[taurus2000]

Hey!
On Thursday night I noticed that my car was getting warmer than normal when I put the defroster on. So I decide hey let me take the car to dealer in the morning. At about 7am in the morning, I'm on the way to the dealer when all of a sudden the car just stalls. I pull over and I can't get the car started again. I have to get towed to the dealership. At about four that afternoon, I get a call from the dealership and it's horrible news. Sidenote, I know the service manager personally and I trust him to treat me right and this service department isn't trying to screw me over. So...he tells me that they haven't pin pointed the cause of the failure yet, but there is a lot of damage and he's pretty sure I need a new engine. So, I wanted to hear some speculation on what could have caused a complete engine failure from the symptoms I noticed...

(1) Car got warm when I turned on the defroster.
(2) Noticeable thump when the compressor turned on.
(3) Car stalled and wouldn't come back on.

Let's hear some speculation!

Thanks

2000 Ford Taurus 3.0 OHV Flex Fuel

 

[jason8225]

That's horrible!

How many miles were on your car? That scares the crap out of me! My car has been running just slightly warmer than normal lately.

Sorry I don't have any ideas, but this could definitely be important to get some information. I hope all goes well with your repairs. Did you have any warranty or ESP?? I hope so.

 

[medicTA]

Before the speculation a few questions...

When you thought the defroster was warmer than normal and just before the car stalled, did you see any warning lights, check engine lights, higher temp gauge readings, low coolant level, or hear any clunking noises ect.????

It's odd to me to have a "complete engine failure" without any warning signals or the normal sounds of internal destruction.

One of the first things to do would be to check for codes then a careful external visual check for massive leaks or cracks, broken belts, then check your radiator for level and quality of antifreeze, then the dipstick for oil.
After I would then go into a fuel and spark troubleshooting mode and depending on where that lead, you should pull all the plugs and check that it still turns over and then do a compression test wet and dry.

I would get it home and start a slow troubleshooting session, or at least get the dealer to give you a full written estimate of the work to be done and that you MUST see the failed parts.
You need to decide what to do and where the car is fixed yourself and you have the right to a second opinion.

 

[mobiuslogic]

Yeah, this thread has my complete attention. I've got a 2000 FFV engine at about 35K and every now and then I get this metallic rattling sound that I really don't like, but have no idea what is and there are too many variables as to what it may be. I'll be watching this one. GET LOTS OF DETAILS!!!!

-mobiuslogic

 

[taurus2000]

Originally posted by medicTA@Feb 8 2004, 12:23 AM
Before the speculation a few questions...

When you thought the defroster was warmer than normal and just before the car stalled, did you see any warning lights, check engine lights, higher temp gauge readings, low coolant level, or hear any clunking noises ect.????

It's odd to me to have a "complete engine failure" without any warning signals or the normal sounds of internal destruction.

One of the first things to do would be to check for codes then a careful external visual check for massive leaks or cracks, broken belts, then check your radiator for level and quality of antifreeze, then the dipstick for oil.
After I would then go into a fuel and spark troubleshooting mode and depending on where that lead, you should pull all the plugs and check that it still turns over and then do a compression test wet and dry.

I would get it home and start a slow troubleshooting session, or at least get the dealer to give you a full written estimate of the work to be done and that you MUST see the failed parts.
You need to decide what to do and where the car is fixed yourself and you have the right to a second opinion.

Ok, the car has 68,xxx on it. The defroster wasn't warmer than normal, the temperature gauge read out was (sorry I didn't make that very clear) and this was the first time it was that way. There wasn't a single sound or warning light that alerted me to a problem (I'm very anal about my car). Coolant was at the correct levels (I Check every week). And it was odd to me to have a complete engine failure without any warning sounds, lights also. I haven't noticed any leaking fluids, the belt isn't broken, the antifreeze was just flushed and filled two months ago, and the oil was at correct levels. I do have ESP and I also have ALL of my maintenance records showing everything done to a "t". I should know on Monday about my car, but until then I'm walking to campus...or hitching a ride with a bud! One more thing, I never had a metallic rattle...you should go get that looked at mobius.

 

[XLSuruaT]

Good thing you have esp. Since it seems esp may have to cough up a new motor to you, I suggest fighting hard to make sure it is a crate motor. On my car, ford esp put a rebuilt motor on my car while leaving the rest of the parts, so I have a brand spanking rebuilt motor with 8 year old sensors, hoses, intake manifolds, fuel injectors, SPARK PLUGS, everything... I have already had a few problems with my cam position sensor and some other crap. I would highly suggest being very assertive for ford to drop a crate motor in rather than have a block shipped to them and let them swap everything. But, your car is only a 2000, while mine was a 96, so it may not even be a problem for you since your car isn't very old like mine was when this happened last year.

 

[Twilight]

Yea plus its a Vulcan. Cheap. Fight for a crate motor.

 

[greenstreak]

Originally posted by mobiuslogic@Feb 8 2004, 02:24 AM
every now and then I get this metallic rattling sound that I really don't like, but have no idea what is

It's most likely just a heat shield rattling. I've got one that's pretty bad, but eventually goes away when the car warms up. Does it sound like it's coming from inside the engine, or from underneath the car?

 

[FatTortoise]

Originally posted by Twilight@Feb 8 2004, 03:01 AM
Yea plus its a Vulcan. Cheap. Fight for a crate motor.

Sppft. My Vulcan will 0wn j00!

Also, what is a "Crate Motor"? Is that like, BRAND NEW?

I have a Vulcan FF, and I know that if that happened to me, my mom would jump to conclusions and say that I was doing something wrong..

Just like then she noticed that the tred on my BACK tires was lower than the tred on my front tires, and she comes to me and said "STOP DOING BURNOUTS!!"
Well mom, it is a FWD...

I have seen mine running a little warmer than usual.. I think it could just be in my head, or I didnt align the gauges right

 

[mobiuslogic]

Well my metallic rattling only occurs when I am accelerating, and only sometimes. It used to only happen in 4th gear, but now it happened in second, so I don't know what the deal is.

-mobiuslogic

 

[diesel600]

Originally posted by mobiuslogic@Feb 8 2004, 01:14 PM
Well my metallic rattling only occurs when I am accelerating, and only sometimes. It used to only happen in 4th gear, but now it happened in second, so I don't know what the deal is.

-mobiuslogic

Sounds like classic Vulcan spark knock to me. My '93 had it. I'm surprised there is not more discussion on this issue, because I know it's a common problem. Especially in the summer time here when it's warmer. The sound is unmistakable to me. I will be outside somewhere and hear it, and before I even look I'll think "That's Vulcan spark knock," and every single time I look I will be right.

On a side note, we bought my '93 in '95 with 50,000 miles on it, and I think it had this problem even before we owned it. Reason I say this is because after I had taken some auto mechanics classes I started doing some tune up work on the car. I discovered that the timing had been retarded by a full 10 degrees! (This also explained why the car was such a slug up to that point.) It wasn't until I reset the timing to it's correct base value that I got spark knock. We tried all kinds of stuff to try and fix it, checked out the EGR system, etc. I wound up just running 89 octane in the summer and that pretty much took care of it. Next time fill up with high octane and see if the sound goes away. If it does at least you'll know what the sound is.

 

[joe5.0]

Crate engines & remanufactured engines are really pretty much the same, in terms of quality. Sure the block may be used in the reman, but basically all the internals are changed. All the parts are hand checked for clearance etc, unlike a crate engine which is just new parts assembled together. I have a reman longblock & reman tranny and both have held up better than the "brand new" stuff that was in the car originally.

Oh, and they will not replace hoses, injectors, sensors etc if there is nothing wrong with them. If you have ESP just let them do the swap, you are getting a new engine for your deductible, which is not a bad deal. The engine will also carry a 12 month/12k mile full warranty separate from ESP.

 

[Rockledge]

A vulcan with 68K going kaboom? I've never heard of one doing that, except when overheating.

Please obtain all the details from the dealer and pass them along. Have the dealer show you the damage.

Like all the others, I am very surprised and curious as to what could have caused this.

 

[sundarpn]

whats going on. Gen 3 vulcans , I was told in this very forum , are tanks!!.
What the heck is going on.

there was another post talking abt changing timing chains in a vulcan. I am getting all nervous abt my 96 GL now.

 

[jason8225]

I don't know that there is much to worry about *knocks on wood* only because we are like "the authority" on Tauruses so we, of course, are going to hear about pretty much anything that goes wrong with the things because people will try to research problems they are having and find us. So we are probably going to see every 1 in a million chance problem that anybody out there has. Just something to think about...

 

[cincyses]

From above: "Sounds like classic Vulcan spark knock to me. My '93 had it. I'm surprised there is not more discussion on this issue, because I know it's a common problem."


I think we went like 6 pages on this in the archives (title was something like 92 octane). I'm on my second Vulcan Taurus and both have had slight knock/ping. Ford TSB recognizes this as a characteristic of some Vulcans when using 87. I run Shell mid-grade (89) and the noise now almost never occurs unless I go W.O.T. up a steep hill, lift off the throttle and then go back to W.O.T. to continue up the hill.....

 

[CBGDIGGER]

Taurus2000, I think you are putting a lot of faith in the
service advisor. With my ESP I get a rental with any covered repair. So maybe asking your advisor would save you from walking. If you do get one tell the rental agency not too charge milage, hence enterprise, hertz will unless you put up a stink..

wish you lots of luck.

 

[taurus2000]

Originally posted by CBGDIGGER@Feb 8 2004, 11:02 PM

Taurus2000, I think you are putting a lot of faith in the
service advisor. With my ESP I get a rental with any covered repair. So maybe asking your advisor would save you from walking. If you do get one tell the rental agency not too charge milage, hence enterprise, hertz will unless you put up a stink..

wish you lots of luck.

I was just joking about the walking part, I can't drive on campus anyway and my apartments a block away from Auburn's main campus. I usually walk anyway cause it's quicker. But thanks for all the replies, I have fun reading them. I should find out what is exactly wrong tomorrow. I really don't need my car in my college experience, everything's so damned close. I jus use my car to go HOME. I used to go home every weekend, which explains the higher mileage, but I haven't been home in about a month now and don't plan on going any time soon. So I have some time to thoroughly investigate the failed engine issue.

 

[mooler]

cylinder siezure -- anti-freeze leaking into the cylinder. engine go bye bye

 

[taurus2000]

Not the engine at ALL! Seems I had two separate problems at once. First, my gas gauge stopped reading correctly and when I thought I had a quarter of a tank I was empty. I ran out of which explains the engine not coming on. The fuel sensor level went bad. But the dealer thought that the engine dying had something to do with the car overheating before the engine died. Not at all. In separate event, both of my cooling fans stopped working, and caused the car to overheat at idle. I got everything fixed, BOTH cooling fans and the fuel sensor level for $8.63, the cost for disposing things in an environmentally friendly way. SAGA over!