5.0 Question

joe37705 · Jan 9, 2008

I've got a 94 302 HO in my mustang and it's my daily driver.

It's been over heating lately and it seems to push the coolant out in to the overflow but not suck it back in. Today it boiled over pretty good while I was in Ballard and I let it sit for awhile and added some more water to it. Drove into Seattle and around some keeping an eye on the temp guage. Got a little warm at times but not back to boil over.

I let it sit for awhile to cool off and topped it off before I went home and as I was putting in more water I thought I smelled gas from the rad. It was pretty strong but it was hard to tell what it was. Oil is clear and not getting any excessive oil comsumption. Also has an odd miss at part throttle that I've been trying to figure out for awhile. Anyone got any ideas?

bobbed_84_toy · Jan 9, 2008

joe37705 said:
I've got a 94 302 HO in my mustang and it's my daily driver.

It's been over heating lately and it seems to push the coolant out in to the overflow but not suck it back in. Today it boiled over pretty good while I was in Ballard and I let it sit for awhile and added some more water to it. Drove into Seattle and around some keeping an eye on the temp guage. Got a little warm at times but not back to boil over.

I let it sit for awhile to cool off and topped it off before I went home and as I was putting in more water I thought I smelled gas from the rad. It was pretty strong but it was hard to tell what it was. Oil is clear and not getting any excessive oil comsumption. Also has an odd miss at part throttle that I've been trying to figure out for awhile. Anyone got any ideas?

Head gasket or cracked head. The miss is because it's trying to burn water

gasman1 · Jan 9, 2008

Check the thermostat. If it is stuck closed it woun't allow the coolant to flow properly.

One way to check is to run the engine up to temp. with the cap off to see if the coolant is flowing through the radiator properly. If you dont get any flow, pull the thermostat and replace it or put it in boiling water to see if it opens.

There is a place to start.

joe37705 · Jan 9, 2008

Water flows ok, the thermostat has about 6 holes I drilled in it. The missing has been a problem for about a year now and this just started.

dvs71 · Jan 9, 2008

hi take the rad cap off and run it at an idle and does it have bubbles if it does cracked head if not. thermostat.

zukkev · Jan 9, 2008

Definitely head gasket or cracked head issue; the smell you had was the combustion gases escaping into the cooling system, causing excess pressure, and ultimately pushing coolant out the resivoir, Yank the heads.........

Totalled · Jan 10, 2008

zukkev said:
Definitely head gasket or cracked head issue; the smell you had was the combustion gases escaping into the cooling system, causing excess pressure, and ultimately pushing coolant out the resivoir, Yank the heads.........

x2 and put some AFR 180s on there while you're at it.

Bunk1 · Jan 10, 2008

Totalled said:
x2 and put some AFR 180s on there while you're at it.

They sell those at schucks for cheap, Right?:stirpot:

joe37705 · Jan 10, 2008

Thats what I was afraid of. I wonder how long I can keep it running for now though. I don't have the time or money to pull this thing apart right now.

Somehow I doubt they are cheap. I wouldn't mind some gt40 iron heads, with an explorer intake it would do ok.