sensor. That is what tells the computer to send a signal to the coolant fan relay to allow power to hit the fan. Second would be that cooling fan relay. Third would be the fan itself.

You have to get the car up to opereating temp, maybe even a little hot and see if the relay is getting a signal from the computer to open. If it is not, then the sensor is most likely bad. If it is, then either the relay is bad, or the fan is bad. You can check the fan by hot wiring it from the battery. If it works then the relay is bad. If not then the fan motor is shot.

I guess since you put a t-stat in there not long ago, I would also be concerned about air pockets, and possibly the radiator cap being bad. When was the last time the cap was changed and what does the rubber gasket inside the cap look like?

Like I said in a post above the cold weather should keep the cooling system in check for the most part. The fans should still come on from time to time, especially when the car is parked idling, but even if they don't I wouldn't think it would overheat randomly like that with the ambient temp out there. Given that it sounds like a intermittent problem then I would be suspect of a air pocket, but its hard to say for sure.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Do they come on when you turn on the a/c (assuming that the a/c works)?

[Christopher Quast]

Alright so today it idled in the driveway for a good 15 minutes and the temp just got to the top of the white mark on indicator and then about 5 miles from home it ran up to the R in normal and continued to hold there for the next 30 miles till I got to school.

With it being intermittent, water pump doesnt sound likely to me, so I am wondering is there a way for me to check those sensors without bringing it to a shop? Kinda doubting it.

I should also mention that normally the fan used to run at wierd times, such as just after I started it and drove a block or two, sure thought this was strange.

Could it have something to do with the head gasket or water pump at all given the way it is acting???

[Jeremy airjer W]

If you had it on defrost or the a/c was on than the fan will come on anytime it sees high side pressure to high. Could be 30 seconds could be a couple of minutes depending on the ambient temp outside.