Son's Latest Project...this will take a big bite...coolant leak!

[M.D. Holloway]

So my Son bought a 'running' 96 Mustang for a couple hundred bucks. His intent was to mess with it and make it a hotrod. Ya, that year set isn't the best but for a small investment of his money...what ever.

Well, she ran but was blow some serious steam out the tail pipe. He knew before he got it that the engine was rough and just figured he would pull it and drop in something else. He took an oil sample and found it tan - coolant leak. He decided that it was most likely a head gasket so he set into replacing it. After taking of one head this is what he found...





His exact words "Wow! I can't believe this engine even ran with that much coolant in the chamber! testimony on the Ford V6 3.8 huh Dad!!!"

Well, that's positive spin....

Anyone have a V8 that will sell him?

[stomachmonkey]

Swapping a bad motor with the same is one thing.

Going to an 8 from a 6 he may need more than just the motor.

Tranny, ECU, exhaust, etc...

Then there will be the nickel and dime fiddly bits.

I'd pull the 6 and drop in an old school carbuerated unmanaged motor.

[fanaudical]

Are you sure that coolant in the cylinders didn't fall in there while removing the heads?

I'd be tempted to validate the heads are flat (maybe you have to have them planed or get some rebuilt heads), clean things up, and just put it back together with fresh gaskets. That would be the least expensive.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Are you sure that coolant in the cylinders didn't fall in there while removing the heads?

+1

Search on that specific engine - head gasket problems, intake manifold seals and water pump oil/water exchange.

Windstars were notorious for oil water exchange. I pulled a head to check on one. Flat as a board. It was not blowing steam, though that I noticed. Just had an oily film in the coolant reservoir and oil was tan.

Replaced water pump and all intake seals. They suck air as well where the plastic clam shell bolts down. Intake to head seals lose integrity and drip water into crankcase. Look closely where intake gasket meets head. You may be able to spot a leak spot.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fanaudical

Are you sure that coolant in the cylinders didn't fall in there while removing the heads?

I'd be tempted to validate the heads are flat (maybe you have to have them planed or get some rebuilt heads), clean things up, and just put it back together with fresh gaskets. That would be the least expensive.

Originally Posted by peteremsley

Yeah, surely that much liquid would bend all kinds of stuff, right? valves, rod, ...

Yeah, I don't think it was running with that much fluid in it. That's fluid that found it's way there instead of on the ground.

[HardDrive]

Put the parts in the trunk. Call tow truck. Call it a life lesson. Move on.

[M.D. Holloway]

Most likely. He wants to drop an old school into it. this is his new 'project' and if he stays on with it he is looking at a few years and a few thousand bucks but when its done he will have a car that isn't worth what he put into it but what a lesson and think of the stuff he will learn along the way...

[HardDrive]

You can't just drop in the V8. Engine, exhaust, transmission, drive shaft....etc. You'll be $5k into this thing in no time, and the car will never be worth squat.

[M.D. Holloway]

point

[DanielDudley]

Rebuild or get a six. I don't see any significant rust on those bores. Dry it out and throw some WD in there. Spray it every day.

Every kid needs to build an engine or two. Valuable experience for the next one.

[recycled sixtie]

I cannot offer much advice Max but I admire your perseverance. When I was 18 and I started to take apart the engine on my 1935 Morris 8 my dad came up to me and said that I should not take it apart. It had a faulty valve and I wanted to fix it. And the rest is history......

[HardDrive]

Hmmmmm....check this out: Lincoln Mark VIII Running but vandalized

Mark VIII of this era had the cobra engine in them. Slightly different setup, but it still made 280 hp. Buy that Lincoln for $500, and do a full transplant of everything. The only custom part you would need is a drive shaft, and maybe not even that. Might actually be worth doing. For less than 2 grand you could have a Cobra clone, and much better basis for a performance car. Sell un-used parts along the way to finance.

[M.D. Holloway]

Holy crap! I went out and told him that this project was gonna cost $$$ and he said that he has been think about it and said he was thinking of dropping an engine from a Lincoln just like you said!!!! Either he is monitoring this site (unlikely) or great minds think alike (yours and his).

Some may consider this a form of child abuse but lets go back to when we were 17. Building a race car or hot rod was right there with getting stink finger. I maintain that as long as he isn't breaking a law or crushing his head, torso,, hands or legs then I shall grant him liberty to go forward.

I have dropped thousands and I mean thousands on select sports and music lessons for my Daughter. While she is gifted in all things she isn't going to be a professional musician or a D1 school full ride athlete. Its part of her over all education. I haven't put any money towards his 'projects' and only pay for his ammo for shooting (sometimes). This is his, self funded.

I want him to succeed yet I also know he must fail as well. Its not easy seeing it but there is no better teacher. Plus, when a young man has sniffed the fumes (exhaust fumes, perfumes) he looses all sense that would be considered common!

So, forgive me if you may feel that I am letting him fail and being a crappy Dad.

[icemann427]

Take the heads to a machine shop and have them magnafluxed to see if they are cracked. It will only cost a few bucks (it would be nice to magnaflux the block, but getting it to a shop will be a bit of a pain, so maybe bypass doing that). If the heads are fine, clean everything up really well, reinstall with new gaskets, and reassemble after oiling up the cylinders with clean oil. Remove the oil pan after removing the oil. Clean the bottom end up as well as you can, maybe with Berryman's followed by WD40 or something like that. Replace oil pan. Change the oil. Drain the cooling system. Replace the thermostat. Refill with new coolant. Try to start the engine. If it starts, watch for water/steam out the tailpipe after the residual moisture has had a chance to burn off. Check the oil dip stick and see if you see any water/moisture. If everything is fine, then maybe everything is fine. If the engine doesn't start, make sure its getting spark and fuel. Also, if it doesn't start, maybe do a compression test on all the cylinders. All of the above won't cost more than $100 and a few hours of your son's time.

[RANDY P]

get a scrapyard engine, swap it sell it.

Trying to fix it the right way will be more problems than it will ever, ever be worth. PS with that much coolant in the system who knows what the bearings are doing.

Well- maybe YOU know what the bearings are doing, but us laymen don't

[HardDrive]

That Lincoln I posted is over in Plano....

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

Some may consider this a form of child abuse but lets go back to when we were 17. Building a race car or hot rod was right there with getting stink finger.

Let him chew on it a while.

HardDrive's "haul it away option" will still be available in a week. Gotta be worth a buck fifty scrap.

[recycled sixtie]

Let Max read this thread. Recommended reading in my opinion. If he wants your opinion still he can ask you. Your son at that age should have every resource available......

He will eventually figure something out that will suit his bank account.

[RANDY P]

figure the cost of power washing the driveway, the garage time lost, tools everywher and time for cleaning up greasy prints on everything..LOL.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Recommended reading in my opinion.

+1

At 17, replaced an Opel GT Solex downdraft intake manifold (broken flange mount for carb) with a $20 used Kadett manifold from the Buick dealer. Wrench searched through a pile of outside parts and found it.

No more air leak. It idled. I was Batman.

Plus I did it on my own, without Dad's input. Just saying. (kids need space to screw stuff up)