I need help with a 1987 Ford Taurus…is the engine shot?
The car hasn’t run for 2 years now (not by our [my finace and I] choosing, my parents own it now and they don’t make good decisions). When we owned it in Flagstaff, AZ it would overheat whenever we went slower than 15 miles an hour or were stopped for an extended period of time. We would put coolant and water in the radiator and wait for it to cool. We had the thermostat changed, but the problem still occurred. We eventually determined that the fan was out, because we could drive long distances with no problem. We dealt for a while, and then gave it to my parents, in Phoenix. One day my mom was driving it and it overheated more often than usual. The last time it overheated, water came out the tail pipe. After that it never started again.
I will take it to a mechanic if it is plausible that the problem is fixable for less than the cost of the car. Any help or opinions please?
Tagged with: coolant • decisions • finace • last time • long distances • mechanic • mom • parents • period of time • phoenix • radiator • tail pipe • thermostat
Filed under: Ford Taurus 1986-1991
probably more cost effective to look for different car. chances are all the overheating caused serious engine damage.
It sounds like you have a blown head gasket. The price to get it fixed can vary, but your looking around a thousand or two dollars. The parts are actually pretty cheap, but the job is all labor. The gasket is about 30 bucks, and you should have the heads and block checked for level. YOu may be pushing the cost of the vehicle in repairs here.
IF water (in larger amounts than trace) came out the tailpipe, it sounds like it blew the head gasket and dumped water through the cylinders, valves, out the exhaust. Being an 87, I doubt the car is worth the money it’ll cost to replace the gasket.
if water came out of the tail pipe on it ,it probably blown a head gasket and may have done other damage to the engine also,at this time id advise that you have a good mechanic check it real good before any repairs are attempted on it,that motor may not be worth repairing now,it could have cracked a head as well as blown a head gasket,good luck with it,i hope it turns out ok,
Sounds like a blown head gasket or two…may not be worth fixing being an 87
Sounds like the fan needs replacing, if you can get a used fan from a mechanic that uses used but workable parts. I had a Taurus of that year or older and replaced the fan twice I think. The only other problems with the car were; rust underneath near the front driver side seat. All in all I drove it for many years, it was worth the small amount we originally paid for it. Sold it to someone who still drives it I think.
Note: I noticed that everyone seems to think its your head gasket, moisture used to drip out of my tailpipe when the air conditioning was on.
DID YOU SHOOT THE ENGINE?
if you did, then it’s dead.