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1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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capri man
New User
Jul 21, 2007, 8:34 PM
Post #1 of 6
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1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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I have a 1993 Mercury Capri with the 1.6 liter engine, 103,000 miles, automatic transmission, non-turbo. The engine gives off so much heat in the engine compartment that you could fry an egg on the hood. It's so bad that I worry about the belts and hoses melting, and you can't stand next to the front of the car because of all the heat coming out of the engine compartment. You can even feel it inside the car around your feet. Now here is the kicker - the coolant temperature is normal, the car never overheats, and the electric fan kicks on and off normally. I just got this car and something tells me this is not normal. Also - the car seems not to have much power - I know it"s only a 1.6 liter four cylinder with 100 horsepower, but it seems like it should run better than it does. I know the heat thing and the power loss could be a restricted exhaust issue, but the exhaust is very strong coming out of the tailpipe. Also - if you let the engine really get hot - like letting it idle for 5 or 10 minuets or so - when you put it in drive and take off the engine emits a ticking or pinging noise then it goes away. Could this be a related problem? I'm worried that I am going to fry this engine. Thanks for any help or ideas.
(This post was edited by capri man on Jul 21, 2007, 9:51 PM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 22, 2007, 4:38 AM
Post #2 of 6
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Re: 1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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We gotta find this heat problem first. I'm surprised the gauge doesn't indicate this and that's a problem.
From cold, start it up with the radiator known full and feel the upper radiator hose. It should stay cool and when squeezed no pressure noted for a while. Take note if it pressures up right away. After a few minutes you should feel the hose get warm and then stop using your hand as it will get too hot to touch. When fan comes on you need to feel the air that is blowing thru it which should feel warm as the engine is giving off heat thru the radiator as it should. Return radiator hose should be markedly cooler and you should be able to touch that hose quickly and notice this. If it is still way too hot that's a problem.
Put heater on full heat and it should be blowing hot air. If not we need to know and find out why not.
Since you just got the car you may not have a good history on it. It may have had a leak that was just overwhelmed with a sealer that is causing problems now.
For exhaust restriction tests use a vacuum gauge on the actual intake manifold vacuum with a "T" and watch the # - should be about 18 and the same at about 2,000 RPM. That test doesn't tell you where but if lower at higher RPM indicates a restriction.
I'm counting on you to use good judgement about not burning yourself or getting your hands in moving parts. If you are the least bit timid about these tests don't and get help. There is a problem and fixing it now can save the engine which just may be lost if this is let go too long,
T
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capri man
New User
Jul 22, 2007, 7:20 AM
Post #3 of 6
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Re: 1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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Hi Tom...first, thanks for answering...I did what you said and here are the results......checked the radiator to see if there was coolant...it was full....turned on the engine and waited for it to get hot...the upper radiator hose was soft and pressure slowly built up and after about 6-7 min. became very hot and pressurized...the lower radiator hose also became very hot to touch also....about the same as the upper in terms of temperature...after about 10 min. the fan still had not kicked on, so I lowered the hood and it came on within a minute or two....the air the fan is blowing is very hot also.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 22, 2007, 7:48 AM
Post #4 of 6
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Re: 1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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Hey - there's some good signs there. The lower rad hose will not be much cooler without fan on. The delayed temp and pressure is a good sign. T-stat should be working and a head gasket is not high on the possiblility list right now. I think the radiator may be very inadequate and the temp at the lower hose will be the best way to know that it really is effective with the fan(s) on and if it waits too long you could carefully cool the radiator with slow water - just on the radiator or you may be able to get some water on it thru the A/C condenser if A/C equipped it's in front of radiator.
Back to the heater. Some heater cores are part of the bypass system in the cooling system which keeps the coolant temp inside the engine a uniform temp for the t-stat to detect and sending unit for gauge is near there. There could be quite a delay for either to get accurate temps to work if bypass system is not operating. Perhaps t-stat doesn't open fully and the only way to know that is to just replace it. Working on one myself right now with a ever so slight rise in engine temp and everything else in my system is fine so the t-stat has to go in my case to rule it out.
Getting this right is likely to prevent head gasket failure which is a lurking thing in many engines and electrical controls don't like being hot and can fail. The noises you are hearing now and then and power should be ok when cooling is proper unless something has been broken already.
This is a test of tests to know what to pin point as the trouble. I can type if you can and this may be quite a thread before we are done. If you have the time to report back we'll get this. I'm here several times a day and pay attention to the threads I've responded to first and then go on to new ones. It's getting busy here so I can't read everything everybody writes and there are others watching and can jump in too. When they get long - others tend to leave them alone.
Just of interest. It may help to get a thermometer (heat sensing gun would be awesome but expensive) and try to record actual temps where they are. An A/C thermometer can be had for about 10 bucks and are fast. They can be dipped in the coolant under the radiator cap if allowed to warm up without cap on which will spill some coolant or just temporarily taped on the right spot for some readings that may help.
T-stat should be a 192F and that should be the reading coming out but could read a bit higher normally up to about 220F but no more than that. Any of the car's temp sensing should stay steady near all the time. One exception is flying down the highway and suddenly slowed to stop and go it may take a minute to stabilize but no longer than that. Same reading should be had when warmed up whether it's hot or cold out. My own read the same when it's below zero and 100F. Extremes beyond that can be excused as long as it's close,
Keep at it. We are closing in on this,
T
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capri man
New User
Jul 22, 2007, 7:58 AM
Post #5 of 6
(2074 views)
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Re: 1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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Tom...forgot to mention I tried the heat inside the car and it is hot and works fine...the car is a/c equipped and that also works fine...do you think I should start by replacing the thermostat (provided I can find it) and work from there? You also said if the lower radiator hose is very hot that is a problem..it is, about the same as the upper when engine is hot. I also forgot to mention that the tailpipe emissions smell very strongly, meaning that it is a much stronger smell than normal...doesn't smell like rotton eggs or anything, just normal emission smell but much stronger.
(This post was edited by capri man on Jul 22, 2007, 8:32 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 22, 2007, 9:04 AM
Post #6 of 6
(2067 views)
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Re: 1993 mercury capri engine puts out tremendous heat! Help please!!!
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Yes> A new t-stat at least rules it out - same bull I'm going thru with my own. I can't determine the exactness of my own even in a pan of water on the stove unless I could only see it open just a hair as I think in my case it opens enough but could be better. I'm splitting hairs with mine. You have a problem -- I'm just being fussy with mine.
Heater core working is a great sign so we can rule that out,
T
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