Overheating still

1999 FORD EXPLORER
22,000 MILES • 0.5L • V8 • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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SHAVONNESHAMBURGER
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
A friend drove my truck and my truck started overheating and he drove until it froze the tension-er well we changed the tension-er and then we found out that the heater value was broke so we changed it. well we drove it to the store and back and the gauge said it was overheating again, but we cannot find a leak or and there is no smoke anywhere. I tried to turn on the heat but it seems like it did not help there is under the hood exact explanation. then when I was pulling into my driveway the truck cut off we let it sit for a minute and it started right back up so I could pull it up and turned it off.
Apr 13, 2018 at 12:22 PM
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HARRY P
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 2,292 POSTS
When the car stalled from overheating, what happened was that the internal engine parts (pistons and such) expanded so much from the heat that they could not move like they were supposed to. They cooled off a bit and the engine was able to start. However, damage was done. Most likely the cylinder head(s) is/are warped and gaskets might be blown.

When the engine is cold, go ahead and check the oil. If there is any milky/muddy, cruddy stuff in there, then head/head gasket damage has occurred. Compression tests will confirm that.

So check the oil and let us know what you find. We will go from there.
Apr 13, 2018 at 1:10 PM
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SHAVONNESHAMBURGER
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It was weird though because the gauge said it was overheating but when we open the hood the engine or nothing was hot we were able to touch everything.
Apr 13, 2018 at 1:21 PM
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HARRY P
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 2,292 POSTS
Your thermostat is stuck shut, not allowing coolant to flow. You can touch the stuff up high because that coolant up there is still coolish. The coolant on the other side of the thermostat is boiling hot, and the engine parts there are even hotter.
Apr 13, 2018 at 8:26 PM
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SHAVONNESHAMBURGER
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  • 3 POSTS
Okay, thank you.
Apr 14, 2018 at 1:02 AM
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