Overheating problem and I need help desperatly

[kmshultz]

I just bought an 89L carbed festiva the other week. The thermostat housing was leaking so I changed the thermostat. A day or two later the car was overheating and I am pretty sure the head gasket was blown. I changed the head gasket. The head was not warped and did not appear to be cracked after I checked it out. The car is still overheating. I was thinking that I got a bad thermostat so to check it I just took the thermostat out to see what happened. Still overheating.The car is also blowing steam out of the exhaust but it does not smell like antifreeze. It seems to be just steam. I am not losing water from the radiator. I am completly confused. I have asked everyone I know and no one can figure it out. Am I just dumb and missing something very easy. Please help I really need to get this thing running. I just got back from Afghanistan and I bought this as a car for me to drive because my wife is getting a job and needs the other car. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[blkfordsedan]

Hate to say it, but it sounds to me like either the head gasket is leaking or you have a cracked head. The only thing I can think of that will cause steam in the exhaust is water. It may be a very small leak and that's why you don't notice any smell or water loss. you can check to see if your losing compression into the cooling system...you'll see bubbles in the radiator. Head gasket leaks after replacement may be caused by not having the head & deck surfaces clean. Sometimes a bottle of Bars Leak and a re-torque of head bolts can fix it. As for the overheating, could be caused by the leak, could be a bad radiator, bad temp sensor, bad radiator cap or thermostat (even a new one), or even an intake vacuum leak. I once bought a car that had the thermostat installed backwards. Also, I alway change the oil after a leaking head gasket or head removal. Antifreeze almost always gets into the pan. Good luck!!

[Seth]

i had a overheating problem, turned out to be a bad water pump.

[deathegg]

I've had bad thermostats before, but they caused the engine to run too COOL, not overheat
I now use only Ford oem thermostats.

[gdawgs]

i had a overheating problem, turned out to be a bad water pump.

That was my first thought as well. Could also be a plugged radiator.

[WmWatt]

I think if the thermostat is good you should feel the hose at the bottom of the rad warm up. If the water pump is leaking you should see water dribbling out of a hole in the casing. That hole is put there specifically to tell you when the pump is leaking. I remembger reading about that stuff but don't have my manual with me here at the public library tobe able to look it up just now.

[jglutz]

1st) I would see if i could do a pressure test on the cooling circuit to eliminate a crack head or block. AutoZone rents testers or you can have a local rad shop perform the test.

2nd) Old car....not uncommon for the impeller on the water pump to fail, just fall off or become clogged.

Takeing the t'stat out to test was a good idea...what you proved is that it's not the t'stat.

[kmshultz]

Thank you everyone who posted on this to help me out. I am going to go do the pressure test this weekend. The only thing that is still odd to me was the steam out of the exhaust. Could it have been that I live in the Seattle area and it was cooler than average and rainy that day because I have started the car up since then and no steam. Thanks again

[jglutz]

^^Yes
In a situation like yours....I would ignore the tail pipe symptons until the engine has warmed up....one cycle of the rad fan. However, a slightly warped head or begining to fail head gasket can drip some coolant into the head over night as the engine shrinks in the cool night temp. Marke the over flow jug and check the level every morning....a day or so after coolant system service the jug level should stablize and the level should be the same every morning...if not...there's a problem.