Overheated then died when i put it in neutral

[BlueMonster94]

Please help its my daily

 

[ChildIdenticant]

Died as in can't start again? What is the Mileage? Is it automatic or manual? Did you lose coolant? Was smoke visible or smelled? Do you have any idea why it overheated? Have had recent trouble with it? Are you able to turn the electrical on?

Provide as much info as possible.

welcome to the forum.

 

[Josh P]

The $64K question is how long did it overheat?

 

[RADIOACTIVE_TOOL_SHED___]

Hopefuly it didn't overheat to long, the heads are known to crack when overheated on these, did it start back up? First thing I'd do is start it up and make sure there's no white smoke coming out of the exhaust if no smoke or discoloration in the oil I'd replace the thermostat and consider new radiator hoses if the coolant is rusty looking you could have a blockage somewhere in the radiator or water jackets,

 

[BKennedy]

Please help its my daily

I think we are going to need more information

 

[ChildIdenticant]

First thing I'd do is start it up and

Let's try to identify what went wrong first.

It is known that in this instance:
Something went wrong.

It is known that, in this world:
Something can go wronger.

Let's try to identify what went wrong first.

 

[BlueMonster94]

Died as in can't start again? What is the Mileage? Is it automatic or manual? Did you lose coolant? Was smoke visible or smelled? Do you have any idea why it overheated? Have had recent trouble with it? Are you able to turn the electrical on?

Provide as much info as possible.

welcome to the forum.

Itll start but takes a while an yes there was white smoke it an auto 4x4 with 209000 miles Idk why overheated

 

[ChildIdenticant]

White smoke, or white steam?
Did you see any coolant on the ground/ suddenly leaking?
Did you see any oil on the ground/suddenly leaking?
Did you see where the smoke or steam came from exactly?
Did you smell electrical burning? Oil burning?
Is your radiator empty/low?
Is there oil contamination in your radiator fluid?
Has your heater stopped working recently?
How long was it overheating until it died?
Does your radiator fan work?

Visually check engine bay for any signs of coolant leaks and/or melting. hoses, sand/freeze plugs, cracked radiator, failed cap, broken coolant diverter ('94).

Since you have already started it again, did you get a check engine/ malfunction indicator light?

 

[BlueMonster94]

White smoke, or white steam?
Did you see any coolant on the ground/ suddenly leaking?
Did you see any oil on the ground/suddenly leaking?
Did you see where the smoke or steam came from exactly?
Did you smell electrical burning? Oil burning?
Is your radiator empty/low?
Is there oil contamination in your radiator fluid?
Has your heater stopped working recently?
How long was it overheating until it died?
Does your radiator fan work?

Visually check engine bay for any signs of coolant leaks and/or melting. hoses, sand/freeze plugs, cracked radiator, failed cap, broken coolant diverter ('94).

Since you have already started it again, did you get a check engine/ malfunction indicator light?

No coolant in radiator yes the fan works not to long no melting the hoses r fine freeze plugs an yes engine light on

 

[ChildIdenticant]

If you don't have a code reader, this link will assist you in pulling the codes.

How To: Pull Trouble Codes on a 1st Gen Explorer (paperclip method)

Ok, so recently we've had a lot of questions about how to do this. MrShorty has a great How To on this already but it seems it's a little advanced for some people, so I'm going to make a simple "How To" with pics. This isn't a full how too, this is just to get you started, for the advanced stuff...

www.explorerforum.com

the hoses r fine freeze plugs an yes

The freeze plugs are fine or freeze plugs are bad?

 

[BlueMonster94]

If you don't have a code reader, this link will assist you in pulling the codes.

How To: Pull Trouble Codes on a 1st Gen Explorer (paperclip method)

Ok, so recently we've had a lot of questions about how to do this. MrShorty has a great How To on this already but it seems it's a little advanced for some people, so I'm going to make a simple "How To" with pics. This isn't a full how too, this is just to get you started, for the advanced stuff...

www.explorerforum.com

The freeze plugs are fine or freeze plugs are bad?

They r ok sorry thought I typed it as I thought it but it idles rough. Also I checked the plugs an the one on the passenger front didnt have the electrode in it like it has been burnt out.

 

[ChildIdenticant]

They r ok sorry thought I typed it as I thought it but it idles rough. Also I checked the plugs an the one on the passenger front didnt have the electrode in it like it has been burnt out.

Failed plug eh? Did the check engine light come on before the overheating?
Check the codes. Might just be about misfire . still good to know.

Helpful to have a camera readily recording the dash CEL/MIL if you use that method for reading.
Try to fish any remaining pieces of that failed spark plug out of the cylinder as anything not small enough to easily exit a valve can cause damage on piston or valve /valve seat. Or cause a valve to stay open and cause worse damage on interference engines (not an issue here) . Easiest way to get non magnetic debris out of a cylinder that I know of (without head disassembly) is to raise the piston with crankshaft and use compressed air in spark port. Other forum contributors may have better solution.

You mention hard-to-start. Was this the case before the overheat? Any issues you can think of before the overheat? How long/how many miles ago was the last time you verified your radiator to be filled?


Since your radiator is empty, and you don't know (or just haven't confirmed) where the coolant exited, a radiator pressure test is in order. Kits are free to borrow with deposit in my area, don't know about yours, ?Tennesee¿ .Look at the gasket on your radiator cap. if it is very cracked or deeply deformed, that's suspect.

also, any pics? Probably irrelevent but where you say "electrode" being burnt out are you talking about the hooked part (anode) or the center (cathode) part?

 

[Josh P]

My guess is either a cracked head or blown head gasket, maybe both. pulling the spark plugs after running it for a bit, you might see coolant in one of the cylinders when the engine cools off. I lost a head gasket on a 4.0L aerostar and it was hard starting after that. The engine ran fine when the radiator was empty.

 

[BlueMonster94]

Failed plug eh? Did the check engine light come on before the overheating?
Check the codes. Might just be about misfire . still good to know.

Helpful to have a camera readily recording the dash CEL/MIL if you use that method for reading.
Try to fish any remaining pieces of that failed spark plug out of the cylinder as anything not small enough to easily exit a valve can cause damage on piston or valve /valve seat. Or cause a valve to stay open and cause worse damage on interference engines (not an issue here) . Easiest way to get non magnetic debris out of a cylinder that I know of (without head disassembly) is to raise the piston with crankshaft and use compressed air in spark port. Other forum contributors may have better solution.

You mention hard-to-start. Was this the case before the overheat? Any issues you can think of before the overheat? How long/how many miles ago was the last time you verified your radiator to be filled?


Since your radiator is empty, and you don't know (or just haven't confirmed) where the coolant exited, a radiator pressure test is in order. Kits are free to borrow with deposit in my area, don't know about yours, ?Tennesee¿ .Look at the gasket on your radiator cap. if it is very cracked or deeply deformed, that's suspect.

also, any pics? Probably irrelevent but where you say "electrode" being burnt out are you talking about the hooked part (anode) or the center (cathode) part?

The cel comes on an off all the time it was not hard to.start before an the cathode the center of thw plug not the hook