Is the coolant 'fresh' - still has most of the original color (green, yellow)
Note: One symptom of a leaking head gasket is "milky" looking coolant ?
* Thermostat may have stuck closed
* Cooling system blockage - flush it
* Water pump -
* Metal water pump impellers are prone to rusting away if the coolant hasn't been changed often enough.
* Plastic/nylon impellers tend to wear away, or even break (ala original Ford Contours)
Turn on the a/c and the fan should come on immediately (you could possibly have a bad pressure switch in the a/c system that would keep the fan from coming on, but that's unlikely)
The best way to check for lack of flow is to remove the radiator hoses and run water through it, comparing inlet volume/time to outlet volume/time.
A test is to get a smog test station to check for HC's (hydro-carbons) in the cooling system by removing some coolant and sticking the "sniffer" in the radiator neck while in manual gas reading mode. there should be no hc's present. any reading warrants removing the heads for further diagnosis.
Other ideas?
Possibly your heater flaps are stuck in "hot".
First determine if the engine is really running hot if it is check to see if you are low on water, or could be the thermostat is not opening.The thermostat allows water to enter the engine block after it reaches a certain temp.
my 2001 ford windstar is still overheating even though i changed out the thermostat. what could it be?
For a good start, see "Related Questions" below for an exhaustive review of diagnostics for hunting down problems that cause the battery to drain down.
See "Related Questions" below for information on diagnosing overheating problems - and even how-to-replace a water pump instructions.
Could be the water pump is not working properly.
thermostat stuck
Just a few prospects...Clogged up cooling system - take it for a flush if it's that badFailed thermostatFailed waterpumpSee "Related Questions" below for more ideas on trouble-shooting/diagnosing overheating problems on a Windstar - along with associated links to relevant questions/procedures for the fixes
Ford Windstar was created in 1994.
There are a few reasons why a 1997 Ford Windstar may not start. It could be the alternator, battery, bad plug, or even the starter.
The headlights of a Ford Windstar may have problems going on if they are burnt out or if there is a wiring problem. Blowing a headlight fuse will also lead to both lights not working.
Yes. The mirror on the 2001 Ford Windstar is the same mirror found on the 1999 Ford Windstar. They are interchangeable.
Check the transmission cooler, located in front of the radiator. Flush the coils with a hose to insure that air can flow to cool it.
The process of elimination works. If you have a check engine light, start there.