Any gearheads here on FFU?

I just got a used 1999 Ford Windstar that runs fine except for one thing…it overheats when I go over 50mph, but not when I go below that speed. This is weird, it immediately goes down when I drop down to 50mph or lower. I’ve never heard of a car or van doing that.

I've replaced the coolant, did an oil change, etc.

Does anyone have any idea why a vehicle would only overheat going over 50mph, but not under that speed?
Attachments:

Anyone good with cars? Wrote:
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> Does anyone have any idea why a vehicle would only
> overheat going over 50mph, but not under that
> speed?


Because it is almost 16 years old.

Just go under 50, problem solved!

You probably have a tiny leak someplace in the cooling system. Those are hard to troubleshoot. Find a radiator/cooling system shop you can communicate with. You don't want to spend a fortune on a 15 year old Winstar. Cost of replacing radiator caps and thermostats is minimal, cost of pulling the head to replace the head gasket is not.

Wrench Wrote:
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> You probably have a tiny leak someplace in the
> cooling system. Those are hard to troubleshoot.
> Find a radiator/cooling system shop you can
> communicate with. You don't want to spend a
> fortune on a 15 year old Winstar. Cost of
> replacing radiator caps and thermostats is
> minimal, cost of pulling the head to replace the
> head gasket is not.

How much do you figure pulling the head and replacing the head gasket might cost?

Take it one step at a time. Decide if you want to take it to a Ford dealer or an independent shop. The dealer will repair to factory spec, if that is still possible, but you will likely pay more than you would at an independent. Whichever way you decide, take the vehicle to the shop. Describe the problem to the service desk. Tell the service writer you want a diagnosis and repair estimate, before they start replacing parts. When the mechanic chases down the cause of the overheating, the manager will have a proposed solution and cost estimate. Then you have a decision to make as to whether you want to spend the money or not. Car repair costs are the sum of parts, the hourly cost of labor, and shop overhead. Specialty shops often have lower costs because they focus on a single system, such as cooling or transmissions, keeping down overhead and piling up subject matter expertise in a single field. Dealerships sometimes have more work than they can handle and farm out jobs to specialists. Given the foregoing, and the fact that every model is different, even within manufacturing families, do you see why it is unreasonable to ask for a price at this point in the process?

If you are having to add coolant your headgasket is shot
if you dont your waterpump is going.
2c

Sure that it's related to speed or maybe you just don't see it until the car is warmed up to the point that it's hot enough to have the problem?

There aren't many ways that a motor can overheat due to speed alone. It doesn't know how fast it's going beyond RPM. (Yeah, yeah... there are computer controls and speed sensors, etc., but the motor itself is mechanically dumb.) In most cases, you'd expect to see the opposite since you have more air flow through the radiator at speed. Most likely I'd guess that your thermostat isn't opening as it should when the motor gets up to temp. There are some other things that can come into play like maybe a marginal water pump or fans not working properly but not as likely.

Try letting it run for a while or drive it to get up to temp and then run it at higher idle about as it would be at speed just sitting still and see if it does the same.

GOOGLE IT there are lots of write-ups. Its not rocket science. DO NOT go to the dealer. Car that age is not worth throwing thousands at.

I don't know anything about cars, but I do know this is Obama's fault. You should create a new post and title Obama's piece of crap overheats and has no place to put a pistol! Throw in some racial slurs and "libtard" and complain in detail that there is not room to store your 40 or so guns in it. You can then run for office as a Teapaprty candidate and the NRA will fund you! Instead of Joe the plumber, you can be Minivan Patriot!

dpYdb Wrote:
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> I don't know anything about cars, but I do know
> this is Obama's fault. You should create a new
> post and title Obama's piece of crap overheats
> and has no place to put a pistol! Throw in some
> racial slurs and "libtard" and complain in detail
> that there is not room to store your 40 or so guns
> in it. You can then run for office as a Teapaprty
> candidate and the NRA will fund you! Instead of
> Joe the plumber, you can be Minivan Patriot!

Says the dumbshit in the blue suit who just can't restrain himself from doing exactly what he described in a completely nonpolitical thread.

dpYdb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know anything about cars, but I do know
> this is Obama's fault. You should create a new
> post and title Obama's piece of crap overheats
> and has no place to put a pistol! Throw in some
> racial slurs and "libtard" and complain in detail
> that there is not room to store your 40 or so guns
> in it. You can then run for office as a Teapaprty
> candidate and the NRA will fund you! Instead of
> Joe the plumber, you can be Minivan Patriot!




I hate teabaggers as much as the next person, but really your post was unnecessary. Grow up. Shit like this makes us look as bad as they are.

Henro Wrote:
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> If you are having to add coolant your headgasket
> is shot
> if you dont your waterpump is going.
> 2c

intakes now have coolant flow, a separate gasket

waterpumps weep when going: usually not always. you should need less cooling at 55 mpg than at 35 mph - so that's a wonder. you should need less cooling if your heat is on high - temp should drop.

why only at 50mph is the question. can trans overheating cause engine to overheat? make sure at 50mph your not using much gas. if you are you may have a drag problem causing you to load the engine too much

many things can cause overheating (ie, air intake problems, poor running by any cause). you want someone older with horse sense to try it - maybe they will notice something you didn't tell us !

16 is about the age where you'll not notice the most important and obvious things we think no one could leave out

there are many forums dedicated to car diagnosis

--------------------------
i have to agree a pinhole leak in hoses doens't sound right because you didn't say you lost fluid.

yes - take off the emergency brake already !

we all know if you google that model you'll probably see a list of common causes that are specific to that ford and year.

so why ask here? trying to trip us up?

^^ heat on high meaning cabin heat.

ie, http://www.fordforumsonline.com/threads/2000-windstar-3-8-overheats-only-on-highway-and-intermittently.2095/

says waterpump is belt driven on front end, check belt slippage (ie, is it clean, tight), that model

says check thermostat

and coolant flow - apparently some get blocked lines from corrosion - did coolant flush seem week ?

_________________________

i'd check the belt first

well, duh Wrote:
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>
> Because it is almost 16 years old.


Typical Republican used to his shitty-ass American cars from the 90s that die when you look at them wrong.

It's a Ford, for crying out loud, junk it. It's already run about 10 years longer than most of them do. If it was a quality make like Honda or Toyota, then I'd say look into fixing it.

Even if you figure out what's wrong with it, it will be something else tomorrow.

They don't call 'em Fix Or Repair Daily for nuthin.

Thermostat problem is my best guess, however you must give more details. Is it low on coolant fluid? check the oil on the dip stick, does it look milky colored?

Lol it's obvious OP bought the van without properly inspecting it or even doing a test drive. Good job; bet the used car dealer you got this POS is from is laughing all the way to the bank.

You came to FFXU looking for car answers?

Well the answer is that Windstars were notorious for head gasket failure.

Read the article at the link below, if you have one of those V6 engines, that's the problem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Windstar#Problems

If your problem is related speed, it's usually the belt slipping at a certain RPM. Due to the coefficient of friction, the mating surface between belt and the gear goes from a static to a dynamic (slipping) phase at a fixed angular velocity. Or something.

Many good answers here. From those:

Replace the thermostat if it wasn't replaced with the coolant. Does it take long to warm up? A partially open thermostat will cause long warm-ups and won't open up all the way when needed. Or the cooling system could be full of gunk. What did the old coolant look like? pudding?

Is the radiator plugged? Are the fins all bent up and blocked?

Something is dragging on the vehicle. What's your gas mileage like? Can you coast downhill in neutral and see if it seems to not move like it should? Put it in neutral on level ground and push it. It shouldn't be that hard to move.

You didn't mention that coolant was being lost, so that would mean that your head gasket and radiator cap are okay.

At 50mph, your airflow is not helped much by the fan.

no - don't put milk in the oil

Take it to Joyce Motors in Arlington, a block away from Clarendon Metro. They've been in business, owned by the same family (The Joyces!!) for over 70 years. They will give you a no-shit diagnosis you can take to the bank and won't try to run up the bill.

(The current "owner" Susan Meyers, is Frank Joyce Jr.'s daughter, by the way).

cDNYu Wrote:
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> Take it to Joyce Motors in Arlington, a block away
> from Clarendon Metro. They've been in business,
> owned by the same family (The Joyces!!) for over
> 70 years. They will give you a no-shit diagnosis
> you can take to the bank and won't try to run up
> the bill.
>
> (The current "owner" Susan Meyers, is Frank Joyce
> Jr.'s daughter, by the way).


is she hot? pics or it didn't happen.

Anyone good with cars? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any gearheads here on FFU?
>
> I just got a used 1999 Ford Windstar that runs
> fine except for one thing…it overheats when I go
> over 50mph, but not when I go below that speed.
> This is weird, it immediately goes down when I
> drop down to 50mph or lower. I’ve never heard of
> a car or van doing that.
>
> I've replaced the coolant, did an oil change,
> etc.
>
> Does anyone have any idea why a vehicle would only
> overheat going over 50mph, but not under that
> speed?


doesn't anybody listen to my shows anymore

Im shocked you can even get that thing up to 50. Those vans are major junk with huge problems. If the transmission hasn't gone yet on it, it will soon. Call that kars for kidz number and take the tax write off or sell it to a poor Mexican family for a few hundred dollars.

BestBet Wrote:
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> Im shocked you can even get that thing up to 50.
> Those vans are major junk with huge problems. If
> the transmission hasn't gone yet on it, it will
> soon. Call that kars for kidz number and take the
> tax write off or sell it to a poor Mexican family
> for a few hundred dollars.


+1

I knew someone with a windstar who had tranny issues at 70k miles.

OP its a POS, I wouldn't put any money into it, just make it your local roads only car for transporting large shit. That or sell it.

BestBet Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Im shocked you can even get that thing up to 50.
> Those vans are major junk with huge problems. If
> the transmission hasn't gone yet on it, it will
> soon. Call that kars for kidz number and take the
> tax write off or sell it to a poor Mexican family
> for a few hundred dollars.

your a fucking asshole immigrant trying to get a free car fuck off.

i had some nigger come into my workplace set me up on a charge: run by fx co. i late found out he did it to a whole line of white workers in area.

i "donated" a car right after that. not soon after found an illegal bitch driving my car to my job

______________________________
they get like $600 - $800 scrap for the metal

anyone, short of towning, that asks you to pay or donate w/o a tax refund or tells you there's no scrap $$

tell us and call the police. they are felons, also car thieves

Ford is like any car, it has problems areas and strong areas over other cars. Parts on domestic cars are often cheaper.

Minivans are exposed to women drivers, hurried stop and go, and people who refuse even scheduled maintenance.

But having fixed that, are like any car - infact if you need maintenance advice there is probably a sister car Ford makes that uses same engine and design without the minivan body.

---------------------
anyone tells you asian cars are problem free and Ford isn't: spit in their face - they are lying

I was fortunate enough to dump my Windstar during cash for clunkers. Got home from a trip and Trans fluid was pouring out. Entire vehicle was pretty much a piece of crap. Several friends had them, and found that by 100k miles the transmission had gone or was about to go.

7mhcc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BestBet Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Im shocked you can even get that thing up to
> 50.
> > Those vans are major junk with huge problems.
> If
> > the transmission hasn't gone yet on it, it will
> > soon. Call that kars for kidz number and take
> the
> > tax write off or sell it to a poor Mexican
> family
> > for a few hundred dollars.
>
> your a fucking asshole immigrant trying to get a
> free car fuck off.
>
> i had some nigger come into my workplace set me up
> on a charge: run by fx co. i late found out he did
> it to a whole line of white workers in area.
>
> i "donated" a car right after that. not soon
> after found an illegal bitch driving my car to my
> job
>
> ______________________________
> they get like $600 - $800 scrap for the metal
>
> anyone, short of towning, that asks you to pay or
> donate w/o a tax refund or tells you there's no
> scrap $$
>
> tell us and call the police. they are felons,
> also car thieve

I'm an asshole immigrant because I told a dude to get rid of his vehicle because that particular year range and model is a known unreliable piece of shit due to transmission and ABS module problems?
I'll keep it simple. Work on your spelling & comprehension skills. Please don't breed, either.

What factory was it made at? Probably a factory where white are the minority. If it was assembled by a white man it would last you another 200k miles.

asdfasfsd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> well, duh Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Because it is almost 16 years old.
>
>
> Typical Republican used to his shitty-ass American
> cars from the 90s that die when you look at them
> wrong.


Interesting. There must be a ton of Republicans in SE DC. Who knew?!?!?!