wife's 97 Expy. she calls me allcrazy..running really rough..check engine light blinking..take it up to AutoZone and they scan it and indicate misfire on #4..... changed plugs ( #4 ) was in bad shape ( it was wet like something had been leaking into the hole ) ( I have had heater core and AC issues in the past ) changed all the plugs, and had some wires break and replaced those. Took it for a test spin and right before I got back home the temp/oil lights lit up and the temp gauge almost pegged out. I almost freaked! Checked everything again. Tapped thermostat ( in case it was sticking too old school I guess ). Waited about 15 mintues and started her up. Seem to run perfectly. Went back to AutoZone and they scanned a code P1299 which the scanner was some type of air flow issue. Searched on P1299 here gave some alarming results. Indicates cylinders are shutting down to prevent overheating etc. BUT sometimes it does this other days it runs perfectly. Have noticed a little moan/hum/vibration. Is it the water pump bearing or thermostat sticking. This thing has 175K miles on it now but I don't what to start just replacing parts.. You guys have always helped me out so thanks in advance.

 

P1299 indicates that the PCM placed the engine into Fail Safe Cooling mode. Start with the obvious things first. Is the rad fan turning? Can you spin it with the engine off? There should be some resistance to turning with the engine off. Pull the thermostat and check it. If you have a candy thermometer place it in a pot of water along with the thermostat and turn on the heat. It should start to open around 185°F and be fully open at 195°F. If it fails replace it. You can verify the water pump by removing the heater hose that is closest to the front of the engine. Have some one start the engine and observe the coolant flow out of the fitting. No flow is the water pump. When was the coolant system last serviced? The coolant needs to be replaced every two years. A clogged rad will also casue the over heating.

JMC

 

JMC first thanks for the reply. The fan seems to be working fine. It is pulling air well ( means clutch is good right? ) and is does sping but not "free wheel" or spin extremely easy. Will check the heater hoses. This thing has rear A/C / Heat so it has a mess of heater hoses. June 05 replaced the radiator due to leaking of radiator seem. Aug. 05 had the the heater core and A/C system replaced after compressor melt down. Coolant "looks" OK and Oil is not milky
( Please Please Please no head/gasket Please I'lll say 1000 Hail Marys and Our Fathers ) Thermostat was my next step but slight sound was making me think pump or maybe fan clutch but I know the theromstat should be the quick and cheap along with a refill of coolant. Is there possibly a sensor that is messed up and is "telling" the computer to shut stuff down? This thing still runs great otherwise and still gets about 400 miles to a tank of gas around town. Sometimes I think my just enough knowlege of mechanics get me more worried than if I didn't know. But at least it matches my wallet size. Thanks again for the reply.

 

I agree w/ JMC, and would strongly suggest testing your t-stat (you may say to yourself; "I'll just replace it!", but you still need to test the old one to see if it may have caused the problem), and trying what he suggested for the water pump. It sounds to me like a failing water pump, but don't just go out and buy one without further testing. Water pumps usually leak before they fail, unless the failure is the impeller fins becoming worn. I know there were some 351's with plastic impellers that had that issue, but I don't know about the mod engines.

 

OK sue me.. but I have (had) slightly more money than time (only have two cars for two people). Replaced thermostat. Then read in another post from PW that the little nipple on the thermostat needed to be on the drivers side. Pulled it out corrected it. Put on new o-ring. Then went ahead and replaced water pump ( fun old one had almost welded itself to the block (nice). Refilled (again) with fresh premixed anti-freeze and I still have the same thing. Runs...temp gauge goes all the way back to low. Blows cold air. Temp gauge pegs. Temp and oil lights light and she overflows. Usually not even really hot. I am at my wits end. Radiator is not quite 1 year old. Both upper and lower hoses have been replaced ( lower with radiator, upper last weekend when this started). I even went back and check on #4 spark plug boot. Figured, if it's wet I'm trading her in tomorrow. It was perfectly dry. This thing has the rear heat and AC so there is a part of me that says take it to a local radiator shop ( have actually used them before and they did good work for me ) and have them flush the thing out and see if it has something clogging up the works. Otherwise I'll be trading this Ford in on Saturday for the wife's new PT Cruiser.

 

I suspect that there is a head gasket leak that is allowing combustion gasses to enter the coolant system. How long does it take for the overflow to happen? When cold the head gasket could be forming a good seal and when it starts to warm up the space between the cylinder head and the block increases allowing the leak. There are products that you can put in the coolant that will show the
the leak. They are usually blue and combustion gasses turn them yellow.
Here is an example; http://www.arrowheadradiator.com/hea..._leak_test.htm

JMC

 

Sure sounds like a head gasket leak, to me.

I had the same problem with another make truck. Replaced the easy parts first. In the end, it was the head gasket. Not fun to replace. But since you have more money than time, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Hey Scott, thanks for the offer, but no, I don't want it. lol.

That right there makes me agree with the last two gentlemen. I'm sorry man, I wish I had a simple answer for you, like a magic switch hidden under the dash that would fix it (you'd be amazed how many people seem to think such a switch really exists. lol), but I don't. It sounds like a head gasket.

 

Many thanks guys... this just sucks. I have yet to really feel that I've got the system REALLY flushed out. It's just wierd... no milkly oil, no oily anti-freeze...I actually drove it with the fill tank cap almost completely off and it pretty much did fine....with the rear AC and all those hoses I really think maybe there is something clogging up the works...thinking about having the guys that I got the radiator from flush it and check it before throwing in the towel....especially on a vehicle that KBB rates at only $3,500 in top form....it's ten years old and has 175K...I'll probably get $1,500 on trade and dump it...

jward
$100 is one thing...$3000 is entirely different...

 

Keep in mind, even if every hose was clogged, except for the radiator hoses, it shouldn't overheat. How long does it take to overheat parked vs. driving?

 

I would bet very highly that a head gasket is blown.
The cooling system don't overflow like that unless it is boiling or a cylinder is blowing into the cooling jacket.
Go to Auto Zone or some auto store and get a test kit to check for exhaust in the coolant.
At 175k you have to expect there could be problems stacking up.

 

PW.. Man the thing could sit in the driveway all day and never do it. I let it run for probably 20 minutes last night after the thermo and pump stuff. And it took less than a mile out on the road for it to act up. This morning I let it run for about 10 minutes before I took it out and I cheated. I left the overflow cap almost complete off and it ran just fine. I'm taking by the car wash and then to the local Chrysler dealer on the way home. I'll probably get $1,500 trade-in for her...sad. Don't want to jinx myself but this is why I love my "old technology" tractor motor 94' 4.9. She ain't fast or anything now with all the miles on her but she's still a running.

Thanks again guys for all your advise and insight I do appreciate it.

 

Well.. not that I like posting this type of "update" but I felt it was the least I could do for all the help everyone has given me here on this site.

The wife's Expy is no more. :o Traded her in. Just couldn't risk continued maint. cost/ deprec. value / gas cost. Got her the little PT Cruiser for her to zip around town in.

Guess we'll rent a nice new Expy when we head to the beach for the summer vacation! ( We'll save that much in gas costs )

Again thanks to everyone who has helped me with the Expy issues.
But still have HiOSlvr ( get MY truck back now ) and that truck isn't going anywhere.

 

Sorry to hear that, but at least you have resolution.