Ford Escort Overheats, Won't Restart

Hi,

I have a 1996 Ford Escort LX 1.9L that had a waterpump fail this past
weekend. When it failed, the timing belt jumped (water pump is on
timing belt), and the engine died. I replaced the pump and reset the
timing, and it was running fine. I topped off the coolant reservoir
(not radiator at the radiator cap) before getting back on the
freeway. Apparently, the radiator didn't suck much of the coolant
from the reservoir into the radiator, and the engine overheated at
65-70 mph. I slowly lost power and the engine made a rattling sound,
and then completely died. Only then did I notice the temperature
gauge all the way up. I topped off the coolant (this time directly
through radiator cap), and tried to restart it, but it wouldn't
start. I had it towed home, and once at home I found that most of the
coolant I had put in the radiator was gone. My oil level also seemed
unusually high, but I'm not sure if there is coolant in it or not.

Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket? Could it be
anything more severe? What was the rattling sound I heard as the
engine died?

> Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket? Could it be
> anything more severe? What was the rattling sound I heard as the
> engine died?

It was your motor seizing up solid.

> wrote:
>I have a 1996 Ford Escort LX 1.9L that had a waterpump fail this past
>weekend. When it failed, the timing belt jumped (water pump is on
>timing belt), and the engine died. I replaced the pump and reset the
>timing, and it was running fine. I topped off the coolant reservoir
>(not radiator at the radiator cap) before getting back on the
>freeway.

Uh-oh. You didn't bleed it at all? The shop manual will specifically
tell you to bleed the system carefully. How much did you add the first
time?

> Apparently, the radiator didn't suck much of the coolant
>from the reservoir into the radiator, and the engine overheated at
>65-70 mph. I slowly lost power and the engine made a rattling sound,
>and then completely died. Only then did I notice the temperature
>gauge all the way up.

Uh-oh.

>I topped off the coolant (this time directly
>through radiator cap), and tried to restart it, but it wouldn't
>start.

How much did you add?

I had it towed home, and once at home I found that most of the
>coolant I had put in the radiator was gone. My oil level also seemed
>unusually high, but I'm not sure if there is coolant in it or not.

The problem is that the system was underfilled the first time, then it
was probably still underfilled the second time. The fact that the coolant
is "gone" probably means the system was still burping air out. It could
also very well have leaked through a blown gasket at that point, though.

>Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket? Could it be
>anything more severe? What was the rattling sound I heard as the
>engine died?

The rattling sound was your valve train shredding itself to pieces. The
first question is whether the engine turns over when you try and start it.
If so, you may be able to replace just the head instead of the whole
engine. But you're going to have to start by pulling the valve cover and
seeing how bad the damage in there is.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Oct 12, 7:27 pm, (Scott Dorsey) wrote:
> > wrote:
> >I have a 1996 Ford Escort LX 1.9L that had a waterpump fail this past
> >weekend. When it failed, the timing belt jumped (water pump is on
> >timing belt), and the engine died. I replaced the pump and reset the
> >timing, and it was running fine. I topped off the coolant reservoir
> >(not radiator at the radiator cap) before getting back on the
> >freeway.
>
> Uh-oh. You didn't bleed it at all? The shop manual will specifically
> tell you to bleed the system carefully. How much did you add the first
> time?
>
> > Apparently, the radiator didn't suck much of the coolant
> >from the reservoir into the radiator, and the engine overheated at
> >65-70 mph. I slowly lost power and the engine made a rattling sound,
> >and then completely died. Only then did I notice the temperature
> >gauge all the way up.
>
> Uh-oh.
>
> >I topped off the coolant (this time directly
> >through radiator cap), and tried to restart it, but it wouldn't
> >start.
>
> How much did you add?
>
> I had it towed home, and once at home I found that most of the
>
> >coolant I had put in the radiator was gone. My oil level also seemed
> >unusually high, but I'm not sure if there is coolant in it or not.
>
> The problem is that the system was underfilled the first time, then it
> was probably still underfilled the second time. The fact that the coolant
> is "gone" probably means the system was still burping air out. It could
> also very well have leaked through a blown gasket at that point, though.
>
> >Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket? Could it be
> >anything more severe? What was the rattling sound I heard as the
> >engine died?
>
> The rattling sound was your valve train shredding itself to pieces. The
> first question is whether the engine turns over when you try and start it.
> If so, you may be able to replace just the head instead of the whole
> engine. But you're going to have to start by pulling the valve cover and
> seeing how bad the damage in there is.
> --scott
> --
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I filled the radiator to the top and squeezed the hose to try to purge
the air. I pulled the valve cover but didn't see any visible damage -
what exactly am I looking for? The engine is not siezed, it still
cranks - just dosn't start.

In article
. com>,
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I have a 1996 Ford Escort LX 1.9L that had a waterpump fail this past
> weekend. When it failed, the timing belt jumped (water pump is on
> timing belt), and the engine died. I replaced the pump and reset the
> timing, and it was running fine. I topped off the coolant reservoir
> (not radiator at the radiator cap) before getting back on the
> freeway.

You replaced the water pump but only filled the overflow bottle?
If you didn't know enough to fill the cooling system back up, one
can only wonder what other errors were committed during the
repair.

> Apparently, the radiator didn't suck much of the coolant
> from the reservoir into the radiator,

It isn't going to.

> and the engine overheated at
> 65-70 mph.

I bet it did.

> I slowly lost power and the engine made a rattling sound,
> and then completely died. Only then did I notice the temperature
> gauge all the way up. I topped off the coolant (this time directly
> through radiator cap), and tried to restart it, but it wouldn't
> start. I had it towed home, and once at home I found that most of the
> coolant I had put in the radiator was gone. My oil level also seemed
> unusually high, but I'm not sure if there is coolant in it or not.

Why not drain the oil and check?

> Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket?

That and more.

> Could it be
> anything more severe?

Absolutely.

> What was the rattling sound I heard as the
> engine died?

The sound of an engine being murdered.

> wrote:
>I filled the radiator to the top and squeezed the hose to try to purge
>the air.

No, there is a bleed valve you need to open to allow the air out from
the top of the system. It may just be a bolt that you remove.

I pulled the valve cover but didn't see any visible damage -
>what exactly am I looking for? The engine is not siezed, it still
>cranks - just dosn't start.

When you turn it over, do the cams turn and the valves move up and down?
Does the distributor rotor turn?
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have a 1996 Ford Escort LX 1.9L that had a waterpump fail this past
> weekend. When it failed, the timing belt jumped (water pump is on
> timing belt), and the engine died. I replaced the pump and reset the
> timing, and it was running fine. I topped off the coolant reservoir
> (not radiator at the radiator cap) before getting back on the
> freeway. Apparently, the radiator didn't suck much of the coolant
> from the reservoir into the radiator, and the engine overheated at
> 65-70 mph. I slowly lost power and the engine made a rattling sound,
> and then completely died. Only then did I notice the temperature
> gauge all the way up. I topped off the coolant (this time directly
> through radiator cap), and tried to restart it, but it wouldn't
> start. I had it towed home, and once at home I found that most of the
> coolant I had put in the radiator was gone. My oil level also seemed
> unusually high, but I'm not sure if there is coolant in it or not.
>
> Does it look like I may have blown a head gasket? Could it be
> anything more severe? What was the rattling sound I heard as the
> engine died?
>

Blown head gasket, Cracked head, Cracked block, All the above? Bent rods
from hydrolocking when the coolant flooded into the cylinders. I would
say the engine is trashed.

--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York

> When you turn it over, do the cams turn and the valves move up and down?
> Does the distributor rotor turn?
> --scott
> --

Yes, everything is moving. I pulled the valve cover and checked. Is
it possible to obtain a fairly accurate compression reading off a cold
engine? I can pick up a compression gauge tomorrow and check it.

> Blown head gasket, Cracked head, Cracked block, All the above? Bent rods
> from hydrolocking when the coolant flooded into the cylinders. I would
> say the engine is trashed.

If the rods were bent wouldn't the engine be difficult/impossible to
rotate? It still rotates just fine.

wrote:
>> Blown head gasket, Cracked head, Cracked block, All the above? Bent rods
>> from hydrolocking when the coolant flooded into the cylinders. I would
>> say the engine is trashed.
>
> If the rods were bent wouldn't the engine be difficult/impossible to
> rotate? It still rotates just fine.
>

Nope. Rods can bend and not show except during a compression check or
when you pull the head.


--
Steve W.
Near Cooperstown, New York