Hi,

3.0L 1989 Aero:

I recently flushed my cooling system, changed all the hoses, T-Stat, etc...

The temp is fine, heats up like it should, and I can see the T-stat open on the gauge (needle falls to about 1/3) and the engine still seems strong.

I opened the Rad cap to top off, and I noticed that there was a light film of residue, but that the level was right at the top of the neck.

I did stick my finger inside the neck, and felt some residue on the neck...

I read somewhere that if this is so, then the head gasket is leaking... but I checked the dip stick, and it shows only oil, and the exhaust only has regular smoke coming from it (no antifreeze smell)

So, the question is, do head gaskets leak over time? or do they fail all at once? I always thought that a leaking head gasket would be both ways (i.e. antifreeze in oil too) and that if it was leaking, the van would overheat too.

Is it normal for the temp to move a little bit from 1/2 way on the gauge to 1/3rd, as the t-stat opens and closes?

should I do nothing about this, or start looking for another van? it's only got 125K on her, but starting to rust, and leans toward drivers side, and some other fun stuff... still takes off when the light turns green though!

Just curious, are they more or less problems with the 4.0L engine?

Thanks,
Bob

 

Well it could be, but on the other hand, it could be something else.

3.0L are not known to blow headgaskets unless under extreme measures (loss of all coolant, no waterpump, and the driver over heats it.) But your 3.0L is also 16 years old, and over time, gaskets do dry up and decompose, no matter what.

Sense you are not having drivability issues, no white cloud out the back, or overheating, I would not worry about it. I have a feeling that it is just gunk from the system. No matter how well you flush the system, there will always be gunk in the engine passages that will beb released into the coolant, that is why it is important to change the coolant every other year.

 

Yeah, and prior to this, It hadn't been done for a while, like maybe 5 years or more, so it could be left from that...

Yeah, it's still powerfull, and I don't think I see/smell anything weird with exhaust... I went back there the other day while it was idling, warming up, and it just smelled like exhaust... and was the normal grey/clearish color...

Glad to hear that the 3.0L's were not known for this problem...

thanks for this response... maybe I can sleep better tonight :-) I can't afford to replace it just yet... :-)

BTW - are explorers built as well as the aeros? I wanted to get an AWD or a 4x4 Explorer with the 5.0L... like a 96 or 97... (new to me!) when was the 5.0L available? nothing like a V8!, but I also don't want any problems!

 

Explorers are just as ruff an tuff as the Aerostar. The 5.0L doesn't get as good millage as the 4.0L and torque wise, they are about the same. The 5.0L was availible until 99 or so.You talked in the other thread that you put bikes in the back, I don't know if there would be enough room in the back for that on an Explorer. And they do have the same problem with rockers rotting out.

 

No, that was the other person that bikes, and likes his van for taking his bikes... I actually have to agree... I used to mountian bike, and I could fit mine and my girlfriends bike in there no problem... man that brings back memories...

Sounds like a newer 4.0L in either a 95-97 Aero, or that time period Explorer would be perfect...

MA is well suited for a truck... plenty of hills, snow, and pot holes in the road...

There was a guy selling a 4.0L 97 aero extended, AWD and it only had 90K on it, and he was asking 3K... if he didn't live 800 miles away, I would have bought it :-) It looked like a new car!

I'm a photographer/video guy myself, so I do need the room of a covered truck/suv thingy... for some of the larger shoots, so the explorer would have enough room with the seats folded down...

Maybe my Dad will give me his 03 navigator? I can dream!

Bob

 

Sorry, didn't mean to confuse you with hasben.


Honestly you will get a better deal on a 96/97 Aero than an Explorer of the same era. No-one wants a minivan, but a SUV, heck yea. And add another couple grand to the price.

 

girl friends also like the comfy beds in the back of Aero's
boy that brings back memories of a 64 Econoline...hey Cheech...what did you do with that bong man

i use my Aero liftgate all the time in winter for protected tripod shots under the liftgate...can leave the camera set up and wait for the right light no matter what the weather...nice and comfy setting in the back with hot chocolate rums

explorer engines are far easier to access for maintenance, most shops refuse to look at an Aero or charge double.

 

That reminds me, has anyone seen the new Honda commercial where they show all those classic vans. And then they talk about how nice kids have it now with dvd, leather, ect unlike their parents. (They should have mentioned that they were concieved in those vans) I was drooling over the classic customized vans and see the modern van and go, huh?

Give me Cheech and Chong and the bumper sticker (if the vans a rocken, don't come a knocken!) any day.

 

got me a blowup air bed for the back w 12v compressor...far better than one of those ugly blow up plastic girly dolls i see all the time in the HOV commuter lanes in the passenger seat of some dude's big 4wdr diesel

 

[QUOTE=93nighthawk]That reminds me, has anyone seen the new Honda commercial where they show all those classic vans. And then they talk about how nice kids have it now with dvd, leather, ect unlike their parents. (They should have mentioned that they were concieved in those vans) I was drooling over the classic customized vans and see the modern van and go, huh?

Give me Cheech and Chong and the bumper sticker (if the vans a rocken, don't come a knocken!) any day.[/QUOTE----------
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Nighthawk, I don't know how old you are, but I remember the Van craze of the 70s VERY well. What an era! I was 16 when I received my driver's license in 1974, graduated from high school in 1976. I was (am still am to a degree) an avid car / motorsports / GURU. Even HOT ROD, Popular Hot Rodding, CAR CRAFT magazines had all kinds of Van articles, etc. in the 70s. Remember when fat tires, slotted aluminum wheels or Cragar S/S wheels, chrome sidepipes, murals and wild paint schemes were all the rage on Vans in the 70s. Remember the song "Chevy Van" by Sammy Johns, in 1975 I believe?! I could go on forever here...lots of fun and memories of those 70s ers street Vans... Ed N50-15, M50-14 wide back tires? Firestone Super Sports, (or was it Super Stones??) in big, block, raised white letters. No radials then, "P metric" tire sizing was just barely starting/. So tires then were all hard, bias or bias-belted built tires. Primitive by today's modern radials... the 70s - "Far Out, Solid, and RIGHT ON!" Ed

 

Sorry ed, back in '74, I was 2, but that did not stop me from driving my Grandpa's van (I was a curious boy, keys left in the ignition, so what if I could not touch the pedals, all I needed was the gear shift. )

By the time I was able to drive the van craze had been over for a long time. I still remember the cool vans from the movies/TV of the time (especially chips and C&C). I always liked the driving style and room of a van. A friend of mine's dad had a decked out Econoline with CB, radio, radar detector, TV, Quad seating, it felt like driving around in your living room. A far cry from traveling in my parents '76 vega stationwagon.

I really wish that the van craze would come back, but I doubt it will.

 

He he, I'd trade anything to be your age again