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fedup
New User
Aug 21, 2007, 9:12 AM
Post #1 of 2
(3775 views)
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I have previously posted in the AC Forum regarding radiator problems. Now I need help with possible engine problems. Please excuse my lack of knowledge of car terminology and I'll try to explain this as best I can. I need to take this car to a mechanic and would like to have enough information to explain to him what I need.
My car has a crack in the radiator but I'll leave that alone as I've put Bars leak in it, replaced a cooling fan fuse and it has not overheated in 4 days since this was done. I have not had to put water in the radiator since, but I have had to put water in the radiator tank.
Next problem is that the engine is 'missing'. I will turn the key to start, it will cough and all the lights would come one. I would do this 3-4 sometime up to 6 times before the car starts. Then I have to pull off like a bat out of hell, because if I pull off slowly, she will cut off. So now I make sure I park facing forward. Once I get going, above 35 mph she does fine. But if I'm driving under 30mph, she sputters (I guess this is the missing). If I'm at a stop light, most times she will shut off when I begin to accelerate. She struggles to kick into the next gear when I'm going up a hill, but this could be a 4 cylinder issue and is the least of my concerns. I've been driving this car for 2 weeks now and a few days ago a cloud of black smoke came out the back when I drove off from being stopped at a red light. That only happened 2 times. Yesterday, she began to smoke as I was sitting at a red light, but only did that once. Mind you, it's been over 101 degrees for the last week, does the extreme heat have a factor in a car whose radiator is not functioning properly?
I've been told the car needs a cat converter and a distributor. Which of these is the likely cause of my problems? That's what I want to know. I've also been told that the car doesn't need a cat converter if it has passed inspection. That doesn't sound right to me. If it doesn't need it, why was it made with it??? But I don't know. I have been told by 2 people now that the car has 'several oil leaks'. How does that come into play with the problems I'm having? I've only had to put in 1 quart of oil in the last 3 weeks.
QUESTIONS: Could there be something wrong with the spark plugs? Could there be leaks in some vacuum hose? Could the engine be flooded (whatever that means)? What causes the missing? Could I be having fuel injector issues? I'm not really sure what questions to ask but I'd like to go to the mechanic with good questions to help with getting some of these issues resolved.
My biggest fear is that this car is going to catch fire as I'm sitting at a light. I don't want to keep driving it if that's going to happen. I know you can't know that for sure but maybe someone knows if your car does whatever, it's definitely going to blow.
Please help!!! Sorry for the long post.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 21, 2007, 9:50 AM
Post #2 of 2
(3773 views)
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Re: 95 Ford Aspire
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It's still using coolant friend. What was once just a radiator now could be tons of things. Stop leak reduces ability of the cooling system as basically it's saw dust. Now with it now running well you probably need a head gasket (ka ching!) and wrecked the converter (ka ching again) which now makes replacing the radiator look like pocket change.
Find the leak. If not where it was then find out where the coolant is going. When you find no evidence proceed to diagnose the head gasket as they can consume coolant without dripping anywhere,
T
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