Hi. I'm wondering about the Taurus that we have. It's an 88, 3.0L V6 Vulcan, and it overheats -slightly- when you drive it... It goes a tick past the middle of the NORMAL mark. Of course, if you drive it too hard, it will go
3/4 of the NORMAL mark, and when you turn the car off, it will spit some antifreeze out of the reservoir.The radiator has been fixed, twice. It has a new thermostat and water pump (wondered what that weird sound was). Car has issues accelerating from stop but will go to 70 just fine... Sometimes it likes to pop when you are accelerating, other times, it accelerates really well. Sometimes doesn't start, but when it does, it feels like it's catching and getting more gas. The fuel pump has been replaced, and the fuel filter has been replaced numerous times. Of course, I am told that the fuel pump should not have come from autozone, but what's done is done, I didn't buy it. When it's acting nice, the fuel pressure is 28 psi at idle, and when doing the KOER test, it says Lean Bank 1 H02 not switching or something. The accelerating/hard starting is not much of an issue, but the overheating really is. The fan works and turns on at the right time. There has been so much put into this car, that it can't just be junked. Right now the steering rack is being replaced.
I really hope someone in here may have some clue as to why it acts so funny because whenever we take it to the mechanic, it acts just fine. I have been with him in the front seat, and it acts just fine. Our backyard mechanic said it is the timing chain causing the overheating and driveability problems, but I was told by the mechanic that if it starts real easy (and sometimes it does), it is not the timing chain.
Here's a probably incomplete list of all that's been done: Temp Sensor Alternator Transmission rebuilt Heatercore flushed Power Steering Pump Water Pump Fuel Pump Battery Thermostat
1 Tie-Rod End Plugs/Wires/Rotor/Cap Rack in Progress Belts Tires High Pressure PS Line Window Regulators on Driver/Passenger side needs new Engine mounts has a hole in pipe that goes to the muffler... just had that happen a week ago :(The car only has 104K miles on it and passes inspection. I know it's really old, but once you've spent $600 for a car, then spent $1400 to get the transmission rebuilt, then put all of this labor into it, and only have kept it for 3 or 4 years, it's sorta hard to think of selling it for $800. THE FACTORY RADIO STILL WORKS, THOUGH! :)
TIA Sorry for the long posting