Did my headgasket blow?????

[panthermike]

I was on the freeway and started smelling coolant, drove to the mechanic and it didn't overheat but as I was pulling into the lot it started making terrible noises from the motor and then stalled.

Did the headgasket blow or something else break?

 

[oilyriser]

It probably started as a coolant leak, and ended up as a fried engine. Hopefully things are better than they seem.

 

[Eddie]

Didn't overheat? Sure sounds like it did.

 

[panthermike]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Didn't overheat? Sure sounds like it did.


I'm starting to think the gauge is faulty, I've had issues with it before.

This is terrible timing too, I just started a job in which I use the car.

 

[gtx510]

If the gauge temp sensor is high enough it won't show that the engine is overheating when the coolant level drops.

 

[BuickGN]

True, if there's not enough coolant to reach the sensor, it won't read that it's overheating. When in doubt I usually turn the heater on. If it blows cool air, I know I'm dangerously low on coolant.

If you're lucky you blew a headgasket and that's it.

 

[oilyriser]

It might come unstuck after it cools down, with no severe damage.

 

[[RT] ProjUltraZ]

you gotta find that leak, preferably right after you stopped so it's still wet

 

[mechtech2]

Any hose , heater core, water pump, or head gasket could cause a leak.
If the engine started running bad, and you heard noises, that is a very bad sign.
It ran too long without coolant and did major damage.
Sorry.

 

[panthermike]

I figured as much. I checked the coolant before I had to drive the 5 miles, but I don't think it mattered much.

Unfortunately, I'll probably just scrap the car. I only paid 650 for it and my mechanic called me yesterday to tell me the news.

Thanks for everyones help.

 

[wavinwayne]

At least you should be able to get around $300 for it as scrap.

FWIW, in the late 80's, I overheated the snot out of a '79 Grand Prix. It blew a radiator hose, and all the coolant drained out before I knew anything was wrong. It was so bad that the engine locked up and wouldn't turn over. The next day, my Dad & I replaced the hose, filled the radiator with coolant, and it fired up like nothing had happened. It ran fine for a few years after that, then we sold it.

 

[oilyriser]

Is the engine permanently seized? Maybe some oil in the spark plug holes can bring it back to life so you can sell it as a running car.

 

[Cutehumor]

what did the mechanic tell you? headgasket?

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
FWIW, in the late 80's, I overheated the snot out of a '79 Grand Prix.


You're much less likely to damage a big, cast-iron block/cast-iron head V8 engine by overheating it than a modern aluminum head engine. You can warp and destroy an aluminum engine by just overheating it slightly one time; you're going to have to work very hard to warp a cast iron cylinder head.

 

[panthermike]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
what did the mechanic tell you? headgasket?


Just talked to him this morning and it is the headgasket

Oh well, off to the scrapyard she goes.

On the bright side, I can now get a car I enjoy driving Maybe another Mark VIII or mustang?

 

[01rangerxl]

A Mark VIII would be a good choice. Cobra V8 + Thunderbird luxury = [censored] car. A Lincoln Mark series would be my first choice if I was in the market for a car.

 

[mechtech2]

You're not going to wear a black arm band for a week, are you?

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
A Mark VIII would be a good choice. Cobra V8 + Thunderbird luxury = [censored] car. A Lincoln Mark series would be my first choice if I was in the market for a car.


Have these Mark VIII cars (especially the mid-90's ones) had problems with their suspension systems? I ask because I see a lot of them on the road with either their arse end way up in the air, or the whole car "slammed" low to the ground. I've even seen a couple "bouncing" down the highway, and judging by the looks of the driver, I don't think this was intentional. FWIW, I've noticed identical "problems" with Town Cars of the same vintage.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
A Mark VIII would be a good choice. Cobra V8 + Thunderbird luxury = [censored] car. A Lincoln Mark series would be my first choice if I was in the market for a car.


Have these Mark VIII cars (especially the mid-90's ones) had problems with their suspension systems? I ask because I see a lot of them on the road with either their arse end way up in the air, or the whole car "slammed" low to the ground. I've even seen a couple "bouncing" down the highway, and judging by the looks of the driver, I don't think this was intentional. FWIW, I've noticed identical "problems" with Town Cars of the same vintage.

Any thoughts on this?


IIRC, they have electronic shocks or air shocks, not sure, that fail/don't work reliably. I saw some fixes on line for it when I was looking for fixes to the air suspension system on my MPV.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne
Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
A Mark VIII would be a good choice. Cobra V8 + Thunderbird luxury = [censored] car. A Lincoln Mark series would be my first choice if I was in the market for a car.


Have these Mark VIII cars (especially the mid-90's ones) had problems with their suspension systems? I ask because I see a lot of them on the road with either their arse end way up in the air, or the whole car "slammed" low to the ground. I've even seen a couple "bouncing" down the highway, and judging by the looks of the driver, I don't think this was intentional. FWIW, I've noticed identical "problems" with Town Cars of the same vintage.

Any thoughts on this?

Some air suspension Lincolns develop problems when they get older. I have seen it mostly on Continentals, but they can all have issues. Replacement air struts are available and are not that expensive, but many people go with coil springs when the air suspension develops problems.

Here is a place with coils and bags...
http://www.strutmasters.com/catalog.php?cat=15