99 Taurus Possible Blown Head Gasket?

[JasonS74]

My car had been in the shop for the temp gauge going to hot while I was stopped. I took the car to Dobbs (The first and sadly last mistake) and they replaced the reserve tank, hose's, and thermostat they say the car is read to go. Not 1 mile down the road the same problem is happening the temp gauge going to hot while stopped when i started moving it quickly went back down.

So I call Dobbs they say bring it back in we will look at it. They claim the drove it let it sit while running and nothing. So the next day I go back to get the car there is a large puddle of oil under my car. They come out pull the dip stick out put it back in and there isn't a drop of oil in my car.

They pull it into the garage and say you have a bulging oil gasket so your oil is leaking out that will cost you another $400.00 (keeping in mind I just paid them $500.00). So I raise hell about it and the store manager calls and says "We are accepting responsibility because the car was in our possession we will fix it free".

So I pick the car up Friday last week and drive it all weekend no problem. Come Wed. this week the same problem starts all over again. As im driving down the road the car started smoking and making nasty noise's so I pull to the side of the road turn the car off and it hasn't started since. The tow company find's a milk puddle under the car and said that is what it looks like when oil mixes with water.

Meanwhile Dobb's is accepting no resposibility for the what so ever. So along with contacting the Better Business Bureau I have also contacted an attorny. ANY SUGGESTION AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE AND WHAT SHOULD I DO????? Thank you

[SniperX13]

well, good luck getting the company to accept responsibility for it. you have to prove that the head gasket was in good running condition before you took it into the shop, and that the fault lies with the company.

[Car Pal]

sounds like your oil pann was leaking oil. the overheating was probably the water pump.now the milk shake is when the gaskets blow and coolant and oil mix. they should have diagnosed it right the first time.

[JasonS74]

Thank's for the info car pal I appreciate it.

[bmeans]

1996 Ford Taurus 3.0L has blown head gasket in #1 cylinder 3 times after short miles. Last time with a new rebuild. Never getting hot and no engine codes. Any ideas where to look for solution?

[vampiro03]

Originally Posted by Car Pal

sounds like your oil pann was leaking oil. the overheating was probably the water pump.now the milk shake is when the gaskets blow and coolant and oil mix. they should have diagnosed it right the first time.

the water pump would squeal if the bearings or fan were bad, the cat could've been overheating to make the temp guage rise when not in motion(happend to me). when the head gasket goes you KNOW it. nobody behind you would be able to see a thing.lol and the antifreeze smell. I felt like an ass when it happend to me, but I was only like 6 blocks from home I gunned it put it in nutral and coasted home. nobody behind me would move.

[KimMG]

bmeans- What kind of head gaskets are you using?
Did you use a straight edge and a feeler gauge to see if there are any gaps on the head and the block?

[jmcamry]

Sorry to suggest it, but a warped head would act this way.

Also, I would do searches on the `Unholy Trinity' of these era vehicles- a badly planned `100K mile' coolant, a badly designed alternator grounding system that eventually allowed electrolysis to fatally taint/convert the coolant into acid that eats @ all points of coolant system( seals/freezeplugs/head ), AND the now `charged' fluid then picks up the sand left in the engine blocks & runs it through system a zillion times ( think internal closed-loop sandblast ) breaking down both metals & sand to form that `infamous mud' at the coolant expansion tank top found in oh so many threads, a byproduct of the 80s/90s Taurus/Sable's popularity forcing Ford into shortcuts on production.

The lawyers & lobbyists got their way @ NHTSA, so there were/are few TSBs & no recalls, though some dealers did do the right thing for a few screamers.

The actual fixes are a combo of extra grounding straps to radiator,
new water pump, freeze plugs, radiator, heater core, head? etc. etc.,
while we're left to wonder what important inaccessable tolerances have narrowed within the block from its multi-year inner sandblast!

The electrolysis part also happened to 1980s GM or Dodge trucks, so there was prior awareness in the industry this could happen...

[98er]

This sounds like a classic case of a failed coolant fan or circuit. Heats when stopped and cools when moving. Overheats and warps head and gaskets resulting in all kinds of problems. Misdiagnosed, surely, but I can't see the repair center being liable for work other than that performed. Anyway, good luck!
Marc/GA