02 escort overheating

My 2002 escort just started overheating tonight on the way home from my girlfriends mom's house. It wasn't until i was parking i noticed the car was sitting higher than it normally does. Any suggestions ? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance

Only thing recently done was an oil change, car only has 75 k miles

Don't go to your girlfriend's mom's house. :lol:

When it overheated did the cooling fan come on?

Have you checked the coolant in the radiator? (The reservoir might be full but the actual radiator low.)

I don't think the height of the car has anything to do with this.

Fan does come on, and i meant when i noticed the temp gauge sitting higher than normal, sorry should have been more specific haha, I tried to burp the cooling system and noticed i was loosing coolant, Now the search for the leak is on :banghead:

couldn't find the leak... and car sat at normal temp, the whole time. But now there's water coming out of the exhaust... which i think is what i thought was leaking underneath the car... just moisture. Nor did the fan turn on this time.. but the car didn't overheat? The bushings on the fan that the coolant runs through was slowly bubbling out. Any ideas or suggestions is greatly appreciated

Not sure what this means "The bushings on the fan that the coolant runs through was slowly bubbling out"

It is normal to have some condensation in the exhaust. When the engine warms up the fan comes on. Sounds pretty normal to me.

If it still has the original water pump it might be time to change it. Check to see if it's leaking. Check for a thermostat that's stuck closed (or mostly closed).

Yes... It still has the original waterpump in it..
When it did cool down and i checked it last night it and it had coolant in the reservoir but did not have it in the raidiater...

Turn the HEAT on the climate control, so the internal fan will help cool the engine.

Are you getting HEAT?
Is the Temp going down?

With the Air-cond on cool Max, both electric fans should work.

I just replaced two electric fans on a 2000 taurus, because of over Heating.
$22 + $2 cover charge for both fans @ LkQx

Yes i am getting heat.. i had it on the whole time i drove to work today. Car also did not overheat this time. Haven't tried the a/c yet.. just the heat. I'll have to check it on my lunch

This time of year, the fan for the heater core is probably enough to keep the
engine temp down.

If Fans are bad, need to check fuses, and relays 1st.
You can bench test the fans with 12vdc.
I took a 12vdc jump start box to Lkqx, when looking for fans.

how would you check the relays?

Need to figure out now where the coolant leaked from that was missing from the radiator.

What part of Vegas do you live in? I used to live at Trop and Maryland Parkway. I'm up in Beatty, Nevada now.

Not sure what this means "The bushings on the fan that the coolant runs through was slowly bubbling out"

It is normal to have some condensation in the exhaust. When the engine warms up the fan comes on. Sounds pretty normal to me.

If the water pump is leaking, it's time for a new timing belt too!

almost looks like its coming from the water pump.. and yea it is time for a new timing belt.. picking up one today actually.. it's cracked... could that be from coolant leaking onto it?

AZ tumbleweed: just moved from maryland and silverado ranch too henderson.. greenvalley and sunset.

The timing belt can have small age cracks at the bottoms of the 'teeth', even when the outer part of the belt (smooth side) looks perfect. If there are ANY little cracks in the rubber of the belt, it is time for the new belt.
Its really hard to see if its leaking from the water pump - but once you have the timing cover out of the way, and the belt removed - you might be able to see the evidence of water running down from the pump.
Anytime I would replace a timing belt, I would also replace the water pump -- since you have to remove the timing belt to be able to replace the pump. Then you can forget about it for ten years or 100,000 miles.

Im also fond of replacing the pulleys on the tensioner arm and the idler, for the serpentine belt.

Coolant leaking onto the belt wont cause cracks. Age, ozone, and miles causes them.

ya the smooth sides not cracked its the side where the teeth are. Like you said has little cracks on that side.. i just got a new belt. im thinking if i should wait and get the water pump too before i change it.

I think you did find your leak.
The water from your exhaust could be from a cracked head. The leak is slow and will take some time to get back down to where it was.