For all the mechanics, im stumped

I was on my way to work yesterday when after about 20 miles i could smell coolant as i came to a stop light. When I stopped I noticed, not a lot but some, steam coming from the passenger side under the Hood. I quick turned right and pulled into the gas station where I turned the car off and checked the fluids. All my fluids still looked ok so I decided to keep going to work. I jumped in and the car would not even turn over. Just would click once almost like a dead battery. I tried to jump it to see if maybe the alternator took a dump but still nothing. Called the roadside assistance and the tow truck got there about 2.5 hours later. He told me that some cars if they over heat and you shut them off they wont let you start them again till they cool off. So I tried and the car started right up. The temp gauge never got above normal either. So can anyone tell me what is wrong or what I should check? Thanks

Worst luck ever ? A coolant leak and also the starter went out when you pulled into the gas station ? Did you try tapping the starter with an object/hammer ?

Since you saw steam on the passenger side my first thought was heater core. Follow your hoses from the radiator to where they go into the firewall. Check the clamp area’s. Move the hoses while the motor is running you may have a crack that won’t spit fluid until under pressure while you are driving. Be careful you don’t burn yourself.

Also, age and milage of the vehicle might help the gearheads here.

My bet is the heater core also. Cold water on the starter will help in that case, but fix the heater problem first.

I don’t know about newer vehicles ,they have so many safe guards to prevent further damage ,but it sounds like the overflow tank spit out some excess coolant.The reason could have been a sticky thermostat. The water and steam could a got
the starter wet and caused it not to turn over. Maybe some body with more knowledge could chime in.

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Since you saw steam on the passenger side my first thought was heater core. Follow your hoses from the radiator to where they go into the firewall. Check the clamp area’s. Move the hoses while the motor is running you may have a crack that won’t spit fluid until under pressure while you are driving. Be careful you don’t burn yourself.

Also, age and milage of the vehicle might help the gearheads here.

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I damage a motor one time with that same condition. It was a education for sure. Good luck with your problem.

You did the right thing. The engine won’t turn over until it cools down.
You need to track down the leak. my first response was the heater core also, but the method cited is your answer: wiggle the hoses while the engine is running and hope for a clue. After the engine heats up, wear a welding glove.
This does NOT sound like something expensive to me…

Need more info… what year/kind of car,which motor, did you notice if your radiator fan was running?

It’s obvious it was leaking from somewhere,you saw it !

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Need more info… what year/kind of car,which motor, did you notice if your radiator fan was running?

It’s obvious it was leaking from somewhere,you saw it !

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Ditto. With no mention of fogging of the windshield on psgr side, I steer away from heater core. Plus you can almost “taste” the coolant with that issue. It would be hard to ignore a heater core, long enough to run low on coolant…

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Need more info… what year/kind of car,!

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Leaking fluids, doesn’t want to start…sounds like a chevy or dodge to me…

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Ditto. With no mention of fogging of the windshield on psgr side, I steer away from heater core. Plus you can almost “taste” the coolant with that issue. It would be hard to ignore a heater core, long enough to run low on coolant…

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Need more info… what year/kind of car,!

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Leaking fluids, doesn’t want to start…sounds like a chevy or dodge to me…

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sounds more like a FORD to me

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Need more info… what year/kind of car,!

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Leaking fluids, doesn’t want to start…sounds like a chevy or dodge to me…

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sounds more like a FORD to me

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I know you know a bit more about cars than most Trumar, but I have to disagree with you here, sure sounds like a Chevy or a Dodge to me

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Need more info… what year/kind of car,!

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Leaking fluids, doesn’t want to start…sounds like a chevy or dodge to me…

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sounds more like a FORD to me

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I know you know a bit more about cars than most Trumar, but I have to disagree with you here, sure sounds like a Chevy or a Dodge to me

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Hard to tell from here with all the fog in the air but… I am sure its a ford

Sorry guys, its a 2002 Ford Taurus. No fogging on the windshield and it stopped steaming as soon as I turned the car off. Its got the 3.0 L v6 in it. I am hoping its not too bad of a fix. If its more than 200$ fix I’m hoping its real bad and needs head gasket or worse the dealership I got it from gave me a warranty on engine and tranny so if either go I pay a 200$ Co pay and they replace the rest. What should I start with? Or what should I test first?

If it were me I would pressure test the cooling system and watch for leaks,if no external leaks I would check the color of the spark plugs next.

Russ,see I was right , I know lucky guess

Lets us know what you find out after testing, good luck and hope the repair is a minor one

I believe the coolant tank is on the passenger side on that model of car. If so, that could be what was steaming. A probable cause would be a frozen coolant passage not allowing flow through the whole engine and only one side of the system warming up/overheating. In turn causing the tank to overflow from expansion of the coolant and spitting/steaming out the excess. A simple coolant hydrometer test can be done at a local oil change place to make sure it is of the correct water:coolant ratio.

A second thought is the cap on that tank is the fill and pressure cap for the whole cooling system. So if it is worn out or was loose it may have allowed coolant to spill out on the warm engine and steam up. Keep in mind that the “cabin air” intake is also on that side of the car and could have been sucking in the coolant vapor causing you to taste it. If minimal or no fluid was lost and no gauges showed signs of overheating those are the 2 things I would investigate.

Kinda long I know and I hope its not too confusing.

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Sorry guys, its a 2002 Ford Taurus

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I knew it…

Check behind engine next to firewall. Taurus’s have some steel coolant pipes that like to rust out. Rubber hose on each end and steel in the middle. Good old road salt takes a toll on these.

Any updates ? Does the car at least start ?

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Any updates ? Does the car at least start ?

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I’d say so

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So I tried and the car started right up. The temp gauge never got above normal either. So can anyone tell me what is wrong or what I should check? Thanks

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Wondering if it is consistently turning over….sometimes starters will get a bad “spot” in them and not turn over at times. If it is constantly starting, he may have a small coolant leak and had an air bubble trapped, which would cause the overheat… that or as simple as a stuck themostat

FYI…The temp gauge means nothing they put the temp sensors in the upper part of the engines for some dumb reason and if the coolant level drops it will read air temp and at that point it could be too late…