1995 for taurus 3.8 liter engine

[chrisj30]

i have 1992 ford taurus w/ 3.8 liter engine and it cuts off on me whenever i am at a redlight but will restart without problem but i don't know what the problem is. not only that, but the anti-freeze leaks to the ground and causes the engine to overheat and steam. i don't know where the leak is coming from and i've tried to treat it with Barr's stop leak seal but it continues to leak. consequently, i have to keep filling the resevoir with anti-freeze. how do i fix these problems myself?

[shorod]

For starters, you will need to get a better idea of where your leaking coolant is from. If it leaks that bad while the car is running, you can probably see the leak with the engine off just after driving it. Be sure to wear your safety glasses and be aware that surfaces will be hot. You will probably be able to see where the coolant has been running down the side of the engine block, etc. If you are having difficulty seeing the leak, then you may need to find someone with a cooling system pressure tester so you can pressurize the system and see if you can find the leak that way. Also, most of the chain auto parts stores sell a UV dye that you can put in your system, then using a black (UV) light, the coolant trail will glow. If you go this route, be sure to get dye intended for water/coolant and pay attention to the amount of dye necessary based on the fluid capacity of your cooling system. Run the car awhile to get the dye circulated and the leak to reoccur. Then, using a black light, look for the trail of coolant (with the engine off). Follow the coolant up the block until the glowing stops, and that should be the origin of your leak. Part of the beauty of this route is the engine can be completely cool when you are looking for your leak. Of course, if you have a huge leak, the whole engine compartment might be glowing.

The 3.8 liters had issues with head gaskets, but I don't recall which years were affected. Is yours a 1992 (text) or a 1995 (subject)?

As for the engine stalling, that could be caused by numerous items: Idle control servo, carboned up throttle plate, mass airflow sensor, vacuum leak, weak battery, torque converter clutch solenoid, and many other items I've missed. Does it stall every time you come to a stop, or only after so many miles, some speed, only when the A/C is on, etc?

Do you have access to a scan tool with datastream capabilities?

-Rod