Automotive ignoramus here: My car overheated.

[Ellen Forradalom]

I'm entirely ignorant about the workings of my '88 Mercury Sable. Yesterday in traffic it stalled, then later smoke emerged from under the hood. It looked like radiator fluid was coming out the container and smoking. Whaddo I do? Do I get it changed, or just add more, or what? :shrug:

[mrboba1]

1. have you ever changed that fluid?

Or had it changed?
If it overheats, it almost automatically comes spewing out. I would change it, and see if it happens again. If it does, the thermostat may not be working anymore...

[Wickerman]

2. take it to a good garage

you have radiator problems. Its, if you're lucky a hose or the thermastadt. If not that, its the radiator its self ar the water pump.

[flyingfysh]

3. get it to a mechanic

It shouldn't do that. You want to get it to a good mechanic (ask your neighbors for recommendations). Just changing the radiator fluid is unlikely to solve the problem.

If it is developing a serious problem, get it to a mechanic before you lose the engine.

[blueknight]

4. you need to get it checked

if you let it get too hot, you can warp the head gasket,you are talking big buck$ here. you could have a thermostat gone bad, or a busted hose, i wish i could help more, but it could be one of several things

[mark414]

5. for a temporary fix

turn your heat on full blast, it'll cool your engine down

from the sound of it, you'd definitely want to change it though. taking it to a shop shouldn't cost too much...they just drain it and put new fluid in.

[knowbody0]

6. overheating

ive never had a car that didn't. you need duct tape and jugs of water. from now on always watch the gage. you will get a good hit of anxiety which is far better for you than boredom. you will have a sense of empowerment, like when you overcome the boundaries of your enigma

[Beware the Beast Man]

7. First, try Barr's Stop Leak and a refill of coolant & water.

You should be able to find that at any discount store or automotive place. That's a good temporary fix, but it sounds like it could be a cracked head gasket. That's what went in my car, and it's like $7 for the part and over $1000 for the labor. Needless to say, I've bought a huge chunk of stock in the Stop Leak stuff.

[XNASA]

8. You must wait until your son is old enough to drive.

Then he'll fix your car for free.

That's my method.

[miss_kitty]

9. also if you have some kind of chronic overheating

you can alleviate the prob by turning on the heater-it increases the amount of radiator working. not a permanent solution, though. hope that the thermostat is lousy-it's the cheapest, i think.

add more stuff until you get it fixed and get non-toxic anti-freeze-the toxic stuff tastes good to pets and kills them. if you leak it on the ground (it's fluorescent green usually), through something nasty in it-like cider vinegar to ward the furry and feathered off.

if your engine overheats pull over pop the hood and let the temp go down. get to a service station to put water in and observe these two rules:
take the cap off slowly. put a towel over it as you undo it and let the pressure escape.
run the engine while you add water. add water slowly.

good luck!

[Mrs_Beastman]

10. When your car starts to overheat

turn on your heater...it draws heat away from the engine...it will buy you some time if your in traffic

[Radius]

11. Overheat

Can be caused by failed thermostat, water pump failure, radiator clogged-leaking,head gasket failure or timing belt slipping and mistiming the motor, water jacket leak-block failure.

A good mechanic should check these out in order. Was there oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil? If so you have major problems.

These are listed in order from cheapest to most expensive to fix.

DO NOT DRIVE A CAR THAT IS OVERHEATING. You will warp the heads (big expense)or blow the motor, have it towed if it can't be driven without overheating.

Just in case you may want to look for an older Camry or accord. Even with 100k on them they are good for 100k more if they have been taken care of.

Good Luck..

[DelawareValleyDem]

12. They symptoms you describe

could be the result of any number of causes, most of which have been described in previous posts. You should have it checked, and beyond that make sure you are doing your part to keep it from happening again - check the fluid level at least monthly, have it changed at regular intervals as detailed in your owner's book, and invest in a hydrometer and use it to periodically test the antifreeze for proper mixture. You can get one of the device for just a few dollars at any auto store.

[lapislzi]

13. For peace of mind

after you fix whatever it is (hose, thermostat, whatever), get your car pressure tested by a reliable garage. Fords of that era are notorious for cooling system problems. A pressure test will show up any secondary problems (water pump or gasket-related failures).

My advice: dump the car if you can. Fords with cooling problems are nothing but trouble.

[Beaverhausen]

14. I had chronic overheating problems 2 years ago

Let me tell you how much fun it was driving thru Joshua Tree Desert in 107 degree heat with the heater on a full blast!!!

Had to get a new head gasket, new radiator, new hoses but now it is OK.

Take it from me, be sure to replace the hoses if/when you get the radiator.

and can I recommend AAA Plus? I had to be towed 98 miles and it was covered!

[skygazer]

15. Take it to a garage

Have the radiator flushed and have them check the thermostat. Ask questions. Do you have a regular mechanic? If not, you should. If you take a car just anywhere and it's obvious you don't know how it works, it's very possible you'll get ripped off. Try to learn - it makes a huge difference!

I forgot to look and see if you're male or female - I've often wanted to teach a course in basic car repair for women who are often very intimidated by the whole thing and rarely get an opportunity to learn even if they want to.

Good luck!