Soooo I'm on my way to work when my car starts overheating. Leaky radiator that i STILL haven't gotten a chance to fix is the culprit. I stop, put water in the radiator, gas in the car, and get on my way. Next stop i get the car to a stop it stalls. I try to start it up again, hesitently it sputtered to life. I go on my way in 1st gear, get to 2k rpms, and the car starts bucking like crazy. I shift into 2nd, get to 2k rpms, and it bucks again. Same thing through 3rd and 4th gear. It ran like normal through every gear until i hit the 2k rpm mark. Next stop light, stalls again. This time it doesnt start again. I kept cranking and cranking, and finally gave up cuz i didnt want to burn out my starter. Dude in the truck behind me was nice enough to help me push it across the intersection to a gas station.

That's the story. Any thoughts?

 

If you had a over hearing issue was it ran out low on coolant long? Keep in mind if its low on coolant the gauge may read lower than the actual temature. You may have possibly poped a head gasket...

 

sounds almost like a crank/cam sensor failure.....Was it spilling out fliud (coolant) or detonating?

 

You didn't fill it with E85, did you?

 

Yep, I had a Ford that overheated and blew out a head gasket. Kept trying to start it and it kept trying to turn over but wouldn't. Definate possibilty it's the head gasket.

 

Do a compression check

 

how much coolant do you think was gone? as in was the overflow and rad dry? if the rad was empty, could be HG. hopefully not

 

if your radiator is broken and the car is overheating....the coolant line that runs through your throttle body(IACV) will FREAK OUT!!

FIX THE RADIATOR or Temporarily bypass the throttle body of the coolant line until the radiator is FIXED!

 

The engine bay in my 02 Max is running extremely hot for the past week. Not sure what's going on. Temp Gauge is normal, no leaks, fans turning on and blowing out hot air, my a/c and heat works (on a typical day the hood you can't touch) it just generates to much heat... I think I am having a trans issue, during a nice 50degree cool day my max drives like a champion, on a hot muggy day, the car drives sluggishly, and my trans starts to jerk under full throttle or when I let off the gas pedal (most of the time the trans shifts smoothly, its noticeable when it does shift) and other times when it shifts into gear it jerks, or pops into gear hard, I wouldn't say its slipping, it just comes and goes.. . I just cleaned my MAF, replaced two o2 sensors, valve covers, P1800 code intake solenoid replaced, still didn't feel a difference.. My check engine / AT check lights are not on,
diagnosed and reading no codes?? I think maybe my VB needs replaced or cleaned, warning signs that my transmission solenoid is going bad.. ??? Good luck!!



take your car in for testing, you might have bad sensors..

 

radiator mustve been close to dry cuz the overflow was empty also. takin it to the shop in the next couple days, ill let you guys know whats up. ive had the car for a while now, it needs other things too. if its a head gasket im getting something new.

 

it could not be a headgasket though, at work lots of cars have come in with little coolant and the headgasket was okay. hopefully it isnt

 

well i know the head gasket wasnt causing over heating, but the hard start could be the gasket is what im saying. i guess well see. either way i know it needs a radiator and whatever needs to be fixed to rectify the hard starting once its figured out. which means spending more money than i have. so yea.

 

The starting problem could be one of the crank position sensors

 

Right, there's not enough compression for it to fire. Common problem when you keep driving after it pops.

 

 

cars getting towed to the shop tmrw. ill let you guys know what's up when i find out. thanks for all your advice.

 

cool beans

 

DAMN hope it ain't that costly for you...Good Luck ....

 

mechanic wont have time to look at my car til tmrw... this suspense is stupid.

 

Hang in there, i hate that part of it too

 

fixed. radiator and thermostat replaced. ignition systems just got wet from the leaking radiator, that's why the car freaked out and stalled and such. runs like a champ now. thanks again guys.

 

Glad to hear...

 

That's cool that it was something you were already going to get done. Glad it wasn't something worse. Mine is leaking power steering fluid but I can't see where? Will try and get it to the shop next week.

Anyway, glad you're back on the road.

 

Lucky guy. Glad it wasn't a HG.

 

Good to hear!

 

ME TOO. woulda probly sold it for parts if it was

 

NICE To Hear....

 

That's it? I mean, that's great and all, but wouldn't you have already seen anti-freeze all over your engine bay? What you're describing seems like something that would be obvious.

 

as i said earlier, i knew the radiator was a problem. it was obvious. what i didn't know is that it could cause issues with the ignition itself. thanks for your valuable input.