I know this is this is a ford truck forum but i have a question on a Ford Sable and i know that i have seen people awnser and ask some questions about other ford vehicles. I have a 93 sable with the 3.8 engine and i dont have any information on what it takes to fill the colling system on this car. THe thermostat stuck shut and it over heated and so i replaced it and flushed and drained the colling system. But it seems to me that i keep adding coolant and its always low. I know it takes time and you have to let the engine open up and let coolant all around to fill the block but it seems to me to never end and i have been topping it off for a week and a half.

I want to know what the capacity is so that i can judge if i have another problem other than that or not. Any help would be great.

 

If you have 'filled' the rad and let it run to full operating temp with the rad cap off and you are still having to add fluid after the fact, you have a leak...

If the engine overheated because of a stuck T'stat, then I'll bet you have a blown head gasket, or worst case, a cracked head. It's now leaking coolant into a cylinder and it's getting getting burned in the combustion cycle, so that 's probably why you don't see an actual leak of coolant.

The 'crack' or gasket is probably just enough that once it warms up, it allows the leakage of coolant into the cylinder, but when it cools, it 'seals' itself up...

One way to check this in your driveway is when the engine is totally COLD, open the rad cap and start the engine. If you immediately see bubbles thru the rad cap opening, then chances are you have a blown head gasket. As you warm up the engine (with the open rad cap) and it starts to overflow, you probably have a cracked head....

Been there and done that with my wifes old Plymouth Acclaim... Turned out to be a cracked head....

Good luck!

Mitch