OMG it just blew up!

[theborralls]

My husband and I have a 02 Taurus. She's been running with the check engine light on for awhile, got it checked and the code came back enviromental. Well he just called me and said it blew up. There's smoke pouring from the hood, oil leaking, the temp is spiked, the battery light is on, the oil light is on, but wonder of wonders, the CE light is off...lol.
So my question is.... did we just blow a gasket? Thing is that we are making the last payment on this thing on 7/15, and my hubby is heading for deployment in Late August early September. The plan had been basically, just before he leaves, take her in and sell her for parts. Is there anything we can do to get her running just for a few more weeks? Or should we just call the local parts joint and have her towed and bury her proper?
Poor Baby

[RaeRae1]

Doesn't sound good. Almost sounds like the engine is toast. IMO I would say it is time for a good burial. Hard to say for sure not being there or being able to actually assess where the oil is coming from, and/or if the smoke is water vapor or oil etc. So many variables, but it sounds far to severe to just "qiuck fix for a few weeks". Sorry.

[tripletdaddy]

If you have oil really leaking and antifreeze all over, it sounds like either the lower intake manifold gasket or the head gasket blew or a major crack developed. I'd be worth pinpointing where they are leaking. Not sure why
the CEL went off. I imagine the belt started slipping on the alternator when all that fluid started going everywhere. The oil and temp lights would be consitent with the loss of fluids.

To verify some of this, look inside the radiator cap neck and the oveflow for light brown to off white milky goo, which would be oil in it. You may also see the same stuff on the oil dipstick and inside the oil fill cap in the valve cover. Running it would not be a very good idea, and it would also decrease it's resale value due to poor lubrication with the antifreeze in the oil. It's probably rebuildable, but do you really want to put that much money into it? I'd check to see if it is still under Ford's warranty. Good luck. Sorry that had to happen to you folks right when hubby has to serve. Thanks for ya'lls service to the country!

[theborralls]

Thanks to both of you. We've left it on base for the moment, and are going to head over this afternoon to take a look. I think you're right, I think it's time to just bury her with honors. Poor girl.

[CrapaTaurusWrecks]

Depending on the condition of your Taurus you might want to place an ad on Craigslist or simular site to sell your car. Junk yards don't pay very much, but there's about a million people out there that have a bad transmission in their Taurus and could swap their engine into your Taurus.

[theborralls]

Actually, we may have saved her. At least for alittle bit. We just went and got her, she made it all the way home..yay! Though she is driving on her own now..... wth is THAT about???? Apparently, my husband drove her home with just the brake pedal. If you release her brake, she speeds all the way up... says he got her to 65 before slowing her down. She's overheated BADLY. It was only a 15 minute drive and she was smoking from the radiator when we opened her up once we got home. So we're going to let her cool down and then fill her up wth water. Should we stay away from the coolant/antifreeze? DH says its alcohol based so it evaps faster than water, so water is better...yes?

[theborralls]

Originally Posted by CrapaTaurusWrecks

Depending on the condition of your Taurus you might want to place an ad on Craigslist or simular site to sell your car. Junk yards don't pay very much, but there's about a million people out there that have a bad transmission in their Taurus and could swap their engine into your Taurus.

Yeah no kidding. KBB is 3800 on her...stupid junk yard offered me 270$. I refuse to sell my baby for that. She's been way too good to us for me to betray her like that.

[Johnny Mullet]

Anytime an engine has been overheated (especially twice) there are most likely some internal components damaged. I would search for a replacement engine or car.

[Jrs3800]

Does this car have the Vulcan Pushrod 3.0 or the Druratech 24v 3.0?