Blowing Smoke

Avatar
FRIEDBOB
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have a 1989 Town Car with roughly 80K original miles. I recently had some work done, replacing the radiator and most of the hoses. I had just been driving it in town, then a few weeks later we took it out on the interstate. Car started blowing smoke out of the vents and wouldn't accelerate past 45. I park the car first chance and take it in to the shop a day or two later when I was able to (didn't dive it in the mean time). They replace the fuel pump filter, and that seemed to fix the problem, at least as far as not being able to go past 45. I drive the car to work and it's fine. On the trip home, at about 2am when it's 30F outside, smoke starts coming up from the vents and fogging my windows. The mechanics said that the heater core might be bad, and when I called them afterwards, they said it probably was the heater core.

I have hot air when I set the system to heat, and it hasn't smoked much since, just a few wisps now and then. I do know that my power steering fluid is leaking, so I think some of the smoke might be from that.

How likely is it that it's the heater core causing the smoke, and if it is, what sort of price should I expect (assuming going rates for labor) to have it fixed?

Thanks.
Nov 6, 2006 at 6:35 AM
Advertisement
Avatar
BOOTDOG
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 665 POSTS
i'm not sure how much it's gonna cost to fix it but i do agree with the mechanic you talked too. you have a leaking heater core. i personally have never done a heater core on the type of vehicle you have, but it depends on where it's located, which will depend on the labor. since you have a lincoln , which is related to ford, it's possible the whole dash may need to come out.but being the year you have, it might be under the hood area. anyway it needs to be changed. hope this helps
Nov 10, 2006 at 8:29 AM
Add a reply
Join 2CarPros for free, one of the most advanced car repair communities on the internet. From first-time drivers to seasoned mechanics, everyone is welcome to reply, share details, and get better answers. You can add a temporary image or video first; uploads are limited to 20 MB.

Frequently Asked Problems for This Vehicle